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Health researcher vs staff scientist

The differences between health researchers and staff 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 health researcher and a staff scientist. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $83,787 average annual salary of a health researcher.

The top three skills for a health researcher include health services, data collection and data analysis. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.

Health researcher vs staff scientist overview

Health ResearcherStaff Scientist
Yearly salary$83,787$93,941
Hourly rate$40.28$45.16
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs53,504121,054
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a health researcher do?

A health researcher is responsible for analyzing materials and publications and develop efficient research methodologies to support the analysis within the health industry. Health researchers review the current health trends, identify risks that may put public health in jeopardy, and coordinating with medical health professionals for in-depth investigation of diseases. They also assist laboratory technicians in performing examinations according to the research findings, proposing treatment plans, and improving diagnosing methods. A health researcher may present the study with different institutions, including the government, and recommend ways to minimize public health risk.

What does a staff scientist do?

The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.

Health researcher vs staff scientist salary

Health researchers and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Health ResearcherStaff Scientist
Average salary$83,787$93,941
Salary rangeBetween $57,000 And $122,000Between $63,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CityNew Brunswick, NJRedwood City, CA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyCalifornia
Best paying companyAppleEtsy
Best paying industryGovernmentTechnology

Differences between health researcher and staff scientist education

There are a few differences between a health researcher and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:

Health ResearcherStaff Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorPsychologyChemistry
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Health researcher vs staff scientist demographics

Here are the differences between health researchers' and staff scientists' demographics:

Health ResearcherStaff Scientist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 32.4% Female, 67.6%Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between health researcher and staff scientist duties and responsibilities

Health researcher example responsibilities.

  • Lead Inovalon's team of biostatisticians and SAS programmers.
  • Manage database of test responses and conduct data analyses for NIH technical report.
  • Manage site assessment, initiation, monitoring, query resolution and site closure done by several CRO's and sponsors.
  • Create Linux shell scripts to automate common process which severely reduce manual work load and processing time for the entire lab.
  • Acquire and analyze clinical data (SAS programming).
  • Coordinate an FDA document retrieval system which decrease time and costs in filing new drug applications.
  • Show more

Staff scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead efforts to replace a critical radioactive immunoassay with a non-radioactive format to measure clinical samples.
  • Manage clinical sample testing using MSD and ELISA in LIMS, including data review and approval using LIMS.
  • Assist in managing and maintenance of HPLC and Prep-HPLC systems to ensure maximum productivity for the process development group.
  • Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
  • Assist with RNA and DNA extractions from FFPE tissue and blood.
  • Supervise temps performing HPLC assays and validations during development and production campaigns under GMP conditions.
  • Show more

Health researcher vs staff scientist skills

Common health researcher skills
  • Health Services, 13%
  • Data Collection, 12%
  • Data Analysis, 10%
  • Research Findings, 8%
  • Health Economics, 6%
  • Health Insurance, 5%
Common staff scientist skills
  • Data Analysis, 9%
  • Research Projects, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 5%
  • Next-Generation Sequencing, 4%
  • Statistical Analysis, 4%
  • RNA, 4%

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