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Senior laboratory scientist vs lead scientist

The differences between senior laboratory scientists and lead scientists 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 laboratory scientist and a lead scientist. Additionally, a lead scientist has an average salary of $110,028, which is higher than the $88,562 average annual salary of a senior laboratory scientist.

The top three skills for a senior laboratory scientist include GMP, FDA and cell culture. The most important skills for a lead scientist are C++, java, and data analysis.

Senior laboratory scientist vs lead scientist overview

Senior Laboratory ScientistLead Scientist
Yearly salary$88,562$110,028
Hourly rate$42.58$52.90
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs77,36449,455
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

Senior laboratory scientist vs lead scientist salary

Senior laboratory scientists and lead scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Laboratory ScientistLead Scientist
Average salary$88,562$110,028
Salary rangeBetween $61,000 And $128,000Between $78,000 And $153,000
Highest paying City-Santa Cruz, CA
Highest paying state-Tennessee
Best paying company-PayPal
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between senior laboratory scientist and lead scientist education

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

Senior Laboratory ScientistLead Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeDuke UniversityUniversity of Southern California

Senior laboratory scientist vs lead scientist demographics

Here are the differences between senior laboratory scientists' and lead scientists' demographics:

Senior Laboratory ScientistLead Scientist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 75.0% Female, 25.0%Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between senior laboratory scientist and lead scientist duties and responsibilities

Senior laboratory scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
  • Enter results into LIMS database.
  • Generate reports and deliver of presentations to support submissions to FDA.
  • Establish quantitative, proprietary method for measurement of menstrual blood loss (now register with FDA).
  • Key activities include process chemistry development, synthesis of intermediates, compound purification and structure identification, and comprehensive scientific documentation.
  • Interpret metabolism data and review reports to support strategies forward thinking with a specialization in drug metabolism and metabolic enzymes.

Lead scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage cell culture facility transition to GLP compliance.
  • Develop reagents for ELISA methods and manage regulatory aspects of vaccine potency assays with the USDA/EMEA.
  • Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
  • Engage in ELISA base in vitro vaccine potency assay development.
  • Develop new HPLC methodologies for new and existing products as per USP.
  • Serve a key role in the compliance of quality and FDA regulations.
  • Show more

Senior laboratory scientist vs lead scientist skills

Common senior laboratory scientist skills
  • GMP, 9%
  • FDA, 9%
  • Cell Culture, 9%
  • Analytical Methods, 7%
  • R, 6%
  • Method Development, 6%
Common lead scientist skills
  • C++, 7%
  • Java, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 5%
  • GMP, 5%
  • Method Development, 4%
  • Extraction, 4%

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