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The differences between lead 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 lead scientist and a staff scientist. Additionally, a lead scientist has an average salary of $110,028, which is higher than the $93,941 average annual salary of a staff scientist.
The top three skills for a lead scientist include C++, java and data analysis. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.
| Lead Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $110,028 | $93,941 |
| Hourly rate | $52.90 | $45.16 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 49,455 | 121,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A lead scientist is primarily in charge of leading the efforts in conducting scientific studies within a particular program or project. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, delegating tasks, establishing guidelines, and overseeing the progress and performance of other scientists and workers in a laboratory. They may also liaise with clients and external parties, including the media. Furthermore, as a lead scientist, it is essential to encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the laboratory's safety policies and regulations 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.
Lead scientists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average salary | $110,028 | $93,941 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $153,000 | Between $63,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Cruz, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Tennessee | California |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Etsy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead scientist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:
| Lead Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between lead scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:
| Lead Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1% | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% 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% |