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The differences between formulation scientists and senior scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a formulation scientist and a senior scientist. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $90,067 average annual salary of a formulation scientist.
The top three skills for a formulation scientist include dosage forms, scale-up and GMP. The most important skills for a senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| Formulation Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $90,067 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $43.30 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 45,763 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A formulation scientist specializes in conducting different scientific experiments to create new products and enhance existing formulations. They usually work at laboratories to establish plans and objectives, conduct extensive research and analyses to design and develop a formula, create test structures to evaluate products, and set strategies to meet budgets, goals, and timelines. They also assess existing products to determine their weaknesses and strengths, developing solutions against potential issues and existing problems. Additionally, a formulation scientist maintains records of all procedures and implements protocols and safety regulations.
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.
Formulation scientists and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $90,067 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $126,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | BioMarin | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Agriculture | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a formulation scientist and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Pharmacy | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between formulation scientists' and senior scientists' demographics:
| Formulation Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 32.9% White, 47.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 Percentage | 8% | 8% |