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Chemist assistant vs senior scientist

The differences between chemist assistants and senior scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, 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 senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.

Chemist assistant vs senior scientist overview

Chemist AssistantSenior Scientist
Yearly salary$51,817$106,672
Hourly rate$24.91$51.28
Growth rate6%17%
Number of jobs6,14449,712
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
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 senior scientist do?

A senior scientist is usually in charge of overseeing experiments and evaluating junior scientists' performance, especially in laboratory settings. Moreover, it is also their responsibility to assess every progress report to ensure it's accuracy and validity. As a senior scientist in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage fellow scientists in their joint pursuit for scientific innovations, all while adhering to the laboratory's standards and policies.

Chemist assistant vs senior scientist salary

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

Chemist AssistantSenior Scientist
Average salary$51,817$106,672
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $87,000Between $74,000 And $153,000
Highest paying City-Redwood City, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Best paying industry-Telecommunication

Differences between chemist assistant and senior scientist education

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

Chemist AssistantSenior Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaDuke University

Chemist assistant vs senior scientist demographics

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

Chemist AssistantSenior Scientist
Average age4241
Gender ratioMale, 56.3% Female, 43.7%Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9%
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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage5%8%

Differences between chemist assistant and senior 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.

Senior scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead the development and implementation of new technology for use in NMR applications.
  • Strategize and manage the PK/PD program with internal collaborations including chemistry, DMPK, formulation and toxicology.
  • Lead a team and develop a 24-channel GC parallel separation system for high throughput screening of catalysts.
  • Lead a team of 11 direct reports and 35 indirect reports to solve development problems for multicapillary electrophoresis instruments.
  • Influence and impact others through building and maintaining strong networks that are leverage to obtain critical information and accomplish objectives.
  • Manage collaborations with external CROs.
  • Show more

Chemist assistant vs senior scientist skills

Common chemist assistant skills
  • Laboratory Instruments, 27%
  • Product Quality, 13%
  • Chemical Analysis, 6%
  • HPLC, 5%
  • Analytical Instrumentation, 4%
  • Lab Equipment, 4%
Common senior scientist skills
  • Patients, 11%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Molecular Biology, 3%
  • Research Projects, 3%
  • C++, 3%
  • Java, 3%

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