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The differences between senior research specialists and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior research specialist, becoming a research scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, 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 scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $65,071 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $31.28 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 57,586 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Senior research specialists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $65,071 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $99,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | VMware | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a senior research specialist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Duke University |
Here are the differences between senior research specialists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Senior Research Specialist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 8% |