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Senior Research Associate Jobs in San Ramon, CA (NOW HIRING)

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Senior Research Associate information

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How much do senior research associate jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average hourly pay for senior research associate in San Ramon, CA is $50.34, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $42.45 and $56.39 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior research associate?

A senior research associate is a clinical or social scientist who runs experiments or studies at a medical center, think tank, university, or for a pharmaceutical company. As a senior research associate, your job duties include performing clinical research, complex testing of samples, data collection, and analysis of results. In this job, you direct researchers in your lab and collaborate with other scientific professionals to design experiments or compare results. Qualifications and skills needed for this career include a bachelor’s degree in a field related to your work and several years of experience as a research associate. A master’s degree or Ph.D. with significant research or laboratory components can substitute for some job experience.

What is a senior research associate?

A Senior Research Associate is an experienced professional who leads and conducts advanced research projects within academic, scientific, or corporate environments. They are responsible for designing experiments, analyzing data, supervising junior staff, and contributing to publications and grant proposals. Senior Research Associates often act as key members of research teams, providing expertise and ensuring projects are completed efficiently and accurately. Their role requires a strong background in their field, excellent analytical skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior research associate?

To thrive as a Senior Research Associate, you need advanced research skills, data analysis expertise, and a relevant degree (often a master's or PhD) in a scientific or technical field. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, statistical software (such as SPSS or R), and compliance with regulatory standards is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication make someone stand out in this position. These skills and qualities are essential for ensuring accurate research outcomes, fostering innovation, and supporting collaboration within research teams.

What are some common challenges faced by senior research associates in managing multiple projects simultaneously?

Senior Research Associates often juggle several projects at once, which can make prioritization and time management challenging. Balancing hands-on experimental work, data analysis, and documentation while meeting project deadlines requires strong organizational skills and clear communication with team members. Proactively coordinating with principal investigators and cross-functional teams helps ensure that expectations are aligned, resources are available, and progress stays on track. Utilizing project management tools and regular team meetings can also aid in overcoming these challenges.

What is the difference between Senior Research Associate vs Research Scientist?

AspectSenior Research AssociateResearch Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's degree, relevant experienceMaster's or Ph.D., specialized research training
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, research teams, industry or academiaAdvanced research settings, independent projects
Employer & Industry UsagePharmaceuticals, biotech, academia, governmentResearch institutions, biotech firms, academia
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for career progression, responsibilitiesMore specialized, higher-level research roles

The main difference between a Senior Research Associate and a Research Scientist lies in their experience, level of independence, and research responsibilities. Senior Research Associates typically support research projects with substantial experience, while Research Scientists often lead projects and require advanced degrees like a Ph.D. for more independent research roles. Both roles are vital in research environments, but Research Scientists usually hold a higher level of expertise and responsibility.

Do I need a PhD to be a senior research associate?

A senior research associate typically does not require a PhD, but many employers prefer candidates with a master's degree or equivalent experience in the relevant field. Relevant skills, research experience, and technical proficiency often play a more significant role than the highest degree held.

How much does a senior research associate make in the US?

A senior research associate in the US typically earns between $60,000 and $90,000 annually, depending on the industry, location, and level of experience. Salaries can vary based on the organization and whether the role requires specialized skills or advanced degrees.

What job categories do people searching Senior Research Associate jobs in San Ramon, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Research Associate jobs in San Ramon, CA are:

What cities near San Ramon, CA are hiring for Senior Research Associate jobs?

Cities near San Ramon, CA with the most Senior Research Associate job openings:

Infographic showing various Senior Research Associate job openings in San Ramon, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 71% Full Time, 25% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $104,698 per year, or $50.3 per hour.

Senior Research Associate 1 (Contract)

Eikon Therapeutics

Millbrae, CA • On-site

$48 - $58/hr

Full-time

Posted 25 days ago


Job description

Company Description

Eikon Therapeutics is a new biopharmaceutical company employing revolutionary technology at the intersection of chemistry, engineering, computation, and biology to discover novel treatments for life-threatening diseases. Eikon's discovery platform is built on groundbreaking innovations from its founders (Nobel Prize, 2014), culminating in the creation of microscopes which enable real time, molecular-resolution measurements of protein movement in living cells, thereby unlocking otherwise intractable classes of proteins as drug targets.

Position

Joining a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary team, the Senior Research Associate 1 will support and help advance Eikon's small-molecule purification capabilities. The primary responsibility is to carry out high-throughput and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) purification of small molecules to support drug discovery. Working closely with the medicinal chemistry team, the role will also contribute to maintaining, optimizing, and expanding the analytical and purification workflows used across the drug-discovery process.

About You

You are a hands-on scientist with experience supporting medicinal chemists with their purification and analytical needs in a drug-discovery environment. You have a fundamental understanding of the principles of chromatography and of how analytical and preparative chromatographic instruments work. You are comfortable running mass-directed purification, particularly on Waters Autopurifier and Agilent mass-directed purification systems, and you can perform routine maintenance and basic troubleshooting to keep instruments running and minimize downtime. You can work with a range of instruments and techniques, such as HPLC-MS, SFC, preparative SFC, and mass-directed purification. You are detail-oriented and organized when managing large sample sets and their associated data, and you are curious to identify inefficiencies in a workflow and suggest practical improvements. You work well both independently and as part of a team.

What You'll Do

  • Perform high-throughput and SFC purification of small molecules to support the medicinal chemistry team at Eikon Therapeutics in Millbrae, CA.
  • Run mass-directed purification using Waters Autopurifier and Agilent mass-directed purification systems, including fraction collection based on mass-spectrometry detection.
  • Apply and adapt established chromatographic methods for the purification of small molecules, and assist in developing and optimizing new methods.
  • Perform routine maintenance and basic troubleshooting of preparative and analytical instruments to keep them in good working condition and minimize downtime.
  • Manage large numbers of samples and their associated data accurately, and document procedures, results, and observations to maintain reliable records.
  • Compile, analyze, and present purification and analytical data to the team.
  • Contribute to team efforts to improve process efficiency and expand the range of purification and analytical applications, from experimental design through implementation.
  • Help monitor inventory of consumables and communicate needs for additional supplies or equipment so that work stays on schedule.

Qualifications

  • Master's degree with 2 years of experience, or Bachelor's degree with 4 years of related experience, in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
  • Hands-on experience purifying small molecules by reversed-phase HPLC and/or SFC, including fraction collection through mass-spectrometry-based detection.
  • Familiarity with mass-directed purification, particularly using Waters Autopurifier and Agilent mass-directed purification systems.
  • Fundamental understanding of the principles of chromatography and the working principles of chromatographic instruments, both analytical and preparative.
  • Experience working in a high-throughput environment, managing large numbers of samples and the associated data.
  • Demonstrated problem-solving skills, including routine troubleshooting of instruments and data-management issues.
  • Proficiency in designing and performing experiments, followed by data compilation and presentation.
  • Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
  • Familiarity with laboratory automation or instrument-specific software is a plus.

The expected Hourly rate for this role is $48/Hour to $58/hour depending on skills, competency, and the market demand for your expertise.