Management scientist vs postdoctoral research associate

The differences between management scientists and postdoctoral research associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a management scientist and a postdoctoral research associate. Additionally, a management scientist has an average salary of $82,587, which is higher than the $52,785 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research associate.

The top three skills for a management scientist include data analysis, project management and FDA. The most important skills for a postdoctoral research associate are python, research projects, and chemistry.

Management scientist vs postdoctoral research associate overview

	Management Scientist	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Yearly salary	$82,587	$52,785
Hourly rate	$39.71	$25.38
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	105,513	59,377
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Doctoral Degree, 47%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

What does a management scientist do?

A management scientist manages molecular data. The most preferred skills of an individual who wants to become a management scientist are observation, communication, and critical thinking. They are the ones who are responsible for FDA compliance, operations research, and data analysis of an organization.

What does a postdoctoral research associate do?

A postdoctoral research associate is responsible for assisting the educational institution's research department, writing research reports, analyzing research methods, and collecting information and related studies to support the research claims. Postdoctoral research associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, reporting research updates to the research head, performing adjustments as needed, and gaining more expertise on the subject by brainstorming and discussing strategic procedures for the study. They may also conduct field investigation or coordinate with other institutions for additional reference, depending on the research's scope and limitation.

Management scientist vs postdoctoral research associate salary

Management scientists and postdoctoral research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Management Scientist	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Average salary	$82,587	$52,785
Salary range	Between $53,000 And $127,000	Between $38,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Memphis, TN
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	Meta	Argonne National Laboratory
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between management scientist and postdoctoral research associate education

There are a few differences between a management scientist and a postdoctoral research associate in terms of educational background:

	Management Scientist	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Doctoral Degree, 47%
Most common major	Biology	Chemistry
Most common college	University of Southern California	Duke University

Management scientist vs postdoctoral research associate demographics

Here are the differences between management scientists' and postdoctoral research associates' demographics:

	Management Scientist	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3%	Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.2% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 38.1% White, 43.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between management scientist and postdoctoral research associate duties and responsibilities

Management scientist example responsibilities.

Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
Provide in-house TSCA compliance training.
Develop methods for transfer to QC.
Provide data for submissions and reporting, as needed, for FDA requests.
Participate in activities supporting ARGUS database integration (e.g., compilation of product assignment and identification lists).
Key activities include process chemistry development, synthesis of intermediates, compound purification and structure identification, and comprehensive scientific documentation.

Postdoctoral research associate example responsibilities.

Process and manage GIS databases to contribute towards research in human transportation behavior.
Transfect 293-T cells with CRISPR constructs.
Execute parallel synthesis on both solution and solid phase to develop library of compounds.
Diagnose and resolve all instruments during breakdown (GC/MS/MS, GC/ECD, UV-Vis).
Develop python codes to efficiently handle multiple read/unread, flag/unflag, and delete operations on emails.
Characterize particles using DLS and UV-vis spectrophotometer to measure particle sizes and detect oxide layer, respectively.

Management scientist vs postdoctoral research associate skills

Common management scientist skills

Data Analysis, 50%
Project Management, 15%
FDA, 9%
Risk Assessments, 8%
Statistical Analysis, 5%
QC, 4%

Common postdoctoral research associate skills

Python, 6%
Research Projects, 6%
Chemistry, 6%
Data Analysis, 6%
Post-Doctoral, 5%
Cell Culture, 5%

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Management Scientist vs Postdoctoral Research Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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