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Chemist assistant vs scientist

The differences between chemist assistants and scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a scientist has an average salary of $97,344, which is higher than the $51,817 average annual salary of a chemist assistant.

The top three skills for a chemist assistant include laboratory instruments, product quality and chemical analysis. The most important skills for a scientist are chemistry, data analysis, and patients.

Chemist assistant vs scientist overview

Chemist AssistantScientist
Yearly salary$51,817$97,344
Hourly rate$24.91$46.80
Growth rate6%17%
Number of jobs6,14462,467
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4241
Years of experience-4

What does a chemist assistant do?

Chemist assistants maintain laboratory readiness in supporting the production and contingency operations for instrument maintenance and personnel training. The assistants manage daily laboratory operations such as conducting and recording instrument maintenance. They develop minimum product property tolerances and production standards. It is their job to monitor the quality of products to ensure standard compliance. Also, they support capacity expansion projects, product quality projects, and process improvement initiatives.

What does a scientist do?

A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations. They collect the sample for their research, record findings, create research proposals, and release publications. A scientist must know how to utilize laboratory equipment to support the study and drive results efficiently and accurately.

Chemist assistant vs scientist salary

Chemist assistants and scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Chemist AssistantScientist
Average salary$51,817$97,344
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $87,000Between $67,000 And $140,000
Highest paying City-Redwood City, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Airbnb
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between chemist assistant and scientist education

There are a few differences between a chemist assistant and a scientist in terms of educational background:

Chemist AssistantScientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

Chemist assistant vs scientist demographics

Here are the differences between chemist assistants' and scientists' demographics:

Chemist AssistantScientist
Average age4241
Gender ratioMale, 56.3% Female, 43.7%Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 18.3% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage5%8%

Differences between chemist assistant and scientist duties and responsibilities

Chemist assistant example responsibilities.

  • Test developmental compounds to ASTM standards and manage certification submissions.
  • Take initiative to be cross-train in chemistry methods used by the company to perform additional tests that ensure uninterrupt laboratory operation.
  • Conduct enzyme assays and performance testing with different enzymes in liquid and powder detergent formulations.

Scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead a cross-functional team to return an HIV combination product to market on random-access instrument.
  • Design the VERIS HIV-1 quantitative PCR assay which achieve Conformit Europ enne (CE) marking.
  • Manage an elemental analytical laboratory that include operating, maintaining and troubleshooting an ICP-OES, ICPMS, MXRF, and IC.
  • Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
  • Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
  • Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
  • Show more

Chemist assistant vs scientist skills

Common chemist assistant skills
  • Laboratory Instruments, 27%
  • Product Quality, 13%
  • Chemical Analysis, 6%
  • HPLC, 5%
  • Analytical Instrumentation, 4%
  • Lab Equipment, 4%
Common scientist skills
  • Chemistry, 9%
  • Data Analysis, 7%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 4%
  • Cell Culture, 4%
  • Java, 3%

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