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The differences between senior product development engineers and research and development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a senior product development engineer and a research and development engineer. Additionally, a research and development engineer has an average salary of $100,169, which is higher than the $98,348 average annual salary of a senior product development engineer.
The top three skills for a senior product development engineer include CAD, solidworks and product development. The most important skills for a research and development engineer are python, R, and solidworks.
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,348 | $100,169 |
| Hourly rate | $47.28 | $48.16 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 195,294 | 187,910 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A product development engineer designs and develops new products in adherence to project goals and guidelines. They primarily perform research and assessments to identify and understand project requirements, select materials, develop drafts, create blueprints and prototypes, establish test structures for quality assurance, and facilitate upgrades as necessary. They can also produce product specifications and provide technical support to staff as necessary. Most product development engineers work in a team environment, which requires an open communication line for an efficient workflow.
Research and development engineers generally execute research and tests on product ideas, develop new products, and perform redesigns. They are employed in many industries, including manufacturing, electrical, and science-based companies. Their duties vary and depend on the industries they work in. Responsibilities of these engineers include developing new technologies, designing products, and managing the projects until they are completed. Additionally, they lead the project team members to manage their schedules, design the project plans, and collaborate with key departments in developing new products.
Senior product development engineers and research and development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,348 | $100,169 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $126,000 | Between $74,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior product development engineer and a research and development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior product development engineers' and research and development engineers' demographics:
| Senior Product Development Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.5% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |