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Process scientist vs staff scientist

The differences between process scientists and staff 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 process scientist and a staff scientist. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $92,203 average annual salary of a process scientist.

The top three skills for a process scientist include chemistry, GMP and cell culture. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.

Process scientist vs staff scientist overview

Process ScientistStaff Scientist
Yearly salary$92,203$93,941
Hourly rate$44.33$45.16
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs67,699121,054
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
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 staff scientist do?

The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.

Process scientist vs staff scientist salary

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

Process ScientistStaff Scientist
Average salary$92,203$93,941
Salary rangeBetween $68,000 And $124,000Between $63,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CityNovato, CARedwood City, CA
Highest paying stateTennesseeCalifornia
Best paying companyAmazonEtsy
Best paying industryHealth CareTechnology

Differences between process scientist and staff scientist education

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

Process ScientistStaff Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaDuke University

Process scientist vs staff scientist demographics

Here are the differences between process scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:

Process ScientistStaff Scientist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 71.7% Female, 28.3%Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2%
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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between process scientist and staff scientist 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

Staff scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead efforts to replace a critical radioactive immunoassay with a non-radioactive format to measure clinical samples.
  • Manage clinical sample testing using MSD and ELISA in LIMS, including data review and approval using LIMS.
  • Assist in managing and maintenance of HPLC and Prep-HPLC systems to ensure maximum productivity for the process development group.
  • Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
  • Assist with RNA and DNA extractions from FFPE tissue and blood.
  • Supervise temps performing HPLC assays and validations during development and production campaigns under GMP conditions.
  • Show more

Process scientist vs staff scientist skills

Common process scientist skills
  • Chemistry, 15%
  • GMP, 13%
  • Cell Culture, 12%
  • Technical Reports, 4%
  • HPLC, 4%
  • Harvest, 3%
Common staff scientist skills
  • Data Analysis, 9%
  • Research Projects, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 5%
  • Next-Generation Sequencing, 4%
  • Statistical Analysis, 4%
  • RNA, 4%

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