Post job

Scientist vs senior chemist

The differences between scientists and senior chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a scientist has an average salary of $97,344, which is higher than the $91,008 average annual salary of a senior chemist.

The top three skills for a scientist include chemistry, data analysis and patients. The most important skills for a senior chemist are method development, laboratory equipment, and HPLC.

Scientist vs senior chemist overview

ScientistSenior Chemist
Yearly salary$97,344$91,008
Hourly rate$46.80$43.75
Growth rate17%6%
Number of jobs62,46712,823
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4142
Years of experience4-

What does a scientist do?

A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations. They collect the sample for their research, record findings, create research proposals, and release publications. A scientist must know how to utilize laboratory equipment to support the study and drive results efficiently and accurately.

What does a senior chemist do?

Senior Chemists are responsible for designing, developing, and testing formulations and compounds. They also maintain and troubleshoot laboratory equipment and relevant documentation.

Scientist vs senior chemist salary

Scientists and senior chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.

ScientistSenior Chemist
Average salary$97,344$91,008
Salary rangeBetween $67,000 And $140,000Between $67,000 And $123,000
Highest paying CityRedwood City, CAFremont, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaVermont
Best paying companyAirbnbGoogle
Best paying industryTechnologyManufacturing

Differences between scientist and senior chemist education

There are a few differences between a scientist and a senior chemist in terms of educational background:

ScientistSenior Chemist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Scientist vs senior chemist demographics

Here are the differences between scientists' and senior chemists' demographics:

ScientistSenior Chemist
Average age4142
Gender ratioMale, 56.9% Female, 43.1%Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 22.3% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage8%5%

Differences between scientist and senior chemist duties and responsibilities

Scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead a cross-functional team to return an HIV combination product to market on random-access instrument.
  • Design the VERIS HIV-1 quantitative PCR assay which achieve Conformit Europ enne (CE) marking.
  • Manage an elemental analytical laboratory that include operating, maintaining and troubleshooting an ICP-OES, ICPMS, MXRF, and IC.
  • Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
  • Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
  • Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
  • Show more

Senior chemist example responsibilities.

  • Manage an analytical laboratory, which include SEM-EDS, GC-MS, GPC, FT-IR, ICP-MS, TGA and DSC equipment.
  • Conduct GC-MS, TGA, and FTIR, UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis of extractables and elemental impurities.
  • Develop Simethicone assay method by FT-IR in liquid dosage.
  • Used EPA methods for actinide, technetium, strontium, and tritium determination.
  • Prepare submission documentation, including CMC sections, for IDE and PMA submissions.
  • Supervise mobile lab team of analysts at various EPA super fund site locations for PCB and halo-hydrocarbons analysis testing.
  • Show more

Scientist vs senior chemist skills

Common scientist skills
  • Chemistry, 9%
  • Data Analysis, 7%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 4%
  • Cell Culture, 4%
  • Java, 3%
Common senior chemist skills
  • Method Development, 8%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 6%
  • HPLC, 5%
  • Analytical Methods, 5%
  • R, 4%
  • GMP, 4%

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs