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The differences between senior formulation scientists 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 senior formulation scientist and a researcher. Additionally, a senior formulation scientist has an average salary of $102,574, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.
The top three skills for a senior formulation scientist include dosage forms, scale-up and formulation development. The most important skills for a researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.
| Senior Formulation Scientist | Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $102,574 | $67,145 |
| Hourly rate | $49.31 | $32.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 48,668 | 30,498 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
As a senior formulation scientist, your main aim is to have clinical trials as well as to conduct some tests to compare the reaction of potential customers to that of your previous formulations. You need to design pre-formulation studies. By doing this, you can understand the formulation of different types of medical trials performed. You also need to assist in the pharmaceutical formulation to form a great report for the company.
The main skills which are required to become a senior formulation scientist are observational as well as critical thinking skills. You need to have proper report-making skills so that you can research and analyze the data from your formulations and then condense them into important medical documents. You should be able to communicate clearly to your team members so that they can help and assist you in the formulations as well as develop different ideas.
A researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential. Researchers must be knowledgeable about the current market trends and align findings with the research goals. A researcher must show strong communication skills, as well as strong attention to detail and time-management skills to meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
Senior formulation scientists and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Formulation Scientist | Researcher | |
| Average salary | $102,574 | $67,145 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $141,000 | Between $37,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Exelixis | Renaissance Learning |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a senior formulation scientist and a researcher in terms of educational background:
| Senior Formulation Scientist | Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Pharmacy | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between senior formulation scientists' and researchers' demographics:
| Senior Formulation Scientist | Researcher | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% | 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% |