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Staff research scientist vs phd researcher

The differences between staff research scientists and phd researchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a staff research scientist and an phd researcher. Additionally, a staff research scientist has an average salary of $106,793, which is higher than the $51,634 average annual salary of an phd researcher.

The top three skills for a staff research scientist include QC, HPLC and product development. The most important skills for an phd researcher are python, chemistry, and research projects.

Staff research scientist vs phd researcher overview

Staff Research ScientistPHD Researcher
Yearly salary$106,793$51,634
Hourly rate$51.34$24.82
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs154,68719,736
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Doctoral Degree, 40%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a staff research scientist do?

A staff research scientist is responsible for conducting and evaluating research. They may work in areas such as meteorology, geosciences, medical research, or pharmacology. They develop experiments, conduct them, and analyze data.

What does an phd researcher do?

The primary job of a Ph.D. researcher is to plan and conduct experiments and analyzing their outcome. You will collect, organize, and analyze data and opinions to solve issues and predict trends. Other tasks you will perform include doing fieldwork to collect samples, writing reports, research papers, and reviews, and organizing materials testing. In addition, you need to liaise with research and production staff, develop ways to resolve problems, and supervise junior research staff.

Staff research scientist vs phd researcher salary

Staff research scientists and phd researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Staff Research ScientistPHD Researcher
Average salary$106,793$51,634
Salary rangeBetween $71,000 And $159,000Between $35,000 And $76,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CANovato, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyUpstart NetworkMeta
Best paying industryTechnologyTechnology

Differences between staff research scientist and phd researcher education

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

Staff Research ScientistPHD Researcher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Doctoral Degree, 40%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Staff research scientist vs phd researcher demographics

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

Staff Research ScientistPHD Researcher
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 64.7% Female, 35.3%Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 32.5% White, 47.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between staff research scientist and phd researcher duties and responsibilities

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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Phd researcher example responsibilities.

  • Manage and mentore graduate and undergraduate students in their physical chemistry relate studies and research projects on spin dynamics simulations.
  • Evaluate data employing GC/MS, gel electrophoresis, and UV/VIS spectroscopy.
  • Perform testing using gel electrophoresis as well as mixed and pour the gels used in testing
  • Optimize and redesign robotic components base on FEA for improve strength using ANSYS and SOLIDWORKS.
  • Coauthor an NIH grant proposal on DNA mismatch repair and malaria drug resistance (5R21AI072723-02).
  • Design a scent dispenser 3D model in SolidWorks and build a prototype by utilizing MasterCam and CNC machines.
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Staff research scientist vs phd researcher skills

Common staff research scientist skills
  • QC, 9%
  • HPLC, 8%
  • Product Development, 7%
  • Cell Biology, 6%
  • CRISPR, 5%
  • LCMS, 5%
Common phd researcher skills
  • Python, 9%
  • Chemistry, 8%
  • Research Projects, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Renewable Energy, 6%
  • C++, 5%

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