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The differences between senior scientists and lead scientists 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 scientist and a lead scientist. Additionally, a lead scientist has an average salary of $110,028, which is higher than the $106,672 average annual salary of a senior scientist.
The top three skills for a senior scientist include patients, data analysis and molecular biology. The most important skills for a lead scientist are C++, java, and data analysis.
| Senior Scientist | Lead Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $106,672 | $110,028 |
| Hourly rate | $51.28 | $52.90 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 49,712 | 49,455 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior scientist is usually in charge of overseeing experiments and evaluating junior scientists' performance, especially in laboratory settings. Moreover, it is also their responsibility to assess every progress report to ensure it's accuracy and validity. As a senior scientist in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage fellow scientists in their joint pursuit for scientific innovations, all while adhering to the laboratory's standards and policies.
A lead scientist is primarily in charge of leading the efforts in conducting scientific studies within a particular program or project. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, delegating tasks, establishing guidelines, and overseeing the progress and performance of other scientists and workers in a laboratory. They may also liaise with clients and external parties, including the media. Furthermore, as a lead scientist, it is essential to encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the laboratory's safety policies and regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
Senior scientists and lead scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Scientist | Lead Scientist | |
| Average salary | $106,672 | $110,028 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $153,000 | Between $78,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Tennessee |
| Best paying company | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior scientist and a lead scientist in terms of educational background:
| Senior Scientist | Lead Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between senior scientists' and lead scientists' demographics:
| Senior Scientist | Lead Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% | Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |