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The differences between pilot plant technicians and biology laboratory assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a pilot plant technician and a biology laboratory assistant. Additionally, a pilot plant technician has an average salary of $55,161, which is higher than the $34,240 average annual salary of a biology laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a pilot plant technician include pilot plant equipment, safety procedures and GMP. The most important skills for a biology laboratory assistant are lab equipment, biology laboratory, and chemistry.
| Pilot Plant Technician | Biology Laboratory Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $55,161 | $34,240 |
| Hourly rate | $26.52 | $16.46 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 23,485 | 48,958 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Pilot plant technicians need relevant pilot plant experience or experience in a food manufacturing environment, as well as knowledge of operation and maintenance of pilot plant equipment. Paid salaries of $48K per year, those in this career are expected to operate experimental pilot plants, assist with experimental design, and develop new processes in chemical engineering and production.
A biology laboratory assistant is in charge of assisting scientists or researchers and performing laboratory support tasks on a daily basis. Their responsibilities include setting up and sanitizing equipment, preparing samples, maintaining documentation of all experiments and procedures, writing laboratory reports, and running errands as needed. There are also instances where they must update databases, answer calls and correspondence, and grade student papers. Furthermore, a biology laboratory assistant must maintain the cleanliness of laboratories, all while implementing its policies and regulations.
Pilot plant technicians and biology laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pilot Plant Technician | Biology Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average salary | $55,161 | $34,240 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $70,000 | Between $22,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgeport, CT | Bridgewater, MA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Koppers | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Government |
There are a few differences between a pilot plant technician and a biology laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:
| Pilot Plant Technician | Biology Laboratory Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between pilot plant technicians' and biology laboratory assistants' demographics:
| Pilot Plant Technician | Biology Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% | Male, 36.7% Female, 63.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 12.7% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 14.9% White, 50.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |