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Graduate internship vs graduate researcher

The differences between graduate interns and graduate researchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a graduate internship has an average salary of $52,511, which is higher than the $32,346 average annual salary of a graduate researcher.

The top three skills for a graduate internship include patients, python and java. The most important skills for a graduate researcher are R, cell culture, and research projects.

Graduate internship vs graduate researcher overview

Graduate InternshipGraduate Researcher
Yearly salary$52,511$32,346
Hourly rate$25.25$15.55
Growth rate4%17%
Number of jobs48,96217,313
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does a graduate internship do?

A graduate internship is a short-term experience that oftentimes leads to a permanent position. The academic program allows graduates to experience different roles within an organization. This professional learning experience provides them with practical and meaningful work associated with their career interest or field of study. Many interns are hired by the company where they are working under an internship program due to their relevant work experience.

What does a graduate researcher do?

A graduate researcher is responsible for supporting an educational institution's academic research processes. Graduate researchers assist in data gathering and performing in-depth analysis using research methodologies under the supervision of a research professor. In some cases, graduate researchers also conduct field investigations and analyze other research publications to verify data accuracy. They prepare reports, share recommendations, and keep an organized database for research records. A graduate researcher must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, as this task requires interaction with the researchers and writing duties.

Graduate internship vs graduate researcher salary

Graduate interns and graduate researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Graduate InternshipGraduate Researcher
Average salary$52,511$32,346
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $88,000Between $15,000 And $68,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MA-
Highest paying stateMassachusetts-
Best paying companyMenorah Medical Center-
Best paying industryAutomotive-

Differences between graduate internship and graduate researcher education

There are a few differences between a graduate internship and a graduate researcher in terms of educational background:

Graduate InternshipGraduate Researcher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorPsychologyChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborCornell University

Graduate internship vs graduate researcher demographics

Here are the differences between graduate interns' and graduate researchers' demographics:

Graduate InternshipGraduate Researcher
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 35.1% Female, 64.9%Male, 57.3% Female, 42.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 10.4% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between graduate internship and graduate researcher duties and responsibilities

Graduate internship example responsibilities.

  • Develop several Perl scripts to assist engineers to validate RTL files and automate several processes.
  • Develop software in python to automate the test process for both functional validation and production test process.
  • Script in Perl in order to efficiently automate the process of setting up simulation conditions and collecting data.
  • Design PHP application to automate schedule updating process.
  • Assist with Facebook, Instagram, and twitter.
  • Provide counseling and recommendations to patients regarding their prescription and over-the-counter medications under the direct supervision of the on-duty pharmacist.
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Graduate researcher example responsibilities.

  • Lead the in-vitro biophysical and biochemical characterization of homologous recombination and investigate structure-function effects of mutant enzymes.
  • Analyze the expression of MZF-1 gene using western blots and RT-PCR.
  • Train undergraduate, masters, and PhD-level students on HPLC and UPLC instruments.
  • Use of NMR, IR, and TLC to analyze product purity and identity.
  • Experience using GC/MS, LC/MS, and NMR to analyze molecules produce in the lab.
  • Create buffers, HPLC solvents, maintain laboratory notebooks, order chemical reagents and perform serial dilutions.
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Graduate internship vs graduate researcher skills

Common graduate internship skills
  • Patients, 11%
  • Python, 10%
  • Java, 9%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • C++, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
Common graduate researcher skills
  • R, 9%
  • Cell Culture, 8%
  • Research Projects, 6%
  • Protein Expression, 5%
  • Chemistry, 4%
  • Data Analysis, 4%

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