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The differences between postdoctoral research scientists 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 a postdoctoral research scientist and a senior scientist. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $53,781 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research scientist.
The top three skills for a postdoctoral research scientist include python, C++ and research projects. The most important skills for a senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,781 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $25.86 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 90,782 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Postdoctoral Research Scientist undertakes and analyzes information about investigations, experiments, and trials from a controlled laboratory. They work in almost every area of science.
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.
Postdoctoral research scientists and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $53,781 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a postdoctoral research scientist and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between postdoctoral research scientists' and senior scientists' demographics:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 35.6% White, 45.0% 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% |