Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between process development engineers and research and development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a process development engineer, becoming a research and development engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a research and development engineer has an average salary of $100,169, which is higher than the $89,754 average annual salary of a process development engineer.
The top three skills for a process development engineer include data analysis, DOE and R. The most important skills for a research and development engineer are python, R, and solidworks.
| Process Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,754 | $100,169 |
| Hourly rate | $43.15 | $48.16 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 118,616 | 187,910 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A Process Development Engineer creates and implements process technology for product manufacturing to optimize workflow, improve operating capabilities, and help ensure workers' safety. They help enhance the speed and quality of processing from a variety of industries, such as mining or manufacturing.
Research and development engineers generally execute research and tests on product ideas, develop new products, and perform redesigns. They are employed in many industries, including manufacturing, electrical, and science-based companies. Their duties vary and depend on the industries they work in. Responsibilities of these engineers include developing new technologies, designing products, and managing the projects until they are completed. Additionally, they lead the project team members to manage their schedules, design the project plans, and collaborate with key departments in developing new products.
Process development engineers and research and development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,754 | $100,169 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $114,000 | Between $74,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a process development engineer and a research and development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Process Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between process development engineers' and research and development engineers' demographics:
| Process Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |