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What is a scientist senior, research and development and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Betsy Smith

Primarily, a scientist senior, research and development, is responsible for gathering knowledge on various studies and supervising the process of researching. He/She performs experiments, makes observations, and creates detailed papers about his/her research for review and publishing. He/She manages data entry and reviews all sample testing results. Also, he/she oversees and supports the design and execution of all aspects of assay development for projects. Similarly, he/she conducts troubleshooting for instruments, methods, and procedures. Additionally, he/she participates in the development and improvement of laboratory processes and procedures.

Although you can apply for the job with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree or Ph.D. is preferred. You must have at least five years of relevant work experience. You must possess communication, collaboration, problem-solving, time management, and project management skills. This personnel makes an average salary of $95,212 yearly or $46 per hour. It varies from $75,000 to $120,000.

What general advice would you give to a scientist senior, research and development?

Dr. Betsy SmithDr. Betsy Smith LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths, like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.
ScoreScientist Senior, Research And DevelopmentUS Average
Salary
7.7

Avg. Salary $103,295

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.3

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 29.29%

Black or African American 6.38%

Hispanic or Latino 9.62%

Unknown 4.11%

White 50.46%

Gender

female 33.05%

male 66.95%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Scientist senior, research and development career paths

Key steps to become a scientist senior, research and development

  1. Explore scientist senior, research and development education requirements

    Most common scientist senior, research and development degrees

    Bachelor's

    57.6 %

    Doctorate

    21.5 %

    Master's

    18.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific scientist senior, research and development skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Project Management6.25%
    GMP4.05%
    Product Development3.92%
    HPLC3.89%
    Method Development3.54%
  3. Complete relevant scientist senior, research and development training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New scientist seniors, research and development learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a scientist senior, research and development based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real scientist senior, research and development resumes.
  4. Research scientist senior, research and development duties and responsibilities

    • Manage data entry, review and approval of all sample testing results in LabWare (LIMS).
    • Forge and manage collaborative relationships with DoD and academia.
    • Develop specifications for API's and drug products and write spec justifications.
    • Perform preventative and corrective maintenance on HPLC and LC/MS systems.
  5. Get scientist senior, research and development experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a scientist senior, research and development. The most common roles before becoming a scientist senior, research and development include research and development scientist, research scientist team lead and senior scientist.
  6. Prepare your scientist senior, research and development resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your scientist senior, research and development resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a scientist senior, research and development resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable scientist senior, research and development resume templates

    Build a professional scientist senior, research and development resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your scientist senior, research and development resume.
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
    Scientist Senior, Research And Development Resume
  7. Apply for scientist senior, research and development jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a scientist senior, research and development job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first scientist senior, research and development job

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Average scientist senior, research and development salary

The average scientist senior, research and development salary in the United States is $103,295 per year or $50 per hour. Scientist senior, research and development salaries range between $75,000 and $141,000 per year.

Average scientist senior, research and development salary
$103,295 Yearly
$49.66 hourly

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Scientist senior, research and development reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Science of observation

Cons

Haven't gotten to that point yet! you are looking for a story that has yet left the summary


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Ingenuity and the fast paced environment while critical thinking to solve the problems.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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