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The differences between research and development technicians and pilot plant technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a research and development technician and a pilot plant technician. Additionally, a research and development technician has an average salary of $83,552, which is higher than the $55,161 average annual salary of a pilot plant technician.
The top three skills for a research and development technician include R, project management and product management. The most important skills for a pilot plant technician are pilot plant equipment, safety procedures, and GMP.
| Research And Development Technician | Pilot Plant Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $83,552 | $55,161 |
| Hourly rate | $40.17 | $26.52 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 111,268 | 23,485 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A research and development technician specializes in performing mathematical and laboratory operations to support projects concerning products and development. Usually functioning as an assistant to a more experienced researcher, a research and development technician's responsibilities revolve around conducting analysis, building models and prototypes, producing reports, and performing various experiments. Furthermore, as a technician, it is crucial to coordinate with all team members, keeping an accurate record of all processes while adhering to the company's standards and regulations.
Pilot plant technicians need relevant pilot plant experience or experience in a food manufacturing environment, as well as knowledge of operation and maintenance of pilot plant equipment. Paid salaries of $48K per year, those in this career are expected to operate experimental pilot plants, assist with experimental design, and develop new processes in chemical engineering and production.
Research and development technicians and pilot plant technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research And Development Technician | Pilot Plant Technician | |
| Average salary | $83,552 | $55,161 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $125,000 | Between $43,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Bridgeport, CT |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Koppers |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a research and development technician and a pilot plant technician in terms of educational background:
| Research And Development Technician | Pilot Plant Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research and development technicians' and pilot plant technicians' demographics:
| Research And Development Technician | Pilot Plant Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.5% Female, 27.5% | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 15.4% White, 50.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 12.7% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |