Laboratory Hierarchy
Labs are like sports teams in their structure. Here are the main positions:
Principal Investigator (PI): The boss, el capitan, the leader. The PI is usually responsible for writing grants and dealing with bureaucratic issues. Depending on the lab’s size and popularity, the PI might be involved in creating experiments, but usually they are more concerned with the big picture results. There are some >10 person labs where you would rarely see the PI. There are some <5 person labs where you would be working side by side with your PI. This position is probably the most variable in its nature.
Post Doctoral Researchers (Postdocs): Researchers in the lab that already have their PhDs and are looking for more experience and to publish papers (which is important if you want to start your own lab or become a professor). Postdocs are usually the wisdom wells of the lab. They are usually more experienced than grad students and more available than PIs. Postdocs usually stick around a lab for two year stints.
Graduate Students: The workhorses of the lab. Depending on what year you are, grad students can be rotating in labs, taking classes, are teaching assistants, doing research, writing grant proposals, and writing papers. Usually they are around a lab for 4-6 years.
Research Technicians: The helpers of the lab that run experiments. Research techs are usually specialized in particular fields, like DNA sequencing, animal care taking, etc. They do not always have the high level expertise that a postdoc might, but they are great resources if you are trying to get your experiment to work. Research technicians usually don’t have a specific project they are in charge of, rather they help process samples for the lab. Being a research technician is a great opportunity to taste what research is like before committing to grad school. It is also a great way to get your foot in the door of a lab that you are considering applying to in the future. Research technicians can stick around a lab for indefinite periods of time, maybe between 2-5 years.
Undergraduate Researchers: Usually undergrad researchers are paired with graduate students to help conduct experiments. This is usually a symbiotic relationship because grad students can usually use some help running experiments and undergraduates gain experience in the process. There is no formal process to secure an undergrad research assistantship. Essentially, you e-mail a PI or grad student or post doc and try to convince them that you are eager to learn and have some wits about you. The hours and commitment that you spend in the lab is really determined by you! But of course you want to put in a good amount of effort if you actually want to learn how to run experiments.
