Laboratory supervisor vs laboratory research assistant

The differences between laboratory supervisors and laboratory research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a laboratory supervisor, becoming a laboratory research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory supervisor has an average salary of $67,361, which is higher than the $36,537 average annual salary of a laboratory research assistant.

The top three skills for a laboratory supervisor include clinical laboratory, patients and chemistry. The most important skills for a laboratory research assistant are data collection, patients, and laboratory equipment.

Laboratory supervisor vs laboratory research assistant overview

	Laboratory Supervisor	Laboratory Research Assistant
Yearly salary	$67,361	$36,537
Hourly rate	$32.39	$17.57
Growth rate	3%	17%
Number of jobs	49,957	87,343
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age	44	38
Years of experience	12	2

What does a laboratory supervisor do?

The primary job of laboratory supervisors is to oversee the daily operations of laboratories. They are responsible for facilitating the collection, analysis, and interpretation of laboratory results. Other responsibilities include supervising personnel, managing the operating budget of the laboratory, and hiring employees. Laboratory supervisors are responsible for overseeing quality assurance and enforcing practices to ensure quality control within the laboratory. Aside from these tasks, they also manage the acquisition of laboratory equipment and supplies and resolve any technical or administrative issues within the laboratory.

What does a laboratory research assistant do?

A laboratory research assistant is an individual who performs lab experiments and carries out projects designed by senior lab staff members. Laboratory research assistants design and conduct experiments using biohazards and other dangerous materials to gain information and test scientific processes. They must write detailed reports of their research and experiments and then deliver these reports in written and verbal forms. Laboratory research assistants may also work in different settings such as medical facilities and pharmaceutical companies.

Laboratory supervisor vs laboratory research assistant salary

Laboratory supervisors and laboratory research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Laboratory Supervisor	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average salary	$67,361	$36,537
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $96,000	Between $24,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	California	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Chevron	New York University
Best paying industry	Health Care	Education

Differences between laboratory supervisor and laboratory research assistant education

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

	Laboratory Supervisor	Laboratory Research Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Northwestern University	Harvard University

Laboratory supervisor vs laboratory research assistant demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory supervisors' and laboratory research assistants' demographics:

	Laboratory Supervisor	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average age	44	38
Gender ratio	Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3%	Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 12.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between laboratory supervisor and laboratory research assistant duties and responsibilities

Laboratory supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage personnel within the team, and provide guidance relating to laboratory EMR to performance improvement projects
Handle administrative and IRB tasks, manage fiscal matters, maintain record system of participant data.
Manage all static data, generate reports, run queries and support laboratories with technical knowledge and advice.
Manage pneumatic resistance rehabilitation lab.
Manage and maintain various automate laboratory equipment though GMP safe practices.
Assist with implementation of new procedures as laboratory works to achieving ISO certification.

Laboratory research assistant example responsibilities.

Manage participant records according to IRB guidelines to ensure confidentiality.
Lead experiments to assess survivor behavior differences in zebrafish contaminate with dietary mercury.
Maintain microbial culture and isolate and purify bacterial and viral DNA and RNA to study the genome of common pathogenic bacteria.
Perform protein extraction on larvae.
Perform biological assays, including ELISA and RT-PCR.
Gain extensive MLST, RT-PCR, conventional PCR, primer design and gel-electrophoresis experience.

Laboratory supervisor vs laboratory research assistant skills

Common laboratory supervisor skills

Clinical Laboratory, 11%
Patients, 10%
Chemistry, 6%
Patient Care, 5%
Lab Equipment, 5%
Test Results, 5%

Common laboratory research assistant skills

Data Collection, 5%
Patients, 5%
Laboratory Equipment, 5%
Lab Procedures, 5%
Laboratory Techniques, 5%
Molecular Biology, 4%

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Laboratory Supervisor
Laboratory Supervisor vs Laboratory Research Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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