Senior research fellow vs laboratory research assistant

The differences between senior research fellows and laboratory research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior research fellow, becoming a laboratory research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior research fellow has an average salary of $62,129, which is higher than the $36,537 average annual salary of a laboratory research assistant.

The top three skills for a senior research fellow include python, research projects and data analysis. The most important skills for a laboratory research assistant are data collection, patients, and laboratory equipment.

Senior research fellow vs laboratory research assistant overview

	Senior Research Fellow	Laboratory Research Assistant
Yearly salary	$62,129	$36,537
Hourly rate	$29.87	$17.57
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	53,535	87,343
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age	41	38
Years of experience	4	2

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 a laboratory research assistant do?

A laboratory research assistant is an individual who performs lab experiments and carries out projects designed by senior lab staff members. Laboratory research assistants design and conduct experiments using biohazards and other dangerous materials to gain information and test scientific processes. They must write detailed reports of their research and experiments and then deliver these reports in written and verbal forms. Laboratory research assistants may also work in different settings such as medical facilities and pharmaceutical companies.

Senior research fellow vs laboratory research assistant salary

Senior research fellows and laboratory research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Senior Research Fellow	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average salary	$62,129	$36,537
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $95,000	Between $24,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Urban Honolulu, HI	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Google	New York University
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between senior research fellow and laboratory research assistant education

There are a few differences between a senior research fellow and a laboratory research assistant in terms of educational background:

	Senior Research Fellow	Laboratory Research Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common major	Chemistry	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	Harvard University

Senior research fellow vs laboratory research assistant demographics

Here are the differences between senior research fellows' and laboratory research assistants' demographics:

	Senior Research Fellow	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average age	41	38
Gender ratio	Male, 56.1% Female, 43.9%	Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8%
Race ratio	Black 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, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between senior research fellow and laboratory research assistant 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.

Laboratory research assistant example responsibilities.

Manage participant records according to IRB guidelines to ensure confidentiality.
Lead experiments to assess survivor behavior differences in zebrafish contaminate with dietary mercury.
Maintain microbial culture and isolate and purify bacterial and viral DNA and RNA to study the genome of common pathogenic bacteria.
Perform protein extraction on larvae.
Perform biological assays, including ELISA and RT-PCR.
Gain extensive MLST, RT-PCR, conventional PCR, primer design and gel-electrophoresis experience.

Senior research fellow vs laboratory research assistant skills

Common senior research fellow skills

Python, 12%
Research Projects, 8%
Data Analysis, 6%
C++, 6%
Research Findings, 5%
Data Collection, 4%

Common laboratory research assistant skills

Data Collection, 5%
Patients, 5%
Laboratory Equipment, 5%
Lab Procedures, 5%
Laboratory Techniques, 5%
Molecular Biology, 4%

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Senior Research Fellow
Senior Research Fellow vs Laboratory Research Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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