Junior research fellow vs postdoctoral research associate

The differences between junior research fellows and postdoctoral research associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a junior research fellow and a postdoctoral research associate. Additionally, a junior research fellow has an average salary of $64,677, which is higher than the $52,785 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research associate.

The top three skills for a junior research fellow include cell culture, R and molecular techniques. The most important skills for a postdoctoral research associate are python, research projects, and chemistry.

Junior research fellow vs postdoctoral research associate overview

	Junior Research Fellow	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Yearly salary	$64,677	$52,785
Hourly rate	$31.09	$25.38
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	61,504	59,377
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Doctoral Degree, 47%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Junior research fellow vs postdoctoral research associate salary

Junior research fellows and postdoctoral research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Junior Research Fellow	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Average salary	$64,677	$52,785
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $90,000	Between $38,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Sunnyvale, CA	Memphis, TN
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Hawaii
Best paying company	Colfax Corporation	Argonne National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between junior research fellow and postdoctoral research associate education

There are a few differences between a junior research fellow and a postdoctoral research associate in terms of educational background:

	Junior Research Fellow	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Doctoral Degree, 47%
Most common major	Chemistry	Chemistry
Most common college	University of Southern California	Duke University

Junior research fellow vs postdoctoral research associate demographics

Here are the differences between junior research fellows' and postdoctoral research associates' demographics:

	Junior Research Fellow	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%	Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 37.3% White, 43.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 38.1% White, 43.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between junior research fellow and postdoctoral research associate duties and responsibilities

Junior research fellow example responsibilities.

Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
Work on synthesis of D-Serine from N-Acetyl-D-glucose using microorganisms, immobilize enzymes, and microbial cells in the key steps.
Estimate cytokines levels in human patient samples using ELISA methodology.
Assist in routine analysis using radio immuno assays such as ELISA.
Involve in the multi-step synthesis of bio-active natural products and also involve in the development of novel synthetic methodologies.
Construct a preliminary testing platform for a collaborative $3MM NSF grant between biology and electrical engineering exploring molecular communication theory.

Postdoctoral research associate example responsibilities.

Process and manage GIS databases to contribute towards research in human transportation behavior.
Transfect 293-T cells with CRISPR constructs.
Execute parallel synthesis on both solution and solid phase to develop library of compounds.
Diagnose and resolve all instruments during breakdown (GC/MS/MS, GC/ECD, UV-Vis).
Develop python codes to efficiently handle multiple read/unread, flag/unflag, and delete operations on emails.
Characterize particles using DLS and UV-vis spectrophotometer to measure particle sizes and detect oxide layer, respectively.

Junior research fellow vs postdoctoral research associate skills

Common junior research fellow skills

Cell Culture, 8%
R, 7%
Molecular Techniques, 7%
Molecular Biology, 6%
Chemistry, 6%
Research Projects, 5%

Common postdoctoral research associate skills

Python, 6%
Research Projects, 6%
Chemistry, 6%
Data Analysis, 6%
Post-Doctoral, 5%
Cell Culture, 5%

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Junior Research Fellow
Junior Research Fellow vs Postdoctoral Research Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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