Post job

Senior research fellow vs associate scientist

The differences between senior research fellows and associate scientists 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 research fellow and an associate scientist. Additionally, an associate scientist has an average salary of $76,461, which is higher than the $62,129 average annual salary of a senior research fellow.

The top three skills for a senior research fellow include python, research projects and data analysis. The most important skills for an associate scientist are chemistry, patients, and cell culture.

Senior research fellow vs associate scientist overview

Senior Research FellowAssociate Scientist
Yearly salary$62,129$76,461
Hourly rate$29.87$36.76
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs53,53554,950
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a senior research fellow do?

Senior Research Fellows are reputable researchers employed in an academic institution or a research facility. The nature of their employment in the institution is related to their research work or field of interest. Senior Research Fellows lead a team of researchers on big projects that require more team members. They manage the team's budget, set timelines, and guide the researchers. They spearhead the analysis of the data gathered. They also set the tone for the presentation materials. Senior Research Fellows should be passionate about their field, should have a thirst for knowledge, and should be able to lead teams.

What does an associate scientist do?

An Associate Scientist assists in various experiments and research, working under the direction of a lead scientist. Their specialties may include biological life sciences, geo-science, atmospheric physics, and computing.

Senior research fellow vs associate scientist salary

Senior research fellows and associate scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Research FellowAssociate Scientist
Average salary$62,129$76,461
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $95,000Between $53,000 And $109,000
Highest paying CityUrban Honolulu, HISan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyGooglePhillips 66
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between senior research fellow and associate scientist education

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

Senior Research FellowAssociate Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorChemistryBiology
Most common collegeDuke UniversityUniversity of Southern California

Senior research fellow vs associate scientist demographics

Here are the differences between senior research fellows' and associate scientists' demographics:

Senior Research FellowAssociate Scientist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 56.1% Female, 43.9%Male, 48.6% Female, 51.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% 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, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between senior research fellow and associate scientist duties and responsibilities

Senior research fellow example responsibilities.

  • Lead a project aim at improving DNA yields from various soil types in Dr. Connell's lab.
  • Manage grant base research and submit the grant proposal to ICAR and get approved for fund research.
  • Mentore a graduate student on the following topics: study design, literature reviews, drafting data plans and SAS.
  • Contribute to the creation of new markup standards for scholarship in the humanities.
  • Research unidentify payments and patients.
  • Conduct long-term observations of grind water dynamics and chemistry.
  • Show more

Associate scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
  • Generate crispr knockout STAT1, STAT3 and STAT1 & 3double knockout cell lines.
  • Use CRISPR technology to create target knockout cell line.
  • Direct ISO 9000 4.10 team registration activities and perform internal audits.
  • Prepare stock reagents and buffers for use in manufacturing assay kits.
  • Confirm the quality of product meet specifications according to cGMP and ICH guidelines.
  • Show more

Senior research fellow vs associate scientist skills

Common senior research fellow skills
  • Python, 12%
  • Research Projects, 8%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • C++, 6%
  • Research Findings, 5%
  • Data Collection, 4%
Common associate scientist skills
  • Chemistry, 9%
  • Patients, 8%
  • Cell Culture, 5%
  • Data Analysis, 5%
  • GMP, 4%
  • Lab Equipment, 3%

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs