Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory assistant

The differences between spectroscopists and chemistry laboratory assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a spectroscopist and a chemistry laboratory assistant. Additionally, a spectroscopist has an average salary of $67,733, which is higher than the $30,971 average annual salary of a chemistry laboratory assistant.

The top three skills for a spectroscopist include nmr spectroscopy, NMR and chemistry. The most important skills for a chemistry laboratory assistant are lab equipment, lab safety, and chemistry lab.

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory assistant overview

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Assistant
Yearly salary	$67,733	$30,971
Hourly rate	$32.56	$14.89
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	146	40,180
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory assistant salary

Spectroscopists and chemistry laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Assistant
Average salary	$67,733	$30,971
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $118,000	Between $16,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	-	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	-	Rhode Island
Best paying company	-	Pace University
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between spectroscopist and chemistry laboratory assistant education

There are a few differences between a spectroscopist and a chemistry laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Chemistry	Chemistry
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory assistant demographics

Here are the differences between spectroscopists' and chemistry laboratory assistants' demographics:

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Assistant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 9.5% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between spectroscopist and chemistry laboratory assistant duties and responsibilities

Spectroscopist example responsibilities.

Manage the QC program for custom synthesize DNA (oligomer) using laser base mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF).
Manage QC of molecular beacons by fluorescence spectroscopy.
Perform routine NMR maintenance, including liquid nitrogen and liquid helium fills.
Decrease sample evaluation times from days to hours by performing in-house IR analysis on submit samples.
Perform large-scale purification using FPLC, HPLC, immuno-affinity chromatography.
Establish the pharmaceutical testing laboratory and transition the laboratory to being fully functional in GMP compliance.

Chemistry laboratory assistant example responsibilities.

Comfort frighten patients and maintain an exceptionally bright professional demeanor to accomplish a procedure that makes most people very uncomfortable.
Prepare buffer solutions, separate DNA, dissect baby mice, and perform general lab procedures.
Facilitate placement and organization of equipment for new laboratory including HPLC, GC-MS, UV-VIS, and DSC.
Maintain GC/FID, GC/MS and LC/MS systems.
Purify total RNA out of scallop muscle tissue.
Maintain proper records and documentation of DNA sequencing products.

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory assistant skills

Common spectroscopist skills

Nmr Spectroscopy, 31%
NMR, 25%
Chemistry, 19%
FTIR, 7%
Hazardous Materials, 5%
IR, 5%

Common chemistry laboratory assistant skills

Lab Equipment, 39%
Lab Safety, 13%
Chemistry Lab, 6%
Lab Experiments, 4%
Lab Reports, 3%
Analytical Chemistry, 2%

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Spectroscopist vs Chemistry Laboratory Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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