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The differences between staff scientists and research technicians 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 scientist and a research technician. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $43,034 average annual salary of a research technician.
The top three skills for a staff scientist include data analysis, research projects and molecular biology. The most important skills for a research technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.
| Staff Scientist | Research Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $93,941 | $43,034 |
| Hourly rate | $45.16 | $20.69 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 121,054 | 64,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Staff scientists and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Scientist | Research Technician | |
| Average salary | $93,941 | $43,034 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $137,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Pasadena, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Etsy | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a staff scientist and a research technician in terms of educational background:
| Staff Scientist | Research Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between staff scientists' and research technicians' demographics:
| Staff Scientist | Research Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% |
| 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, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |