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The differences between junior research scientists and research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a junior research scientist, becoming a research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a junior research scientist has an average salary of $67,062, which is higher than the $42,896 average annual salary of a research assistant.
The top three skills for a junior research scientist include python, PI and C++. The most important skills for a research assistant are patients, lab equipment, and data collection.
| Junior Research Scientist | Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $67,062 | $42,896 |
| Hourly rate | $32.24 | $20.62 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 101,873 | 51,080 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A junior research scientist is responsible for evaluating and interpreting scientific results from laboratory investigations and experiments. Junior research scientists assist the senior scientists in gathering information to support research studies and claims. They perform both laboratory and field trials to collect samples for further examinations. A junior research scientist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing comprehensive reports, following accurate scientific methodologies, and submitting the research findings on time to the research supervisor.
Research assistants give support to researchers or other professionals who need assistance as they conduct experiments, studies, or other research projects. Research assistants help in conducting experiments, surveys, or interviews under the supervision of the primary researcher. They also work on research activities such as literature reviews, collect data, assist in interpreting results, prepare designs or visuals for the presentation of the results, and even ensure that all the tools and documentation related to the study are properly organized. They also assist in fact-checking the output and ensure that the data presented are accurate. Research assistants usually possess an academic background that is related to the main research topic.
Junior research scientists and research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Research Scientist | Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $67,062 | $42,896 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $92,000 | Between $28,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Zappos.com | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a junior research scientist and a research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Junior Research Scientist | Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between junior research scientists' and research assistants' demographics:
| Junior Research Scientist | Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 16.9% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |