Research laboratory manager vs staff scientist

The differences between research laboratory managers 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 research laboratory manager and a staff scientist. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $64,333 average annual salary of a research laboratory manager.

The top three skills for a research laboratory manager include lab equipment, research projects and lab safety. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.

Research laboratory manager vs staff scientist overview

	Research Laboratory Manager	Staff Scientist
Yearly salary	$64,333	$93,941
Hourly rate	$30.93	$45.16
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	89,981	121,054
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

What does a research laboratory manager do?

Research laboratory managers are management professionals who are responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of laboratories by implementing safety lab procedures. These managers are required to coordinate the repair and maintenance of lab equipment while training lab technicians and assistants on the correct use of equipment. They must perform experimental studies and analyze the research data collected for research projects. Research laboratory managers must also manage the inventory of laboratory equipment while coordinating the purchase of lab supplies.

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.

Research laboratory manager vs staff scientist salary

Research laboratory managers and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Laboratory Manager	Staff Scientist
Average salary	$64,333	$93,941
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $91,000	Between $63,000 And $137,000
Highest paying City	Baltimore, MD	Redwood City, CA
Highest paying state	Maryland	California
Best paying company	Meta	Etsy
Best paying industry	Health Care	Technology

Differences between research laboratory manager and staff scientist education

There are a few differences between a research laboratory manager and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:

	Research Laboratory Manager	Staff Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Biology	Chemistry
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Research laboratory manager vs staff scientist demographics

Here are the differences between research laboratory managers' and staff scientists' demographics:

	Research Laboratory Manager	Staff Scientist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8%	Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% 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 Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between research laboratory manager and staff scientist duties and responsibilities

Research laboratory manager example responsibilities.

Manage and order equipment and materials for lab usage with NIH grant and write monthly credit card reports.
Manage laboratory team activities v. assist set up and revision of project plans under the guidance of NIH vi.
Design, development and validation of cell-base assays; infrare EMSA analysis, western blotting, ELISA.
Prepare, perform RT-PCR and Q-PCR and analyze the results.
Write grant proposal, project reports, IRB applications, and documentation.
Compose and maintain all lab IRB protocols in accordance with HIPAA guidelines.

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.

Research laboratory manager vs staff scientist skills

Common research laboratory manager skills

Lab Equipment, 9%
Research Projects, 8%
Lab Safety, 6%
Cell Culture, 5%
Patients, 5%
Research Lab, 5%

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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Research Laboratory Manager
Research Laboratory Manager vs Staff Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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