A postdoctoral associate is responsible for researching to support scientific claims and theories by collecting evidence and information to answer scientific questions. Postdoctoral associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to interact with people and document investigation findings. They also utilize laboratory tools and equipment for scientific researches, conduct field investigations, and interview participants. A postdoctoral associate designs comprehensive research models to discuss results with the panel and the team efficiently and accurately.

Postdoctoral Associate Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real postdoctoral associate resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

  • Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
  • Co-Authore NIH grant proposal on membrane protein folding.
  • Participate in writing research grant applications including NIH and NSF.
  • X-ray protein crystallographic studies on the structures of antibodies and DNA.
  • Purify DNA from subject blood samples and organize the genome screen.
  • Complete mice handling training and currently using CRISPR technology to knockout genes in cell lines.
  • Train broadly in the interface between chemistry and biology and interact with scientists from diverse backgrounds.
  • Discuss with patients and family members study protocols, and consent patients willing to participate in research.
  • Write python scripts to acquire online services pricing, such as air ticket fare and online-shopping prices.
  • Experience starting up a new immunology lab including senior management and training of graduate students and technicians.
  • Cloned, characterize and define human noncoding RNA specific targets using biochemical assays as well as RNA-seq.
  • Establish knockout zebrafish lines using CRISPR technology to study role of stxbp1b and rh1-2 genes in photoreceptor development.
  • Write python scripts to automatically generate and deliver materials information to materials database (over 235,000 materials, ~800Gb).
  • Design, synthesis, and binding constant determinations of alcohol-base anion receptors.
  • Identify all non-protein coding regulatory RNAs in Cryptococcus genome using strand specific RNA-seq analysis

Postdoctoral Associate Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 8% of Postdoctoral Associates are proficient in Patients, TIP, and Data Analysis.

We break down the percentage of Postdoctoral Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Patients, 8%

    Evaluated hospitalized patients in all adult hospitals in the city of Louisville to define eligibility for participation in clinical trials.

  • TIP, 7%

    Direct tracking of amyloid and Tau dynamics in neuroblastoma cells using nanoplasmonic fiber tip probes.

  • Data Analysis, 6%

    Designed experiments for incoherent scatter radars, measured radar signal returns, performed signal processing and data analysis.

  • Biomedical, 5%

    Used these ligands in PET (Positron Emission Tomography) imaging for biomedical applications.

  • CRISPR, 5%

    Established knockout zebrafish lines using CRISPR technology to study role of stxbp1b and rh1-2 genes in photoreceptor development.

  • Python, 4%

    Discovered high efficient thermoelectric materials by data-mining the database, using Python scripts.

"patients," "tip," and "data analysis" aren't the only skills we found postdoctoral associates list on their resumes. In fact, there's a whole list of postdoctoral associate responsibilities that we found, including:

  • Communication skills can be considered to be the most important personality trait for a postdoctoral associate to have. According to a postdoctoral associate resume, "communication is critical, because medical scientists must be able to explain their conclusions" postdoctoral associates are able to use communication skills in the following example we gathered from a resume: "trained and mentored 30+ lab members in lab techniques, conducting independent research, and communication of science. "
  • Another commonly found skill for being able to perform postdoctoral associate duties is the following: observation skills. According to a postdoctoral associate resume, "medical scientists conduct experiments that require precise observation of samples and other health-related data." Check out this example of how postdoctoral associates use observation skills: "validated and compared ozone data sets obtained through sbuv and sage missions with ground-based observations made with dobson and brewer spectrometers. "
  • See the full list of postdoctoral associate skills.

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    What Research Fellows Do

    A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.

    We looked at the average postdoctoral associate annual salary and compared it with the average of a research fellow. Generally speaking, research fellows receive $527 lower pay than postdoctoral associates per year.

    While their salaries may differ, one common ground between postdoctoral associates and research fellows are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like patients, data analysis, and crispr.

    These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. A postdoctoral associate responsibility is more likely to require skills like "tip," "biomedical," "mit," and "rna-seq." Whereas a research fellow requires skills like "rna," "public health," "past work," and "animal models." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

    Research fellows receive the highest salaries in the non profits industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $57,261. But postdoctoral associates are paid more in the education industry with an average salary of $53,445.

    On average, research fellows reach similar levels of education than postdoctoral associates. Research fellows are 4.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 15.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

    What Are The Duties Of a Research Scientist?

    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.

    Now we're going to look at the research scientist profession. On average, research scientists earn a $35,648 higher salary than postdoctoral associates a year.

    Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Postdoctoral associates and research scientists both include similar skills like "patients," "data analysis," and "crispr" on their resumes.

    In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, postdoctoral associate responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "tip," "biomedical," "cell biology," and "independent research." Meanwhile, a research scientist might be skilled in areas such as "molecular biology," "tensorflow," "excellent interpersonal," and "laboratory equipment." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

    When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, research scientists tend to reach higher levels of education than postdoctoral associates. In fact, they're 5.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 15.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    How a Research Chemist Compares

    A research chemist specializes in conducting studies and experiments to develop new products. Their duties primarily focus on conducting research and assessments, gathering and analyzing chemical samples, developing ideas, conducting tests to study chemical reactions, maintaining records of all procedures, and utilizing previous studies. Their research findings can be used to create new medicines, enhance existing products, and lead to innovations. When it comes to employment, a research chemist may work for pharmaceutical companies, private laboratories, government agencies, and learning institutions.

    The third profession we take a look at is research chemist. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than postdoctoral associates. In fact, they make a $21,493 higher salary per year.

    Using postdoctoral associates and research chemists resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "data analysis," "research projects," and "dna," but the other skills required are very different.

    There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, a postdoctoral associate is likely to be skilled in "patients," "tip," "biomedical," and "crispr," while a typical research chemist is skilled in "laboratory equipment," "method development," "analytical chemistry," and "polymer."

    Additionally, research chemists earn a higher salary in the energy industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $92,565. Additionally, postdoctoral associates earn an average salary of $53,445 in the education industry.

    Research chemists are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to postdoctoral associates. Additionally, they're 0.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 36.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    Description Of a Research And Development Scientist

    A research and development scientist specializes in conducting scientific studies and experiments to develop new products and technologies. They usually work at laboratories where they are in charge of conducting research and assessments, coming up with new ideas, performing tests, streamlining product requirements and guidelines, collaborating with fellow experts, utilizing previous studies and advanced software, and maintaining records of all procedures. Additionally, as a research and development scientist, it is essential to conduct reviews and assessments to ensure products adhere to safety standards and regulations.

    Research and development scientists tend to earn a higher pay than postdoctoral associates by about $35,928 per year.

    While their salaries may vary, postdoctoral associates and research and development scientists both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "patients," "data analysis," and "python. "

    Each job requires different skills like "tip," "biomedical," "crispr," and "cell biology," which might show up on a postdoctoral associate resume. Whereas research and development scientist might include skills like "technical support," "c #," "product development," and "analytical methods."

    Now, let's take a closer look at the financials in each career. The health care industry tends to pay more for research and development scientists with an average of $91,180. While the highest postdoctoral associate annual salary comes from the education industry.

    The average resume of research and development scientists showed that they earn similar levels of education to postdoctoral associates. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 2.9% more. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 37.6%.