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The differences between staff research scientists and senior research fellows 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 a senior research fellow. Additionally, a staff research scientist has an average salary of $106,793, which is higher than the $62,129 average annual salary of a senior research fellow.
The top three skills for a staff research scientist include QC, HPLC and product development. The most important skills for a senior research fellow are python, research projects, and data analysis.
| Staff Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $106,793 | $62,129 |
| Hourly rate | $51.34 | $29.87 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 154,687 | 53,535 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Senior Research Fellows are reputable researchers employed in an academic institution or a research facility. The nature of their employment in the institution is related to their research work or field of interest. Senior Research Fellows lead a team of researchers on big projects that require more team members. They manage the team's budget, set timelines, and guide the researchers. They spearhead the analysis of the data gathered. They also set the tone for the presentation materials. Senior Research Fellows should be passionate about their field, should have a thirst for knowledge, and should be able to lead teams.
Staff research scientists and senior research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $106,793 | $62,129 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $159,000 | Between $40,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Upstart Network | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a staff research scientist and a senior research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Staff Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between staff research scientists' and senior research fellows' demographics:
| Staff Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3% | Male, 56.1% Female, 43.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |