How To Become A Senior Research Associate, Research And Development: What It Is and Career Path

What is a senior research associate, research and development and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Dr. Betsy Smith

Senior research associates in the field of research and development work for research organizations collecting data and preparing reports related to various areas of investigation. They might work for pharmaceutical companies or science labs, supporting businesses or academic activities.

You might be responsible for assembling results of clinical testing, conducting experiments, or developing new research methods. It will be your job to prepare technical reports, maintain databases and spreadsheets containing findings, and handle the documentation related to research activities. Mentoring junior-level team members will also be your job.

A degree in biology, chemistry, or a related area is often required from candidates for this position. Several years of experience working on research projects will also be necessary. You will have to be familiar with the use of complex research equipment, and endure long hours of standing at a time. Your average yearly salary will be around $76,000.

What general advice would you give to a Senior Research Associate, Research And Development?

Dr. Betsy Smith

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths, like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.

ScoreSenior Research Associate, Research And DevelopmentUS Average

Salary

6.3

Avg. Salary $80,872

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.3

Growth Rate 17%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 26.40%

Black or African American 6.35%

Hispanic or Latino 9.58%

Unknown 4.10%

White 53.43%

Gender

female 34.78%

male 65.22%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress Level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.8

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a senior research associate, research and development

Explore senior research associate, research and development education requirements

Most common senior research associate, research and development degrees

Bachelor's

71.3 %

Master's

21.7 %

Associate

3.5 %

Start to develop specific senior research associate, research and development skills

Skills	Percentages
Cell Culture	11.15%
Sops	10.52%
GMP	8.87%
Technical Reports	6.62%
QC	6.06%

Complete relevant senior research associate, research and development training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior research associates, research and development learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior research associate, research and development based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior research associate, research and development resumes.

Research senior research associate, research and development duties and responsibilities

Forge and manage collaborative relationships with DoD and academia.
Enter data in internal LIMS system.
Support drug substance process development and GMP manufacturing.
Partner with regulatory to ensure FDA specifications are met.

Apply for senior research associate, research and development jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a senior research associate, research and development job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average senior research associate, research and development salary

The average Senior Research Associate, Research And Development salary in the United States is $80,872 per year or $39 per hour. Senior research associate, research and development salaries range between $59,000 and $109,000 per year.

Average Senior Research Associate, Research And Development Salary

$80,872 Yearly

$38.88 hourly

How do senior research associates, research and development rate their job?