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Laboratory chemist vs assistant research scientist

The differences between laboratory chemists and assistant research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assistant research scientist has an average salary of $62,780, which is higher than the $62,702 average annual salary of a laboratory chemist.

The top three skills for a laboratory chemist include lab equipment, chromatography and analytical methods. The most important skills for an assistant research scientist are research projects, data collection, and data analysis.

Laboratory chemist vs assistant research scientist overview

Laboratory ChemistAssistant Research Scientist
Yearly salary$62,702$62,780
Hourly rate$30.15$30.18
Growth rate6%17%
Number of jobs41,32288,786
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 80%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4238
Years of experience-2

What does a laboratory chemist do?

Laboratory Chemists are licensed scientists who work with chemicals. They are usually found in academic institutions or research facilities. Laboratory Chemists create experiments based on the needs of the institution or company. They mix different chemicals to make the desired results. They would also analyze compounds borne out of the different mixtures and record their observations. They tabulate the results and present these to the body. Laboratory Chemists should have good organization skills. They should be able to document their experiments properly. This would help the company and future researchers.

What does an assistant research scientist do?

An Assistant Research Scientist assists in planning, conducting, and analyzing various research projects. They also order and manage lab inventory, materials, and equipment.

Laboratory chemist vs assistant research scientist salary

Laboratory chemists and assistant research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Laboratory ChemistAssistant Research Scientist
Average salary$62,702$62,780
Salary rangeBetween $45,000 And $86,000Between $43,000 And $89,000
Highest paying CityNutley, NJSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateVirginiaMassachusetts
Best paying companyBASFUniversity of California
Best paying industryManufacturingEducation

Differences between laboratory chemist and assistant research scientist education

There are a few differences between a laboratory chemist and an assistant research scientist in terms of educational background:

Laboratory ChemistAssistant Research Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 80%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorChemistryBiology
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaHarvard University

Laboratory chemist vs assistant research scientist demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory chemists' and assistant research scientists' demographics:

Laboratory ChemistAssistant Research Scientist
Average age4238
Gender ratioMale, 63.9% Female, 36.1%Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 18.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage5%8%

Differences between laboratory chemist and assistant research scientist duties and responsibilities

Laboratory chemist example responsibilities.

  • Test developmental compounds to ASTM standards and manage certification submissions.
  • Perform testing on BioGlue components, titration - uv-vis - gel electrophoresis, and FTIR examination of incoming raw materials.
  • Develop and execute HPLC, UV and dissolution test methods for non-routine raw materials and finish products.
  • Conduct raw material analyses, perform tests using FTIR and GC instrumentation, develop policies and procedures, conduct trouble shooting.
  • Include GPC, GC-MS, FTIR, NMR and others
  • Participate in all kind of audit like ISO 17025, ISO 18001, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
  • Show more

Assistant research scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead a group of four employees in optimizing DNA purification technologies for production DNA sequencing.
  • Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
  • Experience in SAS programming in biomedical research.
  • Prepare salivary samples for Cortisol ELISA assays.
  • Gather and code quantitative and qualitative data using SPSS and Atlas.ti.
  • Standardize assays to elucidate the mechanism of action of lead molecules.
  • Show more

Laboratory chemist vs assistant research scientist skills

Common laboratory chemist skills
  • Lab Equipment, 8%
  • Chromatography, 5%
  • Analytical Methods, 5%
  • Laboratory Procedures, 5%
  • Sample Preparation, 4%
  • Wet Chemistry, 4%
Common assistant research scientist skills
  • Research Projects, 8%
  • Data Collection, 7%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Lab Equipment, 4%
  • Cell Culture, 4%
  • Chemistry, 4%

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