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The differences between postdoc research associates and research 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 postdoc research associate and a research scientist. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $56,259 average annual salary of a postdoc research associate.
The top three skills for a postdoc research associate include data analysis, mouse model and research projects. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Postdoc Research Associate | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $56,259 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $27.05 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 49,460 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Postdoc research associates are professionals who are responsible for assisting postdoctoral researchers in their research after completing doctoral studies. These associates must train and mentor undergraduate and graduate students with their ongoing research projects so that they can be completed on time. They are required to perform data analysis and should prepare scientific and technical reports that will be presented at scientific conferences. Postdoc research associates must also conduct literature reviews on topics such as government policy, economic impact analyses, and scientific journal articles.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Postdoc research associates and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Postdoc Research Associate | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $56,259 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $78,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | IBM | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a postdoc research associate and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Postdoc Research Associate | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between postdoc research associates' and research scientists' demographics:
| Postdoc Research Associate | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 45.4% White, 38.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |