Become A Senior Scientist
Where do you want to work?
Working As A Senior Scientist
- Getting Information
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Documenting/Recording Information
Mostly Sitting
$87,890
Average Salary
What Does A Senior Scientist Do
How To Become A Senior Scientist
Medical scientists typically have a Ph.D., usually in biology or a related life science. Some medical scientists get a medical degree instead of a Ph.D., but prefer doing research to practicing as a physician.
EducationStudents planning careers as medical scientists typically pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, or a related field. Undergraduate students benefit from taking a broad range of classes, including life sciences, physical sciences, and math. Students also typically take courses that develop communication and writing skills, because they must learn to write grants effectively and publish research findings.
After students have completed their undergraduate studies, they typically enter Ph.D. programs. Dual-degree programs are available that pair a Ph.D. with a range of specialized medical degrees. A few degree programs that are commonly paired with Ph.D. studies are Medical Doctor (M.D.), Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.), and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). Whereas Ph.D. studies focus on research methods, such as project design and data interpretation, students in dual-degree programs learn both the clinical skills needed to be a physician and the research skills needed to be a scientist.
Graduate programs emphasize both laboratory work and original research. These programs offer prospective medical scientists the opportunity to develop their experiments and, sometimes, to supervise undergraduates. Ph.D. programs culminate in a thesis that the candidate presents before a committee of professors. Students may specialize in a particular field, such as gerontology, neurology, or cancer.
Those who go to medical school spend most of the first 2 years in labs and classrooms, taking courses such as anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, psychology, microbiology, pathology, medical ethics, and medical law. They also learn how to record medical histories, examine patients, and diagnose illnesses. They may be required to participate in residency programs, meeting the same requirements that physicians and surgeons have to fulfill.
Medical scientists often continue their education with postdoctoral work. Postdoctoral work provides additional and more independent lab experience, including experience in specific processes and techniques such as gene splicing, which is transferable to other research projects.
Licenses, Certifications, and RegistrationsMedical scientists primarily conduct research and typically do not need licenses or certifications. However, those who administer drugs, gene therapy, or otherwise practice medicine on patients in clinical trials or a private practice need a license to practice as a physician.
Important QualitiesCommunication skills. Communication is critical, because medical scientists must be able to explain their conclusions. In addition, medical scientists write grant proposals, because grants often are required to fund their research.
Critical-thinking skills. Medical scientists must use their expertise to determine the best method for solving a specific research question.
Data-analysis skills. Medical scientists use statistical techniques, so that they can properly quantify and analyze health research questions.
Decisionmaking skills. Medical scientists must determine what research questions to ask, how best to investigate the questions, and what data will best answer the questions.
Observation skills. Medical scientists conduct experiments that require precise observation of samples and other health data. Any mistake could lead to inconclusive or misleading results.
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Senior Scientist jobs
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Senior Scientist Career Paths
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Senior Principal Scientist 6.1 years
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Principal Research Scientist 5.3 years
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Senior Scientist 5.0 years
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Scientist, Project Leader 4.8 years
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Senior Associate Scientist 4.7 years
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Principal Scientist 4.7 years
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Senior Staff Scientist 4.7 years
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Senior Research Specialist 4.5 years
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Senior Scientific Associate 4.1 years
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Senior Development Scientist 3.9 years
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Research Scientist 3.8 years
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Associate Research Scientist 3.8 years
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Product Development Scientist 3.7 years
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Senior Research Associate 3.7 years
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Lead Scientist 3.5 years
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Staff Scientist 3.4 years
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Scientist 3.4 years
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Assistant Research Scientist 3.3 years
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Development Scientist 3.2 years
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Research And Development Scientist 3.1 years
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Associate Scientist 3.1 years
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Technical Scientist 3.1 years
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Assistant Scientist 2.9 years
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Senior Research Fellow 2.9 years
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Process Scientist 2.9 years
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Research Associate R & D 2.8 years
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Assay Development Scientist 2.3 years
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Scientist 13.7%
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Research Scientist 12.9%
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Research Associate 10.5%
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Research Assistant 10.3%
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Research Fellow 8.5%
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Fellow 7.9%
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Teaching Assistant 3.8%
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Associate Scientist 3.7%
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Chemist 3.1%
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Staff Scientist 2.5%
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Assistant Professor 2.3%
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Internship 2.1%
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Consultant 1.9%
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Research Technician 1.8%
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Senior Chemist 1.8%
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Principal Scientist 14.9%
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Scientist 9.9%
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Consultant 9.9%
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Research Scientist 8.3%
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Director 5.9%
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Group Leader 5.0%
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Associate Director 4.6%
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Manager 4.5%
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Research Associate 4.4%
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Staff Scientist 4.3%
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Project Manager 4.2%
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Vice President 3.3%
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Research Fellow 3.1%
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Senior Manager 2.9%
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Adjunct Professor 2.6%
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Program Manager 2.5%
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Team Leader 2.2%
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Senior Chemist 2.1%
Average Length of Employment
Top Careers Before Senior Scientist
Top Careers After Senior Scientist
Senior Scientist Demographics
Gender
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Male
60.0% -
Female
26.2% -
Unknown
13.8%
Ethnicity
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White
60.1% -
Asian
28.8% -
Hispanic or Latino
7.1% -
Unknown
3.0% -
Black or African American
1.0%
Languages Spoken
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Spanish
19.0% -
Chinese
12.9% -
French
12.6% -
German
11.8% -
Russian
8.7% -
Japanese
7.2% -
Mandarin
3.9% -
Italian
3.6% -
Korean
3.3% -
Hindi
2.3% -
Portuguese
2.3% -
Carrier
2.1% -
Polish
1.8% -
Arabic
1.8% -
Xiang
1.5% -
Ukrainian
1.3% -
Swedish
1.0% -
Dutch
1.0% -
Shan
1.0% -
Sami
0.8%
Senior Scientist
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Senior Scientist Education
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Johns Hopkins University
6.8% -
Pennsylvania State University
6.4% -
Stanford University
6.4% -
University of Florida
5.8% -
Purdue University
5.8% -
Ohio State University
5.6% -
Texas A&M University
5.2% -
University of Pennsylvania
4.8% -
University of Washington
4.8% -
Temple University
4.7% -
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4.7% -
University of California - Los Angeles
4.6% -
University of Texas at Austin
4.6% -
University of California - San Diego
4.5% -
University of Arizona
4.5% -
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
4.5% -
University of California - Davis
4.2% -
Cornell University
4.1% -
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
4.1% -
Harvard University
4.0% -
Chemistry 31.3%
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Biology 9.5%
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Pharmacy 6.0%
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Microbiology 5.4%
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Physics 5.4%
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Business 4.0%
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Chemical Engineering 4.0%
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Pharmacology 2.4%
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Computer Science 2.1%
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Genetics 1.6%
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Geology 1.5%
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Materials Sciences 1.3%
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Food Science 1.3%
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Doctorate
51.4% -
Masters
22.9% -
Bachelors
15.1% -
Other
7.9% -
Certificate
1.8% -
Associate
0.6% -
Diploma
0.3% -
License
0.0%
Schools
Majors
Degrees
Senior Scientist
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Real Senior Scientist Salaries
Job Title
|
Company
|
Location
|
Start Date
|
Salary
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Safety Scientist | Genentech Inc. | South San Francisco, CA | Oct 23, 2015 | $210,000 |
| Senior Scientist | The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | Apr 01, 2016 | $200,665 |
| Senior Scientist III | Universities Space Research Association | Houston, TX | Feb 25, 2015 | $199,142 |
| Senior Scientist | Haskins Laboratories, Inc. | New Haven, CT | May 14, 2015 | $192,776 |
| Senior Research Scientist | Nvidia Corporation | Santa Clara, CA | Oct 06, 2016 | $190,000 - $197,695 |
| Scientist Senior 11 | Kelly Services, Inc. | Bethesda, MD | Jan 25, 2016 | $182,091 |
| Scientist, Senior 11 | Kelly Services, Inc. | Frederick, MD | Aug 17, 2015 | $182,091 |
| Senior Scientist | General Electric Company-GE Global Research Center | San Ramon, CA | Oct 31, 2016 | $180,000 |
| Senior Scientist | Blippar LLC | Mountain View, CA | Sep 11, 2015 | $180,000 |
| Senior Research Scientist | New York University | New York, NY | Jan 09, 2016 | $180,000 |
| Senior Scientist | Microsoft Corporation | Mountain View, CA | Jul 14, 2015 | $177,600 |
| Senior Research Scientist | Parallel MacHines, Inc. | Santa Clara, CA | Aug 06, 2015 | $175,000 |
| Senior Scientist | Genentech, Inc. | South San Francisco, CA | Jun 15, 2016 | $109,907 - $193,800 |
| Senior Research Scientist | DCG Systems, Inc. | Fremont, CA | Sep 26, 2015 | $109,514 |
| Senior Scientist, HPP Process | Sabic Innovative Plastics Us LLC | Vernon, IN | Sep 30, 2016 | $108,994 |
| Senior Scientist I | Abbvie Inc. | North Chicago, IL | Nov 18, 2016 | $108,877 |
| Senior Research Scientist | Guttmacher Institute, Inc. | New York, NY | May 16, 2015 | $108,623 |
| Senior Research Scientist | Electrical Geodesics, Inc. | Eugene, OR | Oct 01, 2015 | $108,378 |
| Senior Research Scientist, Healthcare Research | NORC | Bethesda, MD | Mar 23, 2016 | $108,292 - $128,292 |
| Senior Scientist (Formulation) | Vintage Pharmaceuticals LLC | Huntsville, AL | Feb 10, 2015 | $108,150 |
| Senior Reearch Scientist I | Albany Molecular Research, Inc. | Albany, NY | Dec 08, 2016 | $91,603 |
| Senior Scientist | Aerospace Engineering and Research Associates, Inc. | Lanham, MD | Mar 21, 2016 | $91,333 |
| Senior Scientist | SGT, Inc. | Greenbelt, MD | Oct 01, 2015 | $91,187 |
| Scientist, SR. | Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. | Norwood, MA | Aug 11, 2015 | $91,035 |
| SR. Scientist | Theranos, Inc. | Palo Alto, CA | Sep 20, 2015 | $91,000 - $165,000 |
| Senior Research Scientist, Psychometrics | Data Recognition Corporation | Maple Grove, MN | Jan 06, 2015 | $91,000 |
| SR. Scientist | Theranos, Inc. | Palo Alto, CA | May 15, 2015 | $91,000 - $165,000 |
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Top Skills for A Senior Scientist
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Top Senior Scientist Skills
- Laboratory
- Analytical Methods
- Method Development
- Served on Quality Assurance team responsible for laboratory equipment management and internal audits.
- Directed innovations group to develop new products, processes, analytical methods, and technology for commercialization.
- Established in house utility-driven QC program and method development.
- Designed and implemented bioassay and cell culture automation strategies, and novel cellular uptake and substrate depletion assay methodologies.
- Created product literature, documentation and laboratory management instructions and procedures for customer support.
Senior Scientist Videos
Career Advice on becoming a Senior Scientist by Peter W (Full Version)
Non-Traditional Careers for Science Majors | Dr. Dwight Randle | TEDxMountainViewCollege
SR : Science & Technolgy - 1