Different Positions in a Lab
After years of conducting scientific research in many different labs, I compiled little summaries about positions available in research labs. The goal of this blog is to serve as a resource for understanding lab dynamics.
Principal Investigator (PI): The boss. The PI is the professor and the lab's namesake. Ultimately, the research interests are related to the PI’s interests. They also write the grants to keep the lab funded. Having a PI who is also a good mentor is essential for a healthy lab environment. The ultimate goal is to start as an assistant professor on a tenure-track (tt). Usually, one can go up for tenure after six years of being an assistant professor. Being a tenured professor means having job security.
Undergrads: Bring good energy to each lab. The expectations are different for every lab. Typically, undergrads are expected to willingly learn new skills (probably from a mentor), and to help with the lab chores. Volunteering in a lab is usually an unpaid position, but one can get course units. As an undergrad continues to stay in a lab, their responsibilities can change and they can get more research experience. The longer undergrads spend in a lab, the more skills they learn. They will also be able to get a stronger letter of recommendation from the PI.
Postdocs: Have their PhDs and are continuing to research with the goal to publish. Postdocs tend to work in different labs from where they received their PhDs. Postdoc durations range from two to five years depending on the individual and the amount of funding available. Postdocs make more than the grad students and are expected to work independently while also mentoring other members in the lab.
PhD Students: The worker bees of most labs. They reside for more than five years, although every PhD student differs in regards to how much work they publish while mentoring undergraduates. They usually have to TA for parts of each year to help pay for their time in lab unless they or the lab have funding from a fellowship. The expectations are for the grad student to come to lab and keep working on their scientific questions. They should have the fire within themselves to keep going and to complete their degree. They also are expected to contribute to the scientific community by publishing their research and helping train future scientists. At the end of the PhD, one needs to write and defend their thesis.
Masters Students: Like the PhD students, they are grad students. However, getting a masters is usually a shorter commitment of about two years and funding is different. Funding for a masters student changes at different universities but oftentimes, the university will pay them for TA-ing every quarter/semester. This means the PI doesn’t have to fund them the same way as other lab members. Although TA responsibilities take time away from research, they are still expected to conduct research, write a master's thesis, and defend their thesis.
Lab Managers: Know where everything is. Each lab usually has one lab manager. They are in charge of ordering supplies and keeping everything in stock. They make sure the lab is operating smoothly while also managing their own research projects.
Lab Technicians: Help with what needs to be done in the lab but typically work on their own research projects.
Lab Assistants: Not to be mistaken by lab techs, lab assistants are also very helpful lab members but are often more devoted to helping others with specific parts of their experiments rather than conducting their own.
Visiting Scholars: Is an official position that allows scientists on sabbatical leave (or other leave) from other universities or labs to work at the institution that gives the position. All or most of the salary is usually paid by the institution at which the scientist has a permanent position. Sometimes the salary is shared between the institutions. These positions allow collaborations between scientists at different institutions that go beyond individual projects and are meant to enrich the scholarship and research of both institutions. A key characteristic of these positions is that they generally require the recipient to have a full-time position at another institution.
Regardless of your position or title in lab, every lab member is an integral part of the team. Everyone works together to further research their specific topic. The diversity everyone brings to the lab and the prior knowledge they have helps make the lab a fantastic group of brilliant minds.
