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Staff biologist vs staff research scientist

The differences between staff biologists and staff research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a staff biologist, becoming a staff research scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a staff research scientist has an average salary of $106,793, which is higher than the $65,292 average annual salary of a staff biologist.

The top three skills for a staff biologist include FDA, wetland and species act. The most important skills for a staff research scientist are QC, HPLC, and product development.

Staff biologist vs staff research scientist overview

Staff BiologistStaff Research Scientist
Yearly salary$65,292$106,793
Hourly rate$31.39$51.34
Growth rate1%17%
Number of jobs69,516154,687
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age4041
Years of experience84

Staff biologist vs staff research scientist salary

Staff biologists and staff research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Staff BiologistStaff Research Scientist
Average salary$65,292$106,793
Salary rangeBetween $45,000 And $93,000Between $71,000 And $159,000
Highest paying CityRahway, NJSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyMerckUpstart Network
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalTechnology

Differences between staff biologist and staff research scientist education

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

Staff BiologistStaff Research Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorBiologyChemistry
Most common collegeStanford UniversityDuke University

Staff biologist vs staff research scientist demographics

Here are the differences between staff biologists' and staff research scientists' demographics:

Staff BiologistStaff Research Scientist
Average age4041
Gender ratioMale, 52.2% Female, 47.8%Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 10.3% White, 71.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 31.6% White, 48.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage10%8%

Differences between staff biologist and staff research scientist duties and responsibilities

Staff biologist example responsibilities.

  • Manage detailed GLP laboratory manual daily.
  • Navigate to remote project sites using GPS, topo maps, aerial photographs, and GIS layers.
  • Conduct multi-layer GIS analysis for projects.
  • Collect survey measurements using survey grade GPS and laser survey equipment.
  • Full service management to private landowners and their fisheries, water-foul and whitetail deer breeder programs.
  • Develop a working knowledge of ArcPad 8.0, ArcMap GIS 9.3 and operation of Trimble Yuma PDAs.
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Staff research scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage the development of innovative visualization and concept mapping of contest environment analysis challenges and analyst skill sets.
  • Establish critical metrics for HPLC and GC analysis of raw materials, intermediates and process products.
  • Perform QC of final products by analytical chromatography, LC/MS and MALDI-MS before being deliver to final users.
  • Suggest modifications to the procedures that would help them to solve their HPLC instrument or method relate issues.
  • Develop, validate and implement robust methods for pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity (ADA) and immunodepletion ELISAs, and cell based-bioassays.
  • Optimize sample prep/clean-up by precipitation, SPE, liquid-liquid extractions.
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Staff biologist vs staff research scientist skills

Common staff biologist skills
  • FDA, 8%
  • Wetland, 8%
  • Species ACT, 8%
  • Molecular Biology, 8%
  • GLP, 7%
  • Water ACT, 6%
Common staff research scientist skills
  • QC, 9%
  • HPLC, 8%
  • Product Development, 7%
  • Cell Biology, 6%
  • CRISPR, 5%
  • LCMS, 5%

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