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The differences between senior staff scientists and laboratory researchers 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 staff scientist and a laboratory researcher. Additionally, a senior staff scientist has an average salary of $123,740, which is higher than the $27,760 average annual salary of a laboratory researcher.
The top three skills for a senior staff scientist include data analysis, FDA and next-generation sequencing. The most important skills for a laboratory researcher are lab procedures, cell culture, and molecular biology.
| Senior Staff Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $123,740 | $27,760 |
| Hourly rate | $59.49 | $13.35 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 113,265 | 57,359 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Senior Staff Scientist is responsible for supervising projects and activities of a company. They manage the technical, budgetary, and scheduling aspects of scientific research projects.
Laboratory researchers are professionals who manage a research laboratory while performing cellular and biochemical experiments with the primary researcher. These researchers must work with hazardous chemicals and should show expertise in handling lab equipment such as glassware and field equipment. They are required to assist with research projects and interpret the test data of an experiment. They must manage the order of all lab equipment by filling up the purchase requisition forms. Laboratory researchers are required to work with students in all aspects of laboratory research.
Senior staff scientists and laboratory researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Staff Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average salary | $123,740 | $27,760 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $177,000 | Between $17,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | Maine |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a senior staff scientist and a laboratory researcher in terms of educational background:
| Senior Staff Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between senior staff scientists' and laboratory researchers' demographics:
| Senior Staff Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.7% Female, 25.3% | Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |