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The differences between reservoir engineers and senior staff engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a reservoir engineer, becoming a senior staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior staff engineer has an average salary of $136,031, which is higher than the $124,309 average annual salary of a reservoir engineer.
The top three skills for a reservoir engineer include spotfire, material balances and economic analysis. The most important skills for a senior staff engineer are python, java, and architecture.
| Reservoir Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $124,309 | $136,031 |
| Hourly rate | $59.76 | $65.40 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 17,430 | 239,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A reservoir engineer is responsible for evaluating the amount of fluid mechanics in underground reservoirs. Reservoir engineers should have excellent analytical and geological knowledge to determine the location of fuels using advanced technology systems and applications. They also verify the cost of oil and natural gas by analyzing market trends and consumer demands, especially for investment and drilling ventures purposes. A reservoir engineer should have excellent communication skills to write reports and strategize efficiency on drilling processes.
A senior staff engineer is responsible for supervising a team of engineers, chemists, software developers, or molecular biologists. His/Her or her responsibilities include generating Structured Query Language (SQL) performance audit checklist template, creating SQL data query routines and functions for data extraction, and working directly with stakeholders. The job requires strong mechanical, listening, and mathematical skills and proficiency in Python programming language and computer architecture and hardware. The education requirements for the job include a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, business, mechanical engineering, or a related field.
Reservoir engineers and senior staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reservoir Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $124,309 | $136,031 |
| Salary range | Between $90,000 And $170,000 | Between $95,000 And $194,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Range Resources | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a reservoir engineer and a senior staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Reservoir Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona |
Here are the differences between reservoir engineers' and senior staff engineers' demographics:
| Reservoir Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.2% Female, 17.8% | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |