Staff scientist vs laboratory analyst

The differences between staff scientists and laboratory analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a staff scientist, becoming a laboratory analyst takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $44,024 average annual salary of a laboratory analyst.

The top three skills for a staff scientist include data analysis, research projects and molecular biology. The most important skills for a laboratory analyst are test methods, lab equipment, and lims.

Staff scientist vs laboratory analyst overview

	Staff Scientist	Laboratory Analyst
Yearly salary	$93,941	$44,024
Hourly rate	$45.16	$21.17
Growth rate	17%	9%
Number of jobs	121,054	44,074
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	41	38
Years of experience	4	2

What does a staff scientist do?

The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.

What does a laboratory analyst do?

A Laboratory Analyst helps conduct experiments, run laboratory tests, and analyze results. They compile and record data for the documentation needed for testing and report preparation.

Staff scientist vs laboratory analyst salary

Staff scientists and laboratory analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Staff Scientist	Laboratory Analyst
Average salary	$93,941	$44,024
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $137,000	Between $31,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Redwood City, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Etsy	AbbVie
Best paying industry	Technology	Pharmaceutical

Differences between staff scientist and laboratory analyst education

There are a few differences between a staff scientist and a laboratory analyst in terms of educational background:

	Staff Scientist	Laboratory Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Chemistry	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	Stanford University

Staff scientist vs laboratory analyst demographics

Here are the differences between staff scientists' and laboratory analysts' demographics:

	Staff Scientist	Laboratory Analyst
Average age	41	38
Gender ratio	Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2%	Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between staff scientist and laboratory analyst duties and responsibilities

Staff scientist example responsibilities.

Lead efforts to replace a critical radioactive immunoassay with a non-radioactive format to measure clinical samples.
Manage clinical sample testing using MSD and ELISA in LIMS, including data review and approval using LIMS.
Assist in managing and maintenance of HPLC and Prep-HPLC systems to ensure maximum productivity for the process development group.
Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
Assist with RNA and DNA extractions from FFPE tissue and blood.
Supervise temps performing HPLC assays and validations during development and production campaigns under GMP conditions.

Laboratory analyst example responsibilities.

Use sophisticate laboratory instrumentation (HPLC, FTIR, UV, GC) and computer systems to collect and record data.
Analyze organic compounds using gravimetric, titration, distillation and spectrophotometry methods.
Prepare for and represent the laboratory during FDA, customer, and ISO audits.
Complete preparation of organic samples for GC, HPLC, IR and GCMS analysis.
Prepare solid and aqueous samples for analysis on diagnostic instruments including GC, GCMS and IC.
Utilize internal LIMS computer database for data entry and communication.

Staff scientist vs laboratory analyst skills

Common staff scientist skills

Data Analysis, 9%
Research Projects, 7%
Molecular Biology, 5%
Next-Generation Sequencing, 4%
Statistical Analysis, 4%
RNA, 4%

Common laboratory analyst skills

Test Methods, 8%
Lab Equipment, 7%
Lims, 5%
Laboratory Procedures, 5%
Sample Preparation, 5%
Analytical Methods, 4%

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Staff Scientist vs Laboratory Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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