Senior laboratory scientist vs researcher

The differences between senior laboratory 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 laboratory scientist and a researcher. Additionally, a senior laboratory scientist has an average salary of $88,562, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.

The top three skills for a senior laboratory scientist include GMP, FDA and cell culture. The most important skills for a researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.

Senior laboratory scientist vs researcher overview

	Senior Laboratory Scientist	Researcher
Yearly salary	$88,562	$67,145
Hourly rate	$42.58	$32.28
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	77,364	30,498
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Senior laboratory scientist vs researcher salary

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

	Senior Laboratory Scientist	Researcher
Average salary	$88,562	$67,145
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $128,000	Between $37,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	-	Newark, NJ
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Renaissance Learning
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between senior laboratory scientist and researcher education

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

	Senior Laboratory Scientist	Researcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Chemistry	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	University of Southern California

Senior laboratory scientist vs researcher demographics

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

	Senior Laboratory Scientist	Researcher
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 75.0% Female, 25.0%	Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1%
Race ratio	Black 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, 6.4% 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%

Differences between senior laboratory scientist and researcher 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.

Researcher example responsibilities.

Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
Perform cellular assays, DNA extractions, PCR, and sequencing to identify cellulase- producing soil bacteria.
Implement data visualization tools by Java.
Present research findings to select professors and professionals at scholar conferences.
Master techniques in biomedical science research methods.
Collaborate with doctorates in the field of immunology.

Senior laboratory scientist vs researcher skills

Common senior laboratory scientist skills

GMP, 9%
FDA, 9%
Cell Culture, 9%
Analytical Methods, 7%
R, 6%
Method Development, 6%

Common researcher skills

Python, 12%
Lab Equipment, 9%
C++, 8%
Data Analysis, 6%
Data Collection, 4%
R, 4%

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Senior Laboratory Scientist
Senior Laboratory Scientist vs Researcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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