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Senior staff scientist vs staff scientist

The differences between senior staff scientists and staff 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 staff scientist and a staff scientist. Additionally, a senior staff scientist has an average salary of $123,740, which is higher than the $93,941 average annual salary of a staff scientist.

The top three skills for a senior staff scientist include data analysis, FDA and next-generation sequencing. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.

Senior staff scientist vs staff scientist overview

Senior Staff ScientistStaff Scientist
Yearly salary$123,740$93,941
Hourly rate$59.49$45.16
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs113,265121,054
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a senior staff scientist do?

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.

What does a staff scientist do?

The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.

Senior staff scientist vs staff scientist salary

Senior staff scientists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Staff ScientistStaff Scientist
Average salary$123,740$93,941
Salary rangeBetween $86,000 And $177,000Between $63,000 And $137,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CARedwood City, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyAirbnbEtsy
Best paying industryTechnologyTechnology

Differences between senior staff scientist and staff scientist education

There are a few differences between a senior staff scientist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:

Senior Staff ScientistStaff Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Senior staff scientist vs staff scientist demographics

Here are the differences between senior staff scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:

Senior Staff ScientistStaff Scientist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 74.7% Female, 25.3%Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between senior staff scientist and staff scientist duties and responsibilities

Senior staff scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
  • Conduct research and analyze data to identify potential biomarkers and provide input for selection of candidates for non-clinical studies development.
  • Establish methods for OTFT parameters extraction, physics-base device modeling, and circuit elements simulation.
  • Interpret metabolism data and review reports to support strategies forward thinking with a specialization in drug metabolism and metabolic enzymes.

Staff scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead efforts to replace a critical radioactive immunoassay with a non-radioactive format to measure clinical samples.
  • Manage clinical sample testing using MSD and ELISA in LIMS, including data review and approval using LIMS.
  • Assist in managing and maintenance of HPLC and Prep-HPLC systems to ensure maximum productivity for the process development group.
  • Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
  • Assist with RNA and DNA extractions from FFPE tissue and blood.
  • Supervise temps performing HPLC assays and validations during development and production campaigns under GMP conditions.
  • Show more

Senior staff scientist vs staff scientist skills

Common senior staff scientist skills
  • Data Analysis, 10%
  • FDA, 7%
  • Next-Generation Sequencing, 6%
  • Statistical Analysis, 5%
  • Regulatory Submissions, 5%
  • PK, 5%
Common staff scientist skills
  • Data Analysis, 9%
  • Research Projects, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 5%
  • Next-Generation Sequencing, 4%
  • Statistical Analysis, 4%
  • RNA, 4%

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