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Senior research engineer vs engineer

The differences between senior research engineers and 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 research engineer and an engineer. Additionally, a senior research engineer has an average salary of $115,047, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.

The top three skills for a senior research engineer include python, java and project management. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.

Senior research engineer vs engineer overview

Senior Research EngineerEngineer
Yearly salary$115,047$92,077
Hourly rate$55.31$44.27
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs120,798618,207
Job satisfaction-4.33
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does a senior research engineer do?

A Senior Research Engineer leads a team of engineers to develop and implement innovative products and technologies. They also provide training and technical support.

What does an engineer do?

Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.

Senior research engineer vs engineer salary

Senior research engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Research EngineerEngineer
Average salary$115,047$92,077
Salary rangeBetween $87,000 And $151,000Between $65,000 And $130,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAHuntsville, AL
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew Hampshire
Best paying companyNetflixFort Bend County
Best paying industryFinanceAutomotive

Differences between senior research engineer and engineer education

There are a few differences between a senior research engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:

Senior Research EngineerEngineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringMechanical Engineering
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMichigan Technological University

Senior research engineer vs engineer demographics

Here are the differences between senior research engineers' and engineers' demographics:

Senior Research EngineerEngineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 88.8% Female, 11.2%Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between senior research engineer and engineer duties and responsibilities

Senior research engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage a proof-of-concept and prototyping program for a vehicle tagging and electronic tracking system.
  • Carry out ETL tasks using Java and Apache/Hadoop.
  • Design plastic and metal components for cells and batteries using Solidworks.
  • Select to travel to Malaysia to identify and resolve issues in filter prototyping and manufacture.
  • Develop test plans and set ups for imaging, chemical sensing, RF devices, and composite materials.
  • Project include optics, lasers, high-speed digital, high speed A2D, RF, liquid helium, etc.
  • Show more

Engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage startup, trouble shooting and testing of PLC control equipment.
  • Lead project team to design and FDA validate 10-up extreme accuracy vial dosing system and CIP/SIP automate cleaning equipment.
  • Automate the creation of a WebLogic Admin and manage server deployment scheme within an installer for secure application deployment.
  • Install and test PLC in client own equipment on site - solve some logical and hardware issues to accomplish goal
  • Implement and manage continuous delivery systems and methodologies on AWS.
  • Manage Terraform and refactore from monolithic to application specific components.
  • Show more

Senior research engineer vs engineer skills

Common senior research engineer skills
  • Python, 15%
  • Java, 6%
  • Project Management, 4%
  • Software Development, 4%
  • Data Analysis, 4%
  • C, 4%
Common engineer skills
  • Python, 8%
  • Cloud, 6%
  • C++, 5%
  • C #, 5%
  • AWS, 5%
  • Java, 4%

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