Research scientist lead vs researcher

The differences between research scientist leads and researchers 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 scientist lead and a researcher. Additionally, a research scientist lead has an average salary of $102,713, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.

The top three skills for a research scientist lead include research projects, R and artificial intelligence. The most important skills for a researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.

Research scientist lead vs researcher overview

	Research Scientist Lead	Researcher
Yearly salary	$102,713	$67,145
Hourly rate	$49.38	$32.28
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	86,792	30,498
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Research scientist lead vs researcher salary

Research scientist leads and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Scientist Lead	Researcher
Average salary	$102,713	$67,145
Salary range	Between $68,000 And $155,000	Between $37,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Newark, NJ
Highest paying state	California	Connecticut
Best paying company	Google	Renaissance Learning
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between research scientist lead and researcher education

There are a few differences between a research scientist lead and a researcher in terms of educational background:

	Research Scientist Lead	Researcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Chemistry	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	University of Southern California

Research scientist lead vs researcher demographics

Here are the differences between research scientist leads' and researchers' demographics:

	Research Scientist Lead	Researcher
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 68.8% Female, 31.2%	Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between research scientist lead and researcher duties and responsibilities

Research scientist lead example responsibilities.

Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
Develop, validate and implement robust methods for pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity (ADA) and immunodepletion ELISAs, and cell based-bioassays.
Develop, validate and implement robust methods for pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity (ADA) and immunodepletion ELISAs, and cell based-bioassays.

Researcher example responsibilities.

Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
Perform cellular assays, DNA extractions, PCR, and sequencing to identify cellulase- producing soil bacteria.
Implement data visualization tools by Java.
Present research findings to select professors and professionals at scholar conferences.
Master techniques in biomedical science research methods.
Collaborate with doctorates in the field of immunology.

Research scientist lead vs researcher skills

Common research scientist lead skills

Research Projects, 18%
R, 8%
Artificial Intelligence, 8%
Data Analysis, 8%
Statistical Analysis, 6%
Business Development, 5%

Common researcher skills

Python, 12%
Lab Equipment, 9%
C++, 8%
Data Analysis, 6%
Data Collection, 4%
R, 4%

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Research Scientist Lead
Research Scientist Lead vs Researcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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