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The differences between pilot plant technicians and research technicians 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 research technician. Additionally, a pilot plant technician has an average salary of $55,161, which is higher than the $43,034 average annual salary of a research technician.
The top three skills for a pilot plant technician include pilot plant equipment, safety procedures and GMP. The most important skills for a research technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.
| Pilot Plant Technician | Research Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $55,161 | $43,034 |
| Hourly rate | $26.52 | $20.69 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 23,485 | 64,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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 research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Pilot plant technicians and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pilot Plant Technician | Research Technician | |
| Average salary | $55,161 | $43,034 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $70,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgeport, CT | Pasadena, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Koppers | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a pilot plant technician and a research technician in terms of educational background:
| Pilot Plant Technician | Research Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between pilot plant technicians' and research technicians' demographics:
| Pilot Plant Technician | Research Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% |
| 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, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |