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The differences between senior research specialists and research leaders 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 specialist and a research leader. Additionally, a research leader has an average salary of $107,345, which is higher than the $65,071 average annual salary of a senior research specialist.
The top three skills for a senior research specialist include data collection, research projects and data analysis. The most important skills for a research leader are data collection, data analysis, and market research.
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $65,071 | $107,345 |
| Hourly rate | $31.28 | $51.61 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 57,586 | 77,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Senior research specialists are professionals who manage a team of junior research specialists that develop objectives and design research projects and proposals. These senior specialists are required to conduct scientific experiments and perform data collection to provide test evaluation and research results. They are required to propose new techniques that could improve the research quality and productivity of the team while assisting in setting up new equipment. Senior research specialists must also develop standard operating procedures while adhering to the company's policies and safety guidelines to ensure safety in their workplace.
Research Leaders are academicians who oversee a group of researchers conducting a study. They are usually well-known researchers in their field of study or area of interest. They manage the group throughout the whole research process. They may orient them at the start of the engagement to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Research Leaders direct the group in identifying the resources needed, finding these resources, and eventually managing them. They also guide the team in conducting the research properly by providing strategic direction, sharing techniques, and helping them analyze the gathered data. With their experience in the field, Research Leaders usually provide frameworks that the team may work within.
Senior research specialists and research leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Average salary | $65,071 | $107,345 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $99,000 | Between $64,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | VMware | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a senior research specialist and a research leader in terms of educational background:
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between senior research specialists' and research leaders' demographics:
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.2% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |