Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory technician

The differences between spectroscopists and chemistry laboratory technicians 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 technician. Additionally, a spectroscopist has an average salary of $67,733, which is higher than the $40,072 average annual salary of a chemistry laboratory technician.

The top three skills for a spectroscopist include nmr spectroscopy, NMR and chemistry. The most important skills for a chemistry laboratory technician are lab equipment, test results, and laboratory tests.

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory technician overview

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Technician
Yearly salary	$67,733	$40,072
Hourly rate	$32.56	$19.27
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	146	43,043
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory technician salary

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

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Technician
Average salary	$67,733	$40,072
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $118,000	Between $32,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	-	Denver, CO
Highest paying state	-	Maryland
Best paying company	-	Zoetis
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between spectroscopist and chemistry laboratory technician education

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

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common major	Chemistry	Chemistry
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory technician demographics

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

	Spectroscopist	Chemistry Laboratory Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2%	Male, 47.7% Female, 52.3%
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, 7.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 9.2% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between spectroscopist and chemistry laboratory technician 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 technician example responsibilities.

Participate in audits by FDA and ISO.
Assist in preparing and storing laboratory experiments.-Guide students through laboratory procedure.-collect student data for HPLC, GC/MS, and NMR samples.
Skil in characterization of compounds using 1HNMR , 13CNMR, IR, GC, UV-Vis spec.
Train mill trainees on ISO procedures.
Inventory lab chemicals and MSDS sheets.
Maintain and repair FTIR and UV-Vis spectrophotometers.

Spectroscopist vs chemistry laboratory technician skills

Common spectroscopist skills

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

Common chemistry laboratory technician skills

Lab Equipment, 12%
Test Results, 7%
Laboratory Tests, 5%
Chemistry Laboratory, 4%
Safety Procedures, 4%
HPLC, 4%

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Spectroscopist vs Chemistry Laboratory Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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