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The differences between senior research 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 research engineer and a research and development engineer. Additionally, a senior research engineer has an average salary of $115,047, which is higher than the $100,169 average annual salary of a research and development engineer.
The top three skills for a senior research engineer include python, java and project management. The most important skills for a research and development engineer are python, R, and solidworks.
| Senior Research Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $115,047 | $100,169 |
| Hourly rate | $55.31 | $48.16 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,798 | 187,910 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Senior Research Engineer leads a team of engineers to develop and implement innovative products and technologies. They also provide training and technical support.
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 research engineers and research and development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Research Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $115,047 | $100,169 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $151,000 | Between $74,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior research engineer and a research and development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Research Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior research engineers' and research and development engineers' demographics:
| Senior Research Engineer | Research And Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 3.1% 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% |