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What is a senior scientist, product development and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Betsy Smith

If you want to develop some of the latest, cutting-edge products, you should consider becoming a senior scientist of product development. These scientists are involved in the design, development, and technology transfer of new formulas and processes, typically for products related to pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, or healthcare goods.

Some of the tasks you can expect to perform as a senior scientist in this role include designing and establishing the product process, supervising and coordinating junior-level team members' activities, and coordinating research studies to optimize product design. These scientists need to have a breadth of technical knowledge, a solid understanding of manufacturing practices, and a problem-solving mindset.

If you're interested in becoming a product development senior scientist, you'll need a Bachelor's degree in a scientific area related to the specific field of product development, such as pharmaceutics, chemistry, nutritional sciences, etc. You'll also typically be expected to have previous industry experience.

What general advice would you give to a senior scientist, product development?

Dr. Betsy SmithDr. Betsy Smith LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths, like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.
ScoreSenior Scientist, Product DevelopmentUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $101,127

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.3

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 27.73%

Black or African American 6.43%

Hispanic or Latino 9.68%

Unknown 4.12%

White 51.89%

Gender

female 36.63%

male 63.37%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Senior scientist, product development career paths

Key steps to become a senior scientist, product development

  1. Explore senior scientist, product development education requirements

    Most common senior scientist, product development degrees

    Bachelor's

    56.9 %

    Master's

    22.8 %

    Doctorate

    15.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior scientist, product development skills

    SkillsPercentages
    FDA7.56%
    Dosage Forms6.95%
    Formulation Development4.65%
    Product Quality4.18%
    CMC4.14%
  3. Complete relevant senior scientist, product development training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior scientists, product development learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior scientist, product development based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior scientist, product development resumes.
  4. Research senior scientist, product development duties and responsibilities

    • Manage collaborations with external CROs.
    • Serve on the CMC team monitoring its GMP manufacturing at CMOs.
    • Analyze and characterize the API and drug product.
    • Review product labeling and assist in technical review for product registrations follow by FDA DSHEA regulation.
  5. Get senior scientist, product development experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior scientist, product development. The most common roles before becoming a senior scientist, product development include scientist, product development scientist team lead and senior scientist.
  6. Prepare your senior scientist, product development resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior scientist, product development resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior scientist, product development resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior scientist, product development resume templates

    Build a professional senior scientist, product development resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior scientist, product development resume.
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
    Senior Scientist, Product Development Resume
  7. Apply for senior scientist, product development jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior scientist, product development job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior scientist, product development job

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Average senior scientist, product development salary

The average senior scientist, product development salary in the United States is $101,127 per year or $49 per hour. Senior scientist, product development salaries range between $73,000 and $138,000 per year.

Average senior scientist, product development salary
$101,127 Yearly
$48.62 hourly

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Senior scientist, product development reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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