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The differences between phd researchers and senior scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an phd researcher and a senior scientist. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $51,634 average annual salary of an phd researcher.
The top three skills for an phd researcher include python, chemistry and research projects. The most important skills for a senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| PHD Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,634 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $24.82 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 19,736 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The primary job of a Ph.D. researcher is to plan and conduct experiments and analyzing their outcome. You will collect, organize, and analyze data and opinions to solve issues and predict trends. Other tasks you will perform include doing fieldwork to collect samples, writing reports, research papers, and reviews, and organizing materials testing. In addition, you need to liaise with research and production staff, develop ways to resolve problems, and supervise junior research staff.
A senior scientist is usually in charge of overseeing experiments and evaluating junior scientists' performance, especially in laboratory settings. Moreover, it is also their responsibility to assess every progress report to ensure it's accuracy and validity. As a senior scientist in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage fellow scientists in their joint pursuit for scientific innovations, all while adhering to the laboratory's standards and policies.
Phd researchers and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| PHD Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $51,634 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $76,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an phd researcher and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| PHD Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between phd researchers' and senior scientists' demographics:
| PHD Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 32.5% White, 47.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |