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Development scientist vs chemist

The differences between development scientists and chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a development scientist has an average salary of $92,514, which is higher than the $64,961 average annual salary of a chemist.

The top three skills for a development scientist include chemistry, data analysis and GMP. The most important skills for a chemist are chemistry, lab equipment, and test results.

Development scientist vs chemist overview

Development ScientistChemist
Yearly salary$92,514$64,961
Hourly rate$44.48$31.23
Growth rate17%6%
Number of jobs92,03920,221
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 80%
Average age4142
Years of experience4-

What does a development scientist do?

Companies with a manufacturing arm usually employ Development Scientists. They are responsible for studying the company's processes and products and conducting research on improving these. They work on new strategies to make production and manufacturing more efficient. They also conduct feasibility studies to ensure that the strategies they come up with are effective and analyze the results of such studies. They then present these findings to their colleagues and develop implementation strategies for smoother streamlining of new processes.

What does a chemist do?

Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.

Development scientist vs chemist salary

Development scientists and chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Development ScientistChemist
Average salary$92,514$64,961
Salary rangeBetween $68,000 And $124,000Between $46,000 And $90,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWilmington, DE
Highest paying stateCaliforniaDelaware
Best paying companyAmazonMeta
Best paying industryTechnologyManufacturing

Differences between development scientist and chemist education

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

Development ScientistChemist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 80%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

Development scientist vs chemist demographics

Here are the differences between development scientists' and chemists' demographics:

Development ScientistChemist
Average age4142
Gender ratioMale, 55.8% Female, 44.2%Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 18.2% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage8%5%

Differences between development scientist and chemist duties and responsibilities

Development scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead group in performing sample preparation and delivering DNA conjugate beads for sequencing on novel NGS platform.
  • Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
  • Develop and validate a host cell protein ELISA method for drug substance and in-process samples.
  • Develop qualification protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ) for process and packaging equipment.
  • Conduct regular preventative maintenance on equipment such as titrators, Hamilton diluters, and GC.
  • Attend training for laboratory softwares, cGMP, safety, ISO and other regulatory guidelines and requirements.
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Chemist example responsibilities.

  • Lead QA, engineering, and operations training events.
  • Achieve and maintain ISO 9001-2000 certification by creating and implementing policies and serving as management representative.
  • Perform analysis of drug substance and drug product using HPLC, GC, dissolution and UV/VIS.
  • Utilize IR, AA, UV, HPLC and other chemical analysis equipment to assess product quality.
  • Prepare solutions to run on HPLC, ICP and AA instruments.
  • Involve in operation and preventative maintenance of LC/MS, GC/FID, and HPLC instrumentation.
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Development scientist vs chemist skills

Common development scientist skills
  • Chemistry, 10%
  • Data Analysis, 7%
  • GMP, 5%
  • HPLC, 4%
  • QC, 3%
  • FDA, 3%
Common chemist skills
  • Chemistry, 20%
  • Lab Equipment, 7%
  • Test Results, 7%
  • Product Development, 5%
  • Method Development, 5%
  • HPLC, 5%

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