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The differences between production 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 production scientist and a senior scientist. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $77,464 average annual salary of a production scientist.
The top three skills for a production scientist include process improvement, QC and lab equipment. The most important skills for a senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| Production Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $77,464 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $37.24 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 100,301 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A production scientist analyzes production operations and manufacturing processes to identify gaps, modify current procedures that would increase process efficiency, and maximize optimal performance. Production scientists inspect the tools and materials utilized for the production and oversee research trials for process formulations. They also develop opportunities and design models that support business functions, generating more innovation and increasing more revenue resources for the business. A production scientist writes research findings, manages resources, and determines various process feasibility.
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.
Production scientists and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $77,464 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $124,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Beckman Coulter | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a production scientist and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| Production Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between production scientists' and senior scientists' demographics:
| Production Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 23.3% White, 57.1% 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% |