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Technical scientist vs scientist

The differences between technical scientists and scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a technical scientist and a scientist. Additionally, a scientist has an average salary of $97,344, which is higher than the $90,867 average annual salary of a technical scientist.

The top three skills for a technical scientist include molecular biology, GMP and data analysis. The most important skills for a scientist are chemistry, data analysis, and patients.

Technical scientist vs scientist overview

Technical ScientistScientist
Yearly salary$90,867$97,344
Hourly rate$43.69$46.80
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs112,40862,467
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a technical scientist do?

A Technical Scientist is responsible for using established literature on laboratory techniques and basic scientific experimentation to improve processes and products. Their duties include developing solutions for routine and non-routine problems, evaluating workflow progress against objectives, inspect scientific data, and present laboratory results, and contribute to the implementation of new processes within a team. They must ensure compliance with safe working practice, quality standards, and its relevant environment and risk management system workplace guidelines. A Technical Scientist must have advanced knowledge in data analysis tools such as spreadsheets and have well-rounded communication skills for effective presentation to a wide demographic.

What does a scientist do?

A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations. They collect the sample for their research, record findings, create research proposals, and release publications. A scientist must know how to utilize laboratory equipment to support the study and drive results efficiently and accurately.

Technical scientist vs scientist salary

Technical scientists and scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Technical ScientistScientist
Average salary$90,867$97,344
Salary rangeBetween $66,000 And $125,000Between $67,000 And $140,000
Highest paying CityNovato, CARedwood City, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyAppleAirbnb
Best paying industryHealth CareTechnology

Differences between technical scientist and scientist education

There are a few differences between a technical scientist and a scientist in terms of educational background:

Technical ScientistScientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

Technical scientist vs scientist demographics

Here are the differences between technical scientists' and scientists' demographics:

Technical ScientistScientist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 58.7% Female, 41.3%Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between technical scientist and scientist duties and responsibilities

Technical scientist example responsibilities.

  • Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
  • Perform data analysis, GMP documentation and equipment maintenance.
  • Line support expertise of the manufacturing and QC processes for cell controls.
  • Participate in the methods transfer, validation, EP monograph and USP monograph using HPLC analysis of raw materials.
  • Perform HPLC purification of a monoclonal antibody used as a diagnostic reagent.
  • Develop characterization and validation protocols per remediation activities identify after commitment with the FDA.
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Scientist example responsibilities.

  • Lead a cross-functional team to return an HIV combination product to market on random-access instrument.
  • Design the VERIS HIV-1 quantitative PCR assay which achieve Conformit Europ enne (CE) marking.
  • Manage an elemental analytical laboratory that include operating, maintaining and troubleshooting an ICP-OES, ICPMS, MXRF, and IC.
  • Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
  • Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
  • Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
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Technical scientist vs scientist skills

Common technical scientist skills
  • Molecular Biology, 7%
  • GMP, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 5%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 5%
  • FDA, 5%
  • Cell Culture, 4%
Common scientist skills
  • Chemistry, 9%
  • Data Analysis, 7%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Molecular Biology, 4%
  • Cell Culture, 4%
  • Java, 3%

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