Research physicist vs optical scientist

The differences between research physicists and optical scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a research physicist and an optical scientist. Additionally, an optical scientist has an average salary of $83,856, which is higher than the $74,663 average annual salary of a research physicist.

The top three skills for a research physicist include data analysis, laser and python. The most important skills for an optical scientist are system design, zemax, and optical design.

Research physicist vs optical scientist overview

	Research Physicist	Optical Scientist
Yearly salary	$74,663	$83,856
Hourly rate	$35.90	$40.32
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	46,060	43,029
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	6	6

Research physicist vs optical scientist salary

Research physicists and optical scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Physicist	Optical Scientist
Average salary	$74,663	$83,856
Salary range	Between $51,000 And $107,000	Between $52,000 And $132,000
Highest paying City	Coram, NY	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	New York	Connecticut
Best paying company	Sandia National Labs	Meta
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between research physicist and optical scientist education

There are a few differences between a research physicist and an optical scientist in terms of educational background:

	Research Physicist	Optical Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Physics	Physics
Most common college	Harvard University	Harvard University

Research physicist vs optical scientist demographics

Here are the differences between research physicists' and optical scientists' demographics:

	Research Physicist	Optical Scientist
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6%	Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 10.8% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 1.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 12.8% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	24%	24%

Differences between research physicist and optical scientist duties and responsibilities

Research physicist example responsibilities.

Foster cross laboratory collaboration between physics labs and between engineering, biology, and chemistry departments to accomplish share goals.
Design and oversee construction of flow loop for development of multi-phase NMR flowmeter.
Develop and conduct technologists' training on MR QC, QA and safety programs.
Commission of ArcCheck (SunNuclear) for patient-specific QA of IMRT, RapidArc, and SBRT as medical physics resident.
Perform all aspects of LDR brachytherapy procedures using VariSeed 8.0 under the supervision of the physician and three ABR certify physicists
Commission TrueBeam Linac system as medical physics resident.

Optical scientist example responsibilities.

Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
Key activities include process chemistry development, synthesis of intermediates, compound purification and structure identification, and comprehensive scientific documentation.
Perform engineering research and development for numerous government fund projects, with problems focuse on adaptive optics and direct energy systems.

Research physicist vs optical scientist skills

Common research physicist skills

Data Analysis, 20%
Laser, 15%
Python, 10%
Data Collection, 8%
Technical Reports, 7%
RF, 7%

Common optical scientist skills

System Design, 21%
Zemax, 17%
Optical Design, 15%
Prototyping, 11%
Asap, 11%
Optical Components, 10%

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Research Physicist vs Optical Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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