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Quality control scientist vs chemical technician

The differences between quality control scientists and chemical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality control scientist has an average salary of $75,410, which is higher than the $42,584 average annual salary of a chemical technician.

The top three skills for a quality control scientist include QC, HPLC and dosage forms. The most important skills for a chemical technician are lab equipment, safety procedures, and hazardous materials.

Quality control scientist vs chemical technician overview

Quality Control ScientistChemical Technician
Yearly salary$75,410$42,584
Hourly rate$36.25$20.47
Growth rate6%4%
Number of jobs125,27440,191
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 81%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age3844
Years of experience-2

What does a quality control scientist do?

A quality control scientist is responsible for performing an in-depth analysis of the goods and products from the manufacturing business related to medical or science industries, ensuring the quality of raw materials and resources used on the production. Quality control scientists inspect the features and specifications of the product, checking its adherence to high-quality standards and safe consumption. They also manage the cost-reduction techniques, creating comprehensive data reports from trend analysis. A quality control scientist may also inspect the equipment and machinery of the manufacturing to verify its efficiency and optimal performance during the production.

What does a chemical technician do?

A chemical technician is responsible for supporting chemists and laboratory technicians in performing laboratory investigations and examining chemical components and structures. Chemical technicians ensure the stability of laboratory tools and equipment, performing proper sterilization and segregation of disposable materials, and maintaining the adequacy of inventory. They also record the research progress, including scientific methods, and write observation reports for reference. A chemical technician manages the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility to avoid potential hazards and complications during chemical operations.

Quality control scientist vs chemical technician salary

Quality control scientists and chemical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Quality Control ScientistChemical Technician
Average salary$75,410$42,584
Salary rangeBetween $50,000 And $112,000Between $30,000 And $58,000
Highest paying CityBrookhaven, NYBaltimore, MD
Highest paying stateNew HampshireMaryland
Best paying companyBristol-Myers SquibbCalpine
Best paying industryManufacturingPharmaceutical

Differences between quality control scientist and chemical technician education

There are a few differences between a quality control scientist and a chemical technician in terms of educational background:

Quality Control ScientistChemical Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 81%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeStanford UniversityInter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Quality control scientist vs chemical technician demographics

Here are the differences between quality control scientists' and chemical technicians' demographics:

Quality Control ScientistChemical Technician
Average age3844
Gender ratioMale, 44.4% Female, 55.6%Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 15.7% White, 52.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 6.9% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage8%9%

Differences between quality control scientist and chemical technician duties and responsibilities

Quality control scientist example responsibilities.

  • SAP, Trackwise and outlook manage.
  • Assist with timely release of raw materials and finish products through several test methods including HPLC and GC testing and analysis.
  • Conduct DNA/RNA manual testing with PCR assays such as ELISA, extractions and poison assays/high pure assays.
  • Analyze air samples by GC.
  • Maintain sole responsibility for all GC testing perform.
  • Perform human error tracking and trending with QA.
  • Show more

Chemical technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage daily production schedule, monitor machine operation, addressed any etching machinery problems.
  • Used the FTIR to determine the consistency of the BPA.
  • Sample preparation for ICP, ICPMS, FLAA, and IC.
  • Metal analysis through ICP OES testing.
  • Perform GC/MS analyses using sw846, EPA and CLP methodologies.
  • Maintain, organize, and update MSDS database for entire company.
  • Show more

Quality control scientist vs chemical technician skills

Common quality control scientist skills
  • QC, 13%
  • HPLC, 6%
  • Dosage Forms, 4%
  • Analytical Methods, 4%
  • Test Methods, 4%
  • UV/Vis, 4%
Common chemical technician skills
  • Lab Equipment, 10%
  • Safety Procedures, 8%
  • Hazardous Materials, 5%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • Math, 5%
  • Troubleshoot, 3%

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