Post job

What does a senior associate scientist do?

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

A Senior Associate Scientist supervises the work of associate scientists. They manage the design and implementation process of a research project, which includes analyzing information for that project.

On this page

Senior associate scientist responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior associate scientist resumes:

  • Collaborate with automation engineers to automate creation of sequencing templates and to automate emulsion PCR reaction setup.
  • Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
  • Develop and validate quantitative HPLC and LC/MS methods for the measurement of parent drug and their metabolites according to GLP guidelines.
  • Optimize binding ELISA for use during phage screening.
  • Optimize procedures to extract RNA from bone taken from surgical procedures.
  • Culture primary (rat) and stem cell-derive neurons and extract RNA.
  • Support the QC lab and test incoming samples as well as in-process samples.
  • Shape the method to better suit scaling up issues and departmental computer systems and GLP requirements.
  • Experience in a variety of sample preparation techniques and extraction methods such as LLE, SLE and SPE.
  • Perform experiments for bridging of new lots of key/critical reagents such as detector antibodies for use in ELISA.
  • Develop HPLC method for purification.
  • Work on projects in oncology and ophthalmology.
  • Develop and validate sample QC calculation spreadsheets.
  • Train in current GLP documentation and laboratory procedures.
  • Be on-call to support troubleshooting activities during qualification runs and routine GMP manufacturing.

Senior associate scientist skills and personality traits

We calculated that 8% of Senior Associate Scientists are proficient in Data Analysis, Chemistry, and Cell Culture.

We break down the percentage of Senior Associate Scientists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Data Analysis, 8%

    Worked simultaneously on multiple projects, performed data analysis and generated detailed reports.

  • Chemistry, 7%

    Provided medicinal chemistry support in the therapeutic areas of diabetes (insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity) and oncology.

  • Cell Culture, 5%

    Collaborate with Bios Pilot Plants to develop technical transfer protocols of cell culture media/buffers used for Cell Banking campaigns.

  • CRISPR, 5%

    Created ion channel protein knockout T cell line by using CRISPR technology.

  • Flow Cytometry, 4%

    Tested meningococcal strains by flow cytometry for surface expression of factor H binding protein.

  • Oncology, 4%

    Designed, synthesized, purified, and characterized small molecule drug candidates for evaluation against oncology and antibacterial targets.

Common skills that a senior associate scientist uses to do their job include "data analysis," "chemistry," and "cell culture." You can find details on the most important senior associate scientist responsibilities below.

Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a senior associate scientist to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "medical scientists must be able to explain their research in nontechnical ways." Senior associate scientists often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "interfaced with diverse groups to ensure effective communication between analytical, qc, qa, and cmo. "

Observation skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling senior associate scientist duties is observation skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "medical scientists conduct experiments that require monitoring samples and other health-related data." According to a senior associate scientist resume, here's how senior associate scientists can utilize observation skills in their job responsibilities: "monitored field of expertise, including literature and technology development, and communicates relevant observations regarding cell culture and technology advantages. "

See the full list of senior associate scientist skills

Choose from 10+ customizable senior associate scientist resume templates

Build a professional senior associate scientist resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior associate scientist resume.
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume
Senior Associate Scientist Resume

Compare different senior associate scientists

Senior associate scientist vs. Research fellow

A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.

The annual salary of research fellows is $36,385 lower than the average salary of senior associate scientists.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both senior associate scientist and research fellow positions are skilled in data analysis, chemistry, and cell culture.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between senior associate scientists and research fellow. For instance, senior associate scientist responsibilities require skills such as "oncology," "molecular biology," "extraction," and "gmp." Whereas a research fellow is skilled in "patients," "research projects," "immunology," and "cell biology." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Research fellows earn the highest salaries when working in the non profits industry, with an average yearly salary of $57,261. On the other hand, senior associate scientists are paid more in the health care industry with an average salary of $97,496.On average, research fellows reach similar levels of education than senior associate scientists. Research fellows are 3.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 28.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Senior associate scientist vs. Chemist

Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.

A career as a chemist brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a senior associate scientist. In fact, chemists salary is $25,247 lower than the salary of senior associate scientists per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both senior associate scientists and chemists have skills such as "data analysis," "chemistry," and "extraction. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real senior associate scientist resumes. While senior associate scientist responsibilities can utilize skills like "cell culture," "crispr," "flow cytometry," and "oncology," chemists use skills like "lab equipment," "test results," "product development," and "method development."

On average, chemists earn a lower salary than senior associate scientists. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, chemists earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $75,495. Whereas senior associate scientists have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $97,496.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Chemists tend to reach lower levels of education than senior associate scientists. In fact, they're 11.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 28.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior associate scientists in the next 3-5 years?

Dr. Betsy SmithDr. Betsy Smith LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

Honestly, I think anytime a scientist tries to predict what will be "big" in a few years, they're likely to fail. That said, I think there's a growing interest among consumers for more "green" products, so research into those areas will likely grow. For instance, we might see attempts to develop new plastics that are safer for the environment and humans, perhaps biodegradable. Organic chemistry traditionally uses harsh solvents and chemicals that are difficult to dispose of safely, so there is an effort to find alternatives to these. Analytical chemistry techniques for separating and identifying compounds, like GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry), will likely continue to be necessary. CRISPR, the relatively new gene-editing technology, is likely to become even more widely used on the biochemistry side of things.

Senior associate scientist vs. Quality control analyst

Quality assurance representatives are professionals who are responsible for ensuring the quality of units produced or manufactured is following the standards set by the industry. These representatives supervise the entire production process to identify erroneous methods or tools being used by workers and observing produced for visible defects. They are required to perform various tests to check for the durability of the product and other desirable characteristics. Quality assurance representatives must also collaborate with the manufacturing engineer to implement quality control programs and preparing training manuals and quality guidelines.

On average scale, quality control analysts bring in lower salaries than senior associate scientists. In fact, they earn a $30,991 lower salary per year.senior associate scientists and quality control analysts both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "data analysis," "cell-based assays," and "elisa," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior associate scientist resumes include skills like "chemistry," "cell culture," "crispr," and "flow cytometry," whereas a quality control analyst is more likely to list skills in "lab equipment," "microbiology," "analytical methods," and "test results. "

Quality control analysts make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $62,870. On the other hand, senior associate scientists are paid the highest salary in the health care industry, with average annual pay of $97,496.Most quality control analysts achieve a lower degree level compared to senior associate scientists. For example, they're 12.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior associate scientist vs. Quality control chemist

A Quality Control Chemist uses chemistry lab skills to test and measure materials, usually in a manufacturing or pharmaceutical field. They analyze samples using scientific equipment, prepare study protocols, collect data, and identify and investigate abnormal test results.

Quality control chemists average a lower salary than the annual salary of senior associate scientists. The difference is about $31,316 per year.While their salaries may vary, senior associate scientists and quality control chemists both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "gmp," "qc," and "hplc. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between senior associate scientists and quality control chemists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a senior associate scientist might have more use for skills like "data analysis," "chemistry," "cell culture," and "crispr." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of quality control chemists require skills like "lab equipment," "analytical methods," "uv/vis," and "test results. "

Quality control chemists enjoy the best pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $63,570. For comparison, senior associate scientists earn the highest salary in the health care industry.The average resume of quality control chemists showed that they earn lower levels of education compared to senior associate scientists. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 10.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 2.2%.

Types of senior associate scientist

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.

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs