difference between research fellow and phd

Research Fellow

Key skills:

• A Higher Degree ( PhD / DPhil / MD ) in a relevant field
• Drive to lead and conduct research
• High level subject expertise and research experience
• Good record of published research
• Well-developed communication skills, able to write reports, papers , and funding proposals
• Driven and self-motivated; able to work independently and under pressure

Typical job titles: Research Fellow, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, [named scheme] Research Fellow

A Research Fellow is a position where you get to lead research, in some cases for the first time. Research Fellows propose their own research project and have to secure funding to undertake it, acting as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator for that project. This could be the entire role or it could also include work in another research group too.

It is one of the ways you progress in a university research career from being a postdoctoral researcher who works within a research group. Research Fellows differ from lecturers and many other mid-career positions in universities because the primary role is to conduct research and commitments to teaching or administration are limited.

There is a wide range of titles for these posts, partly dependent on who is funding them. Although most will be employed by a university, an external funder may ultimately pay for this to happen. The Royal Society’s University Research Fellowship scheme is an example, but many other funders, including Research Councils and other Academies , offer similar schemes. It is also possible for a Research Fellow to be funded by the university or research institution itself.

There is also a range in seniority of Research Fellow positions, ranging from Junior Research Fellow, Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow to Principal Research Fellow (and occasionally even Professorial Research Fellow). What is common is that the researcher is funded mainly to undertake research.

Imogen Gingell

Imogen Gingell finished her PhD in fusion plasma physics at Warwick in 2013, and went on to join space physics groups in London before establishing herself as a research fellow at Southampton in 2019. Her research tackles the interaction between Earth’s magnetic field and the solar wind, especially at shockwaves where the solar wind slows from super-sonic to sub-sonic speeds.

The earlier you can get to grips with the landscape and requirements of STEM careers, the better.

Research Appointment Categories

Categories of research appointments at seas.

Associates are unpaid appointees engaged in well-defined research for specific institutional objectives. Associates must be employed full-time elsewhere at a public or private company, or hold a non-ladder faculty appointment at another university.  Exceptions to outside employment must be discussed and approved in advanced.

• Description and Eligibility
• Checklist for appointment

Fellows are paid or unpaid appointees performing research under the sponsorship of a principal investigator; often non-SEAS graduate students; a bachelor's degree is required. 

• Postdoctoral Fellow

Postdoctoral Fellows are paid appointees post-PhD performing research under the general supervision of a principal investigator.  A doctoral degree is required.

• Research Associate

Research Associates are paid appointees supporting research projects under the direction of a principal investigator and who generally have at least three years of postdoctoral experience.  A doctoral degree is required.

• Research Scientist

Research Scientists are paid appointees, supporting research projects directed by one or more faculty members and who generally have at least five years of postdoctoral experience. A doctoral degree is required.

• Senior Research Scientist

Senior Research Scientists are paid appointees, supporting research projects directed by one or more faculty members and who generally have at least ten years of postdoctoral experience. A doctoral degree is required.

• Senior Research Fellow

Senior Research Fellows are independent researchers operating at the level of tenured faculty related to research necessary to the programs of several faculty members.

• Checklist for appointment and process
• Visiting Scholar

Visiting scholars are paid or unpaid visitors who carry out their own work in association with a Harvard faculty member or members; ordinarily tenured or tenure-track faculty member on leave from a scholarly post elsewhere.

• Visiting Undergraduate Research Intern

Visiting Undergraduate Research Interns (VURIs) are current undergraduate students performing research under the sponsorship of a principal investigator; a Bachelor's degree is not required.

In Office for Faculty Affairs

• Forms for Appointees
• Forms and Templates for SEAS Administrators
• Reappointments and Departures
• Open Academic Positions
• Information for Incoming Scholars

• UK Universities – Academic Titles and Hierarchy Explained
• Doing a PhD

In UK universities, the academic titles and the order of their academic rank are: PhD student, postdoc research fellow, assistant lecturer, lecturer, senior lecturer, reader, professor, named professor and head of department.

Introduction

Understanding the academic titles and ranking hierarchy of UK universities is fundamental if you want a smooth start to your PhD. It’s a pity it’s also a topic which is commonly overlooked and not explained well nearly anywhere. With this in mind, we’ve outlined what the typical academic titles are, what they mean and where they sit in the overall hierarchy.

It’s important to note that not all UK universities follow the same terminology for academic titles. In fact, we’re increasingly seeing several universities adapt some of these titles to their own version. This is especially the case among Russell Group universities such as the London School of Economics (LSE) and University College London (UCL). Despite this, they still resemble their more traditional titles, so it’s still possible to distinguish the position and academic rank of a member of staff.

PhD Student

A PhD student is a postgraduate who is actively undertaking a research degree with a recognised institution.

The length of their studies depends on both their discipline and whether they are enrolled in a full or part-time programme. Usually, a PhD student will spend three to four years completing their degree.

During this time, they will undertake original research, produce a thesis and defend their work during an interview known as a ‘ viva ’. Besides this, they may also attend seminars and conferences, deliver presentations to their industry and collaborate with external institutions.

Upon successfully completing their doctorate, the individual will carry the title of Doctor (denoted by the initials ‘Dr’). This is true for all individuals regardless of which discipline their research relates to.

It’s worth noting that although a PhD is the most common doctoral degree, doctorate students could be anyone undertaking a DPhil, DBA, DProf, EdD, EngD, MD etc.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

PostDoc Research Fellow/Research Assistant

A PostDoc Research Fellow or Research Assistant is a postgraduate doctorate holder working in research.

Whilst both positions undertake similar work, a PostDoc Research Fellow typically has greater independence and responsibilities. This means they can influence the overall direction of the research, and whilst a Research Assistant can do so as well it will be to a lesser extent.

Assistant Lecturer

An Assistant Lecturer is the most junior teaching position regarding the overall ranking of academic titles. They are usually only temporary positions, such as an individual covering for another lecturer during a period of absence.

Some Assistant Lecturers will be PhD students on Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs). GTAs are programmes which, alongside their studies, require a doctoral student to assist in the learning of undergraduate students. This will typically involve leading tutorials, marking coursework and hosting laboratory sessions. Besides this, they may also support lectures if their knowledge and relevant experience allow for it.

A Lecturer is also considered a junior academic staff member. Their primary responsibilities are on meeting the educational needs of students. As such, their most common duty is to teach but may also extend to undertaking research and minor administrative tasks.

Most lecturers will be PhD holders and so would be referred to as ‘Dr’. However, this isn’t always the case with some individuals who haven’t undertaken a doctorate but still possess extensive experience and knowledge to teach. Although these individuals are few, they are more common in non-STEM fields.

Senior Lecturer

The responsibilities of a Senior Lecturer extend further than that of a normal Lecturer, with the addition of leading and supervising research and greater administrative tasks.

A Reader is an academic individual with both senior-level experience and an international reputation for their academic or research contributions. In terms of hierarchy, they are more distinguished than Senior Lecturers, largely because of their international presence, but below Professors due to not having yet contributed as a substantial amount.

Interestingly, universities established after 1992 use the title ‘Principle Lecturer’ in place of Reader. Other than the terminology, the titles refer to the same position.

Note: Some universities adopt the academic title ‘Associate Professor’ instead of Senior Lecturer.

A professor is the highest academic title and denotes an individual at the top of their respective field. This individual would have made significant scholarly contributions to their field.

In EU countries such as Germany and France, a faculty member has to sit and pass a review before they can become a Professor. This review is undertaken by a panel of highly experienced academic professionals and requires the individual to produce a document outlining their contributions to their field before they can even be considered.

In the UK, a different approach is taken. Rather than being appointed by an independent review, it instead comes down to the university’s discretion whether they should be upgraded to a full professorship. However, nearly all UK universities mirror a very similar review process, with some universities also utilising independent panel members to ensure fair professoriate decisions are made.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency ( HESA ), approximately one in ten academic teaching staff members is a Professor.

Named Professor

A Named Professor is a Professor who has the honour of sitting in a ‘chair’. A ‘chair’ is a position named after an individual who made significant achievements in their field, and in some cases, dates back to individuals in the 16th century. Being a Named Professor is a prestigious professorship reserved for academics who have made achievements beyond that of a typical Professor role.

Note: Some universities, such as the University of Sheffield, adopt the academic title ‘Honorary Professor’ instead of Named Professor.

Head of Department

The Head of Department provides academic leadership to the department and is responsible for ensuring it upholds its high standards. The key activities of a Head of Department will differ depending on the breadth of its discipline and number of staff. However, their responsibilities will include ensuring the development of students, maintaining department-wide communication and overseeing research opportunities, financial management and overall quality assurance etc.

Faculty Dean

A Dean is in charge of the academic administration of a collection of related university departments known as a faculty.

There are many responsibilities to being a Dean, including:

• Representing all permanent staff members of the faculty.
• Undertaking strategic planning for the faculty’s direction and growth.
• Participating in internal review panels for staff title promotions.
• Lead research initiatives and facilitating faculty collaborations.

UK vs US Academic Titles

Other (not as common) professor positions.

Although not as common, a few universities also make use of the following titles:

• Visiting Professor  – A Visiting Professor is a professor who teaches on a short-term basis at one university, but officially belongs to another university.
• Professor Emeritus – A Professor Emeritus is an academic title in the UK given to retired professors who have made distinguished contributions to their field. Professors who are given this title usually continue to work with their university voluntarily.
• Research Professor  – A Research Professor is a full professor who specialises in research. Although they may teach from time to time, they will usually have very little ‘formal’ teaching responsibilities.
• Adjunct Professor  – An Adjunct Professor is a professor who primarily focuses on teaching and has a non-permanent contract. They are typically  non-tenured faculty positions and form most of the academic positions in US Higher Education Institutions.

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The Research Whisperer

Just like the thesis whisperer – but with more money, for she’s a jolly good fellow.

Recently, I received an application that was asking for a postdoctoral research assistant.

I thought, “That’s odd. Normally, we would talk about a ‘postdoc fellow’.”

Then I thought about all the requests that I’d fielded lately for funding research assistants.

My first question when working out the budget is: “Do you want someone who has a PhD already?”

If they have a PhD already, then doesn’t that, by definition, make them postdoctoral?

What exactly is the difference between:

• Research assistance;
• Research associate;
• Research fellow;
• Research assistant?

It is important to know, as they have very different budget implications.

Research assistance

‘Research assistance’ isn’t a term that I see much anymore. I have a pretty clear idea of what I think research assistance means.

Research assistance: a small pool of money for general help to further the aims of the project.

Generally it is not big enough to list as a part-time salary, so it is a pretty small amount of money. It is designed to give the researcher some flexibility. You might use research assistance to hire someone for a day or two to help set up a conference, for example.

I actively discourage people from applying for research assistance because it is usually so vague that it undercuts the precision of the rest of the application. It is hard to describe precisely and justify well. It tends to look like lazy planning (or lack of planning). As a result, it becomes so ill-defined that funding agencies invariably cut it.

Research associate

This is another term that I feel like I have a pretty good feeling for.

Research associate: someone who has been brought into the project to provide specific, high level expertise.

A research associate is often a mid-career researcher or even a senior researcher who can ‘plug a hole’ in a research team. It might be someone with specific methodological expertise, such as quantitative research methods or statistical expertise. It might be someone who has expertise in a particular topic related to the research. They might have specialised expertise with respect to a specific country, region or demographic group.

The question is, if they are so good, why aren’t you including them as a research leader in the team? Sometimes this is quite clear: you only need their expertise for a limited amount of time or a specific part of the project. Sometimes they are not part of the academic system, so it may not be appropriate to include them on the ‘front page’. Other times it isn’t so clear.

It needs to be clear because a full-time research associate will constitute a large chunk of your budget. This person will probably be a mid-career researcher, an associate professor or occasionally even a professor. They don’t come cheap.

On the other hand, their CV and their experience should speak for themselves, so it should be relatively easy to argue that they will bring significant intellectual assets to the project. If they aren’t doing that, then maybe they aren’t a research associate.

Note that some people abbreviate ‘research associate’ to RA. Other people abbreviate ‘research assistant’ to RA. This is completely and utterly confusing. The simple solution is to not abbreviate anything. Spell it out. Be precise.

Research fellow

Most often, I encounter the title ‘research fellow’ embedded within ‘postdoctoral research fellow’. This second term is relatively easy to define.

Postdoctoral research fellow: Newly minted PhD (early career researcher) employed to undertake full-time research on a specific project.

By extension, a research fellow is

Research fellow: Researcher employed to undertake full-time research on a specific project.

That’s pretty straight-forward. If you are budgeting for a postdoctoral research fellow, you are probably planning to employ someone within five years of finishing their PhD. Often it will be someone who has literally just finished their PhD, as that is a time when people are looking for jobs.

You need someone with the level of thinking and background expertise that comes from doing a PhD. You will be employing them to do research on the project and nothing else.

If you are budgeting for some other level of research fellow, then the same general rules apply. You need the level of expertise and thinking that comes with the indicated level of fellow. You are asking them to spend all the time (or all the time that you are paying for, if it is a part-time position) on research related to the project.

When you budget for a postdoctoral research fellow, you are looking for someone who will actively contribute to the project. They might take responsibility for a particular aspect of the project. They are involved decision-making related and are contributing to outputs like journal articles. You are looking for someone who is a fellow, as in ‘For she’s a jolly good fellow’, or ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ (or perhaps ‘fellow-traveler’).

If the research fellow is senior enough, the question can arise if this person should be listed as a research associate. This is where the definitions can get fuzzy.

Research assistant

Definitions definitely get fuzzy when ‘research assistant’ is used as a catch-all term to describe anyone who is not a research leader. By eliminating the categories above, we can begin to see how a research assistant might be defined.

Research assistant: Someone who isn’t a research leader, often doesn’t have a PhD (but might), but still has skills that will be useful for the project.

My problem with this definition is that it is a definition by negation. It draws a circle around the edge of what a ‘research assistant’ is, but doesn’t really fill in the center. Also, there is that pesky business of whether a research assistant should have a PhD or not. Sometimes, you need someone who has the necessary research skills. Other times, you don’t.

When you budget for a research assistant, you are looking for someone to assist,  someone who will do the work under your direction. They might need a PhD to do that work, but they aren’t expected to develop methodology, take an active lead, or necessarily contribute to research papers. They might – good research assistants can do all these things. However, that is not their primary role. Their primary role is to assist .

In the end, for me, the difference between a postdoctoral research fellow and a research assistant with a PhD comes down to the role that they are going to take in the project. If you are looking for an assistant, call them an assistant. If you are looking for more, consider a fellow.

This is really me just thinking out loud – I’m happy to take advice on how others think about these terms. What have I missed? Are there funding agencies that provide formal definitions for some of these terms?

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13 comments.

My experience is Europe, but I would say this: Postdocs generally seem to be split into two types – PDRA positions and Fellowships. The PDRA is variously called a post doc research associate or assistant depending on funding council or institution phrasing, no real difference in role. The funding is attached to the project, and a person is recruited to fulfill the role. A Postdoc Fellowship is one where the funding is tied to the person, not the project. So fellowship is generally more prestigious.

That was my understanding of ‘postdoc fellowship’, too, Pete. And thanks for the clarification about PDRA – I’ve seen that acronym around a bit and wondered what exactly it stood for!

Thanks, Pete. I like the distinction of a fellowship salary travelling with the person.

The ambiguity around ‘PDRA’ is exactly why I discourage people from using that terminology in a grant application. There is too much chance of dissonance between the applicant’s idea of what a PDRA is and a reviewer’s idea of what a PDRA is.

After the funding is won… Differences can also be in what else, beyond the research, is apt to be available to or required of a person in a research associate versus research assistant position etc. Effectively, whether the person is considered an ‘academic’ with all that the employing organisation might make available to or require of a person in that position / with that title, beyond the core job description that relates to the project. This is particularly relevant when the appointment is less clearly defined than a project, such as when funding is for a research position, unit or centre. I’d guess there might also be implications in appointment processes to get from having funding to having a person. Advantages and disadvantages each way – including some that likely vary with organisational funding cycles and politics 🙂

I was about to respond to this, then I read Kat’s comment below, which overlaps with what I was thinking. In my experience, a ‘research associate’ is more likely to be invited on as co-author for publications and conference presentations. They are also more likely to be treated as a peer than a ‘research assistant’. But there are no absolutes and, as you rightly point out, it can depend on the specific dynamics of a particular team (and institutional context).

Thanks, Jennie. Some grant applications ask you to spell out the role of each person listed in the budget. As you say, that generally only gives an indication of what the person will be doing in relation to the project.

People employed by universities should be covered by the university employment conditions. However, as you point out, that can vary between part time and full time, permanent and temporary (or casual) appointments. That’s a topic for another post.

In some cases, the flexibility is good. You can grow into the role which, as Tseen has said, can be great for the CV. In a lot of cases, though, the flexibility can be a terrible thing. This is especially true in the United States and other countries where there is an enormous divide between tenured and non-tenured staff.

I have been a casual research assistant for an ARC project for the past 18 months and it is pretty much as you describe – they needed expertise (foreign language, knowledge of the area, good record keeping skills, good IT skills) but didn’t want me to shape the project or work out methodology. Mostly I did what you might call ‘grunt work’ of going through and compiling databases based on instructions. I was paid a higher rate because I had a PhD. Also might be different in humanities, this project was just the CI and me, no one else involved so my role was quite flexible.

In terms of the others in my area (history/ art history) research associates are usualy taken on to work on an established project, they have autonomy but have to work within the theme and may be expected to work on specific documents/areas whereas research fellow usually devise their own project based on more general guidelines (i.e. particular historical period, geographical etc).

My response to Jennie B (above) is shaped by having read your comment here. Good to hear of your experiences and how the role was shaped. I have known research assistants who have been asked to pick up the proverbial dry-cleaning, so I think RA tasks can run the full gamut!

I have often seen research associates acting in project manager roles for the research team, which is a double-edged sword, but can work very well on a CV if all turns out OK!

Research Assistant Resume Sample…

[…] expected to work on specific documents/areas whereas research fellow usually de […]…

When my brother submitted his PhD at Imperial College London, he was employed as a ‘Research Assistant’. A few months later when his doctorate was conferred, his job title changed to ‘Research Associate’. What was confusing, was that the acronym for both positions was the same: RA!!

Which is exactly why I urge people not to use the acronym in grant applications!

Here’s another one for you: what’s the definition of a ‘postdoc’? Surely its literal translation is ‘after doctorate’, and therefore even a professor who got his/her PhD in 1970 is a ‘postdoc’ doing ‘postdoctoral’ research?

Thanks for the post! At least I know who am I in academia role definition. Although my workload overlaps between Research Assistant and Research Fellow, I am definitely a Research Fellow (my employment contract states that I am a Research Administrator). And…I am definitely not an ECR since I am just starting out on my PhD (can only be called one, when I am done with it!). Now it makes so much of sense! 🙂

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• Defining Postdoc Fellows and Associates

What is the difference between a Postdoctoral Associate and a Postdoctoral Fellow?

Postdocs are appointed with the title Postdoctoral Fellow or Postdoctoral Associate depending on the type and source of funding. MIT Policies and Procedures provides detailed descriptions and requirements for postdoctoral associate and postdoctoral fellow appointments.

The MIT title of Postdoctoral Associate applies to those who are paid a salary by MIT. Their salary is usually charged to a grant or contract secured by their faculty mentor.

The MIT title of Postdoctoral Fellow applies to scholars who receive financial support in the form of a fellowship or stipend, usually from an outside agency, either directly or distributed through MIT on behalf of the sponsor. Typically, fellows are responsible for applying for a fellowship award. 

Federal and state laws, tax regulations, and the way MIT benefits are funded create distinctions between Associates and Fellows. An MIT salary is a payment for services paid through MIT’s payroll system, typically with sponsored funds awarded to MIT. Every salary is subject to withholding taxes and Social Security deductions. In addition, for each MIT salary paid to the employee, a “fringe benefit rate” is charged to the same source of funds as the salary. This rate is negotiated annually with the federal government. The funds collected through this mechanism are used to support the costs of employee benefits. In contrast, a Postdoctoral Fellow’s stipend is considered non-salary support, and is not subject to the fringe benefit rate. Different tax regulations also apply. Because fellows do not contribute to the benefits pool and are therefore not eligible for employee benefits, other arrangements are made for comparable provisions whenever possible.

See the  current F&A, Employee Benefit and Vacation Accrual rates .

See the  Benefits  page for additional information on the differences between Postdoctoral Associates and Postdoctoral Fellows.

• Postdoctoral Salary and Benefits
• Faculty Postdoctoral Advisory Committee (FPAC)
• Key Administrative Contacts for Postdocs
• Postdoc Appreciation Week Events
• Information for New Postdocs
• Looking for a postdoctoral position?
• Salary/Funding Levels
• Eligibility
• FAQs for New Parent Postdocs
• Postdoc Time Off Benefits
• Portable Child Care Benefits at MIT
• Tax Information
• Are you Considering a Fellowship?
• From Associate to Fellow
• From Fellow to Associate
• Postdoctoral Mentoring and Advising Toolkit
• Career Services and Resources
• MIT Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD)
• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training
• Resource Fair for Postdoctoral Scholars
• Postdoc Involvement in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Taking a course at MIT
• Teaching at MIT
• Job Searches
• Career Exploration; Academic and Non-Academic Options
• Being an Effective and Well-Balanced Professional
• Presentations Listed Chronologically
• Getting Help & Medical and Stress Management Resources
• Personal Safety
• Transportation and Parking
• MIT Acronyms
• MIT Policies and Procedures
• For Faculty and Staff

Funding for biomedical research and innovation

Phd studentships and doctoral fellowships.

A PhD is a postgraduate research degree, usually lasting three or four years, if undertaken full time. It involves independently conducting original and significant research in a specific field and is normally assessed by a written thesis and oral examination.

Funding options available

Alzheimer’s Research UK: PhD scholarships Funding to undertake a PhD involving biomedical research in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Stipend plus tuition fees and research/travel costs Duration: 36 months

Alzheimer’s Society: PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD involving biomedical research in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Up to £85,000 (£91,000 for London) Duration: Three years

British Heart Foundation: Non-clinical PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD in cardiovascular science. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Stipend, tuition fees, consumables Duration: Three years

British Heart Foundation: Four-year PhD programme Funding for research organisations to provide a PhD studentship programme in cardiovascular research. Career stage: Prospective students should apply to individual research institutions Funding: Student stipend, tuition fees, research consumables Duration: Four years

MRC: Studentships Find out more about how MRC funds and supports PhD students at universities and MRC units, institutes and centres.

National Centre for the Replacement Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research: PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD studentship relevant to any area of medical, biological or veterinary research which supports the development and application of the 3Rs. Funding: Cash-limited award of £30,000 pa (£90,000 total over three years) Duration: 36 months

National Institute for Health Research: Doctoral fellowships Funding to undertake a PhD in an area of NIHR research. Funding: Fully funded including current salary Duration: 36 months with p/t options

Last updated: 6 July 2022

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PHD Researcher Vs Senior Research Fellow

The differences between phd researchers 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 an phd researcher and a senior research fellow. Additionally, a senior research fellow has an average salary of $62,129, which is higher than the $51,634 average annual salary of an phd researcher.

The top three skills for an phd researcher include python, chemistry and research projects. The most important skills for a senior research fellow are python, research projects, and data analysis.

Phd researcher vs senior research fellow overview

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.

What does a senior research fellow do?

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.

Phd researcher vs senior research fellow salary

Phd researchers and senior research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.

Differences between phd researcher and senior research fellow education

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

Phd researcher vs senior research fellow demographics

Here are the differences between phd researchers' and senior research fellows' demographics:

Differences between phd researcher and senior research fellow duties and responsibilities

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.

Senior Research Fellow Example Responsibilities.

• Lead a project aim at improving DNA yields from various soil types in Dr. Connell's lab.
• Manage grant base research and submit the grant proposal to ICAR and get approved for fund research.
• Mentore a graduate student on the following topics: study design, literature reviews, drafting data plans and SAS.
• Contribute to the creation of new markup standards for scholarship in the humanities.
• Research unidentify payments and patients.
• Conduct long-term observations of grind water dynamics and chemistry.

Phd researcher vs senior research fellow skills

• Chemistry, 8%
• Research Projects, 6%
• Data Analysis, 6%
• Renewable Energy, 6%
• Python, 12%
• Research Projects, 8%
• Research Findings, 5%
• Data Collection, 4%

PHD Researcher vs. Similar Jobs

• PHD Researcher vs Doctoral Student
• PHD Researcher vs Certified Medical Technician
• PHD Researcher vs Laboratory Researcher
• PHD Researcher vs Senior Research Fellow
• PHD Researcher vs Postdoctoral Scholar
• PHD Researcher vs Assistant Research Scientist
• PHD Researcher vs Research Scientist
• PHD Researcher vs Postdoctoral Associate
• PHD Researcher vs Scientist
• PHD Researcher vs Senior Scientist
• PHD Researcher vs Associate Scientist
• PHD Researcher vs Staff Scientist

PHD Researcher Related Careers

• Assistant Research Scientist
• Associate Scientist
• Doctoral Fellow
• Doctoral Student
• Graduate Research Student
• Graduate Researcher
• Laboratory Researcher
• Postdoctoral Associate
• Postdoctoral Research Associate
• Postdoctoral Scholar
• Research And Development Scientist
• Research Fellow
• Research Internship
• Research Scientist

PHD Researcher Related Jobs

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What Similar Roles Do

• Assistant Research Scientist Responsibilities
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