Spectroscopist vs field laboratory operator

The differences between spectroscopists and field laboratory operators 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 field laboratory operator. Additionally, a spectroscopist has an average salary of $67,733, which is higher than the $54,062 average annual salary of a field laboratory operator.

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

Spectroscopist vs field laboratory operator overview

	Spectroscopist	Field Laboratory Operator
Yearly salary	$67,733	$54,062
Hourly rate	$32.56	$25.99
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	146	109,087
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

Spectroscopist vs field laboratory operator salary

Spectroscopists and field laboratory operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Spectroscopist	Field Laboratory Operator
Average salary	$67,733	$54,062
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $118,000	Between $37,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between spectroscopist and field laboratory operator education

There are a few differences between a spectroscopist and a field laboratory operator in terms of educational background:

	Spectroscopist	Field Laboratory Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Chemistry	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Spectroscopist vs field laboratory operator demographics

Here are the differences between spectroscopists' and field laboratory operators' demographics:

	Spectroscopist	Field Laboratory Operator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2%	Male, 62.6% Female, 37.4%
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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 9.3% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between spectroscopist and field laboratory operator 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.

Field laboratory operator example responsibilities.

Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
Perform lab testing, including automatic titration, GC, and HPLC.
Develop and validate analytical methods for HPLC, GC-MS, UV-Vis, and FT-IR.
Maintain and calibrate lab and field equipment and document calibration to ensure equipment run optimal.
Support laboratory quality control and safety initiatives and provide direct support to the microbiology, processing and emergency departments as needed.
Perform basic analyzer troubleshooting on centrifuge, label printers, and maintain quality controls on chemistry and hematology analyzer.

Spectroscopist vs field laboratory operator skills

Common spectroscopist skills

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

Common field laboratory operator skills

Lab Equipment, 24%
Chemistry, 22%
Safety Regulations, 11%
Test Results, 5%
QC, 5%
DNA, 3%

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Spectroscopist
Spectroscopist vs Field Laboratory Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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