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The differences between biology laboratory technicians and research and development technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a biology laboratory technician and a research and development technician. Additionally, a research and development technician has an average salary of $83,552, which is higher than the $38,514 average annual salary of a biology laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a biology laboratory technician include lab equipment, molecular biology and chemistry. The most important skills for a research and development technician are R, project management, and product management.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research And Development Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,514 | $83,552 |
| Hourly rate | $18.52 | $40.17 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 45,470 | 111,268 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A biological technician assists medical and biological scientists in conducting laboratory experiments and tests. As a biological technician, you will perform a variety of tasks that include setting up, maintaining, and cleaning laboratory equipment and instruments such as test tubes and microscopes, collecting and preparing biological samples, and analyzing experimental data, and interpreting results. In addition, you will assist medical scientists by administering new treatments and medicines to laboratory animals. You will also perform different techniques such as specimen staining to aid identification.
A research and development technician specializes in performing mathematical and laboratory operations to support projects concerning products and development. Usually functioning as an assistant to a more experienced researcher, a research and development technician's responsibilities revolve around conducting analysis, building models and prototypes, producing reports, and performing various experiments. Furthermore, as a technician, it is crucial to coordinate with all team members, keeping an accurate record of all processes while adhering to the company's standards and regulations.
Biology laboratory technicians and research and development technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research And Development Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,514 | $83,552 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $55,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | University of California | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a biology laboratory technician and a research and development technician in terms of educational background:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research And Development Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between biology laboratory technicians' and research and development technicians' demographics:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research And Development Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 72.5% Female, 27.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 12.7% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 15.4% White, 50.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |