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Senior research investigator vs doctoral fellow

The differences between senior research investigators and doctoral fellows 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 investigator and a doctoral fellow. Additionally, a senior research investigator has an average salary of $90,336, which is higher than the $53,366 average annual salary of a doctoral fellow.

The top three skills for a senior research investigator include data analysis, drug discovery and chemistry. The most important skills for a doctoral fellow are patients, cell culture, and data analysis.

Senior research investigator vs doctoral fellow overview

Senior Research InvestigatorDoctoral Fellow
Yearly salary$90,336$53,366
Hourly rate$43.43$25.66
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs62,24822,661
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Doctoral Degree, 46%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a senior research investigator do?

A Senior Research Investigator specializes in conducting extensive research and analysis to develop conclusions and recommendations. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their place or employment industry, it usually includes adhering to guidelines and timelines, narrowing down leads to gather and analyze data, consulting with experts, and maintaining records of all procedures. As a Senior Research Investigator, it is essential to lead and serve as a role model to less experienced investigators in the joint effort to reach project goals, all while implementing the facility's standards and regulations.

What does a doctoral fellow do?

A doctoral fellow is a physician that has completed studies and receives a fellowship to cover his/her or her expenses while completing his/her or her medical dissertation. A doctor fellow undergoes this fellowship to get additional training for their chosen sub-specialty. During the fellowship period, a fellow can act as an attending physician or consultant physician with other physicians' direct supervision in the sub-specialty field.

Senior research investigator vs doctoral fellow salary

Senior research investigators and doctoral fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Research InvestigatorDoctoral Fellow
Average salary$90,336$53,366
Salary rangeBetween $58,000 And $139,000Between $39,000 And $72,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaHawaii
Best paying companyCrunchbaseIBM
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalPharmaceutical

Differences between senior research investigator and doctoral fellow education

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

Senior Research InvestigatorDoctoral Fellow
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Doctoral Degree, 46%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Senior research investigator vs doctoral fellow demographics

Here are the differences between senior research investigators' and doctoral fellows' demographics:

Senior Research InvestigatorDoctoral Fellow
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 57.8% Female, 42.2%Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 24.9% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 32.9% White, 47.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between senior research investigator and doctoral fellow duties and responsibilities

Senior research investigator example responsibilities.

  • Process, analyze and upload HTS data that lead to the discovery of new structural classes of small molecules.
  • Develop molecular analysis methods and cell-base assays for RNA interference (RNAi) and oligonucleotide decoy projects.
  • Provide scientific support for CA125, a monoclonal antibody cancer immunotherapy program.
  • Probe compound/receptor-ligand complexes by establishing mammalian reporter cell lines and biochemical competition assays with FACS and ELISA endpoints.
  • Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.
  • Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.

Doctoral fellow example responsibilities.

  • Lead the in-vitro biophysical and biochemical characterization of homologous recombination and investigate structure-function effects of mutant enzymes.
  • Attend courses in drug discovery, python programming, and next-generation sequencing analyses.
  • Coordinate the validation of data aquisition algorithms (C++, python) for all real and simulate data.
  • Conduct custom synthesis of organic molecules, key intermediates and building blocks for medicinal chemistry applications.
  • Design PCL/PLCL drug delivery system for DC immunotherapy.
  • Succeed in using CRISPR to genetically correct diseas iPSCs.
  • Show more

Senior research investigator vs doctoral fellow skills

Common senior research investigator skills
  • Data Analysis, 11%
  • Drug Discovery, 6%
  • Chemistry, 6%
  • Visualization, 5%
  • BMS, 5%
  • RNA, 4%
Common doctoral fellow skills
  • Patients, 8%
  • Cell Culture, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 5%
  • Research Projects, 5%
  • Cell Biology, 5%
  • Immunology, 5%

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