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Process scientist vs postdoctoral associate

The differences between process scientists and postdoctoral associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a process scientist and a postdoctoral associate. Additionally, a process scientist has an average salary of $92,203, which is higher than the $54,350 average annual salary of a postdoctoral associate.

The top three skills for a process scientist include chemistry, GMP and cell culture. The most important skills for a postdoctoral associate are patients, TIP, and data analysis.

Process scientist vs postdoctoral associate overview

Process ScientistPostdoctoral Associate
Yearly salary$92,203$54,350
Hourly rate$44.33$26.13
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs67,69918,093
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Doctoral Degree, 47%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a process scientist do?

In a manufacturing environment, a process scientist is primarily in charge of developing products and procedures, ensuring quality and efficiency. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify market and client needs, gathering and analyzing extensive data, assessing existing practices to determine its strengths and weaknesses, improving vulnerable areas, and monitoring the progress of all operations, implementing solutions as necessary. Aside from performing various experiments for product development, a process scientist may also collaborate with other experts and train junior scientists in the joint effort to deliver quality products and services to clients.

What does a postdoctoral associate do?

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.

Process scientist vs postdoctoral associate salary

Process scientists and postdoctoral associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Process ScientistPostdoctoral Associate
Average salary$92,203$54,350
Salary rangeBetween $68,000 And $124,000Between $39,000 And $74,000
Highest paying CityNovato, CABerkeley, CA
Highest paying stateTennesseeMaine
Best paying companyAmazonArgonne National Laboratory
Best paying industryHealth CareEducation

Differences between process scientist and postdoctoral associate education

There are a few differences between a process scientist and a postdoctoral associate in terms of educational background:

Process ScientistPostdoctoral Associate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Doctoral Degree, 47%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaDuke University

Process scientist vs postdoctoral associate demographics

Here are the differences between process scientists' and postdoctoral associates' demographics:

Process ScientistPostdoctoral Associate
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 71.7% Female, 28.3%Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 39.4% White, 42.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between process scientist and postdoctoral associate duties and responsibilities

Process scientist example responsibilities.

  • Ensure FDA compliance and minimal negative impact for all projects by managing change control documentation and procedures.
  • Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
  • Participate in technical transfer activities of API's.
  • Champion site compliance activities while under FDA consent decree.
  • Install, qualify, and validate instruments for GMP use.
  • Optimize solvent ratios and isolation procedures leading to increase API yield.
  • Show more

Postdoctoral associate example responsibilities.

  • 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.
  • Show more

Process scientist vs postdoctoral associate skills

Common process scientist skills
  • Chemistry, 15%
  • GMP, 13%
  • Cell Culture, 12%
  • Technical Reports, 4%
  • HPLC, 4%
  • Harvest, 3%
Common postdoctoral associate skills
  • Patients, 8%
  • TIP, 7%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Biomedical, 5%
  • CRISPR, 5%
  • Python, 4%

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