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The differences between junior scientists 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 junior scientist and a staff scientist. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $63,169 average annual salary of a junior scientist.
The top three skills for a junior scientist include lab equipment, literature and data analysis. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.
| Junior Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $63,169 | $93,941 |
| Hourly rate | $30.37 | $45.16 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 56,283 | 121,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A junior scientist is in charge of conducting research and scientific studies while under the supervision of a more experienced scientist. Their responsibilities typically revolve around gathering and preparing samples, performing experiments and analysis, coordinating with other experts, recording all progress, reviewing results, and summarizing findings into reports and presentations. In a company setting, a junior scientist must adhere to deadlines and budgets, submitting results to senior scientists and managers. Furthermore, it is essential to uphold the policies and regulations of laboratories to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
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.
Junior scientists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average salary | $63,169 | $93,941 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $90,000 | Between $63,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The University of Chicago | Etsy |
| Best paying industry | Education | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior scientist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:
| Junior Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between junior scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:
| Junior Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% 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 Percentage | 8% | 8% |