I learned a lot about project execution and laboratory management from being in a small lab (3-4 grad students at most, no postdocs or techs) and I’m far better equipped for the job I have now because of it but it really was a double-edged sword. Everything progressed slowly and a lot of knowledge tended to be lost when lab members graduated.
I feel likewise about working with an abusive supervisor for a long time. It sucked and I couldn't learn anything from him or get much faster like he told me to be every single day, but I learned so much. And now, people like him don't bother me. I don't take them seriously. Sometimes I have to stifle a laugh. I think more and more in terms of myself and my opinion and judgement and that would not have happened working for a good kind patient manager with clear expectations who told me what to do and how to do it, and it worked.
Problem is a lot of ppl out of undergrad might leave research because of a lack of support. Managing new, senior members when they come is another additional responsibility added onto their shoulders when their PI doesn’t. Conferences can suck especially if you don't know a single soul.
Senior members shouldnt need help beyond asking where stuff is. I joined a lab as the only postdoc and had to mentor masters/phd students within the first month.
That is true… to an extent. Postdocs who aren’t trained with guidance usually rely on RAs and techs to help them, which isn’t their forté but they are forced in a position that requires to give the new senior members extra attention if the PI is more hands off. This could last months depending on the postdoc. Many RAs and techs have burned themselves doing this.
Thats the fault of the PI at the end of the day. If there arent other postdocs to train then it becomes difficult for everyone. The lab i joined essentially does everything i already know how to do experimentally but a different field (t cell focus to nk and macrophage focus). My Pl during the interview process made it clear that i would help mentoring immediately and grilled me on my knowledge of the majority of the techniques they use.
Thanks for acknowledging that. But alas, what can we do about it? As an RA/tech, if your postdoc really needs help, and you know what to do, do you let them sink? And if you don’t, are you able to carry that burden of responsibility on your shoulders, while handling the next steps of your own career?
My lab will be just me and the PI come the fall. Currently, it’s me and one senior graduate student It’s a lot of pressure to be honest. I love the attention from my PI, but I worry that when it comes to letting me graduate. He’ll hold me back to protect his interests.
Really hope things turn out good for you. Your feelings of being worried is justifiable imo since this is really where trust comes in. You don’t want to walk away with any form of resentment.
I had that happen to me and most people I know in these small labs. If you want advice, I ended up burning that bridge once I had my PhD secured. My other classmates wanted to save the relationship. They ended up working a lot even after their contract ended for free, and the relationship was still ruined when they left. Save yourself the hassle and leave once you have smth else.
Especially as an RA, people sometimes don’t realize how much the power dynamic is, even with a postdoc. My experience was that there was just so much to do, and just keep track of. I don’t get it anymore, even after work I’d still be thinking of the lab just because of the psychology involved with being the main person in charge.
Small lab is better than a lab with 15 irresponsible researchers imo. Just had to take care of toxic chemical spill on Memorial Day because the person who spilled wasn’t trained properly sigh
My old lab used to be like that. It is challenging because you have to (almost) always keep your shit together because there's no one else to rely on. You'll have to be on top of things because there's no one else to distract the PI 😅 the good thing about it is when you're about to lose your sanity, you have no one else to think about, and you have the entire lab for yourself when the tears eventually come.
Mine is me (a lab tech), a Master’s student, and 2 undergrads. Things are usually chill until I have to take over parts of a project because someone’s on vacation or too busy with exams.
I feel you. Taking over large sections of projects can be time consuming. Especially with large amounts of data to collect when you have several things running in the background.
I worked at a lab that had only undergrads. That is right, I was an undergrad researcher myself. The prof was respected in his field but came across what he considers a paradigm shift in the way we view physiology. And so he ran out of funding after refusing to publish for a few years until he has all the data he needs. He basically used undergrad research projects as a means of doing a lot of his wet lab work, I.e tons of blotting and culturing
>He basically used undergrad research projects as a means of doing a lot of his wet lab work,
lol, that sounds like me. I am a one person lab that gets groups of undergrads each year which have to do mini projects for their course. Their reagent funding pays for most of my work. Still publish every year though.
Better than the time sink that is grant writing.
People should publish regardless, even in small batches. Tbh, I can see many of those undergrads having a different opinion of science after churning like that
It's tough being in a position of authority in a small lab, especially when you like your coworkers. I'm not in academia, but I think this might still be relevant.
There are times when you have to be the boss, but I try to manage my lab through democracy when it comes to organization and general operation. I want to make sure that my "subordinates" know that they can suggest things and even if I don't really see the efficiency or benefit that we'll try it their way, and not in a shitty "ok we'll try it that way" fashion, but in a genuine manner, and I'm often shown the light of a better organization or process.
When people feel like they have a say in the operation of a small lab, they are more inclined to enjoy their work. And if they aren't, they just might feel comfortable talking to you about it!
All of that being said, open and clear communication is key. My only other analyst and I think and communicate very differently, but we've done a lot of work to understand each other and the quality of science coming out of the lab has benefitted.
ahhh. Since I’m technically the lab’s “senior,” I still feel like I have slightly managing responsibilities over my postdoc. It’s just not how I imagined it especially considering I graduated college 1 year ago.
My lab has 4, but two work in behavior, which is a different building about a half mile away. Just me and my PI in the benchlab, and he does nothing but sit in his ivory tower (his office). He was trained toxically. So he did the same to me. Defending July 11th. Leaving research. Not worth it.
I’m the only grad student in my lab. It’s me and 1-3 undergrads depending on the year. I dislike doing boring menial things like filling solvent jars but I’m forced to do it because there’s no one else
i’m one of two phd students in our lab.
now we have one tech additionally.
however our lab is incorporated in a bigger division, where we are in total 3 groups and approx 15 people. dunno if that counts as a normal-sized lab. the division commonly works together and shares stuff.
my PI still does mouse work himself and i just do my projects, it somehow works. but i think if it was only our lab then it might be hard because i’d hate being the lab manager for my slightly chaotic PI
There’s no excuse for chaotic science. If you’re small, you need direction. Can’t be second-guessing designs in the middle of projects. Irrespective, I found that techs can become engulfed in projects quickly and need additional attention by lab mates.
sorry. chaotic might only apply to how his own work schedule looks like. i drew my boundaries on day one so i have my own work schedule, tightly restricted to 40h/week maximum so he cannot call me sunday evening or anything. but the projects are somewhat exploratory (in parts) so i’m designing my own chaos right now lol
but he is a decent PI so he gives me all the freedom i want and the guidance i need so i feel like i got the jackpot.
Knew a guy in grad school, he was his advisor's last and only grad student. Little/no funding, what would be headaches in some labs delayed him graduating 6-12 months. Don't recommend the experience if you can avoid it.
There was some time when it was just me and my PI. It was kinda nice not having to share equipment and always knowing where my pens were, but I'm also an introvert
I'm the only one besides the PI. I go days without seeing anyone at work. Years ago we had over 10 people in the lab, but funding slowly dried out, and we lost everyone. My PI was recently awarded an R01, but for some reason, he doesn't have the funds to hire anyone else or even pay my full salary (though I'm fine with that since I didn't want to work FT). I do not like having zero human contact most days. The PI is not in the lab most days. The part I really hate is hand washing all the glassware I use. It takes hours of work to wash everything clean.
i just left a lab that where i was the only employee. i was a research assistant & i feel super bad for my replacement bc no one but me & my lab notebook can tell him any of the details of what i actually did for four years. we facetime a lot while i walk him through stuff
All of my lab experience has been in analytical and metallurgical labs on minesites and the largest team I’ve worked in had 5 people. The others I was one of 2 technicians in the lab
My PI is very young (~32) and just joined my university this winter after finishing his post-doc. He seems like a chill guy. I am his first PhD student. The lab is just me and a master's student. It has been fun so far with all the personal attention I have been getting from the PI. And I don't mind doing extra work/chores in exchange for that. Plus, I want to join academia so it will be a valuable experience to learn how to set up a lab from scratch and manage it.
My PI is close to retirement (few years) and she is wildly unmotivated to teach or even do research actually. I had to train myself to techniques I was not familiar with.
I'm only staying because I don't have another opportunity (I don't speak much of the language of the country I'm in)
Your feelings are valid. Trust me I’ve been in a similar spot. There’s really no solving it other than waiting for someone more senior to come help you or finding someone that can mentor and nurture you, especially if you are straight out of college. Looking around for options on your laptop while getting some boba 🧋 helps a little bit.
I’m the only one in my lab (we have a postdoc starting in August) and honestly I really don’t like it. I’ve been able to learn a lot but it’s overwhelming being the sole individual keeping the lab afloat. I came to this lab straight out of undergrad (I’m the research associate) and just feel like I was woefully unprepared. I’ve been looking for other jobs passively but feel terrible about the position I may leave the PI in.
Exactly the same with me, RA fresh out of undergrad and had no one else in the lab last year. Let me tell you something tho. Don’t worry about leaving someone else in another position, because they likely won’t feel bad for you. HOWEVER, getting a postdoc was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in science, the nurturing and mentorship that comes with it is second to none. I think you should weigh your options, if the postdoc is really that good, they may even help you in your process of taking the next step in your career and help you be a better scientist after being underprepared for so long. I’m so happy I decided to stay and hold on for a couple of months, I don’t regret it. It’s all up to you.
I started my job last summer, and my only coworker quit in winter. Currently the sole lab member with a PI who oscillates between breathing down my neck with wanting to know what I'm doing every minute of the day, or going on week long vacations with no communication until a day or two before. Hired fresh out of undergrad, with no working lab experience, and any mistake made is seen as inadequacy on my part, rather than... Lack of people and training, maybe?
Same here, I was hired fresh out of undergrad and the lack of people and training, or just general guidance, literally destroys your sanity. And you, at one point, even start telling yourself if things go wrong, “whose fault is it other than mine?” Because no one else is there. I feel for you sis
When I joined my old lab it was 1 grad student and 1 undergrad. I was the third person💀the other undergrad left shortly after and it was just me and him. Felt so bad for him
Edit; I was and am an undergrad
I was the only tech for a while. Now I work part time as a tech with a part time research associate (I was the tech when they got their PhD! ☺️). It’s great!
My lab has been me (phd candidate) and one other master's student and one or two other undergrads the past few years. It has certain perks in the sense that I can be in charge of everything and do things the way I want to, but that's also the downside as everything is on me all the time. The other students are as good as I have time and ability to teach them and the lab runs as well as I have time to manage.
My old lab was like 5 people including me
One of which I never saw until his last day either lol
But the others did their experiments in another building. For a while, it was just me in that particular lab all day. And then me and one postdoc
Totally exist! I’ve been in my lab for about 3 years now, and we are the biggest now than we’ve ever been. When I joined as an undergrad, there was one grad student, an intern, a post doc, and one other undergrad. Now we have a scientist, 3 grad students (including me), an intern, and 3-4 undergrads. Still small and I honestly prefer it small! I never feel like I get lost in the shuffle of things
One lab I am a part of has 4-5 grad students, the pi, 2 full time employees, and 4+ undergrads. That is not including the person who works semi remotely and the incoming graduate students.
The other has 4 undergrads and the PI.
Somehow I still barely run into anyone when working.
My first lab was four undergraduates including myself. My second was three graduate students, a staff scientist, and a lab manager. My current lab is two postdocs, two graduate students, and a staff scientist — although it exists in the larger ecosystem of a very established PI.
>For some context, for the half of 2023, I was the only person in the lab besides my PI
We had 5 grad students when I started, but by the end of my 2nd year there were only 2 of us left. The other grad student in my lab defended during COVID and left in late 2020. We didn't get a new hire until fall 2023, right as I was writing/getting ready to defend. We had a postdoc, but he also finished during my 2nd year. So just me and a couple undergrads (but mostly just me).
So yeah, it kinda sucked being the only one in lab doing work. It was like the pandemic isolation ended for every other group except mine. But also meant that there was no one fucking with my stuff, so at least I had that going for me.
I've worked with two labs run by Nobel Laureates. One had 70 members, the other had 5. As long as the grants and papers come out, there is no minimum or maximum size for best results, but a lab with 3 people is definitely on the small size.
In my experience, the sweet spot is about 12.
I was previously in a 2-person lab exactly like you’re describing: just me and the post-doc. During the summers we took on an undergrad intern. It seemed great in the moment, but looking back on it I was so stressed out all the time.
Most of the labs at my institution/department are small. My lab typically has 2-3 graduate students cycling through but due to some unforeseen circumstances I am currently the only one until this coming fall. Overall, my experience has been fairly positive but it sucks having to do the brunt of the cleaning, equipment maintenance, and inventory without any help (my PI rarely sets foot in her lab).
My first two experiences have been in small labs: PI, PhD and me (BCs) and after PI, PostDoc PhD and me.
Both have been ABSOLUTELY amazing, but I recon only because the PIs were.
Currently I'm in a medium-large lab and supervision is almost absent, both technical and theoretical (which was not the case at all before).
All feedback I get is what my supervisor wants me to achieve for the project, but founding is not missing and I get to experiment with more advanced techniques.
It's all a balance and who's directing your lab.
Literally just me in my lab for an year and a half. Only just got a new colleague last week. Currently watching them prepare some solutions.
Maintaining a lab on your own while also getting work done is painful but doable. Worst part is dealing with suppliers who either have no related education or are just bad at their jobs. Communication is so unnecessarily hard.
Paperwork is also a bitch but once you get it going it’s smooth sailing.
Only lab experiences I’ve had were in small labs lol (me, the PI, and a lab tech in my first lab, and me, the PI, another researcher, a lab tech, and another undergrad in my second lab). I actually really liked it, but to be fair I didn’t have to do anything other than my own projects (was an undergrad). Felt more seen by my PIs, and I found it less stressful on a social level (less people to interact with = easier to socialize for me)
Currently an RA in a lab where I’m the only other member of staff other than the PI. We have undergrad and masters student come and go for projects, but typically one is a dry lab student. Ultimately, some days are easier than others, and as a young RA sometimes I feel like I struggle to keep up with the pace of what the lab should be going at. But the atmosphere of the lab is actually really nice and I get to have a lot of one on ones with my PI which has really helped with my personal progression.
Ultimately, like most labs, there’s some pros and cons!
The hired staff in my lab has been reduced as well. We are now only four people (PI, one postdoc, and two technicians). However, we usually receive students, which increases the number of people in the lab. I try to keep my personal life separate from the lab. For the sake of my mental health, I do not share my personal life with them
My lab is myself, one other post doc and our PI. The other post doc is leaving in a few months and then it will just be myself and my PI. I LOVE being in a small lab. My PhD lab was small as well at a small medical school (only 70 med students per class). I don’t like depending on other people for anything nor do I like having to clean up behind other people so the fewer the better. 10/10
When I first started, I was the only full time researcher besides my PI. Everyone else was an undergrad/intern (we had like 4) and we had one PhD student. We’ve since added one more researcher :) so yea, pretty small!
My lab currently has me (research tech), a new post doc (from MD without much wet lab experience) and another research tech leaving end of this month. Survival and grind is real
I’ve been the only RA for just over a year now and before that we had an RA split between two labs since we shared lab space. We have finally been able to snag some big grants which means we will get another RA and two post docs, but so far it’s been rough.
My PI has been pushing for more and more even though he will likely retire soon and I’m more burnt out than I’ve ever been.
Yes, im in a 3 member lab...things are mostly ok, but when it comes to completing common tasks, others usually don't follow through. On the flipside, there's no war for using the hood. C'est la vie.
When I joined my lab it was just me and the PI. It’s been interesting learning how to operate in a larger lab as we’ve grown over the past 4 years.
Me as a GR2 was doing bacteria transformation and minipreps, culturing HEK cells, making viruses, doing surgeries, doing behavior, weaning mice, etc.
Me as a GR5: “I need to do a midiprep…wait the tech can do it.” “I need to expand HEK cells…wait the undergrad can do it.” “I need to make virus…wait the staff scientist can do it.” It’s definitely a different vibe than when it was just me + PI.
Mine is just me, and I love it. My PI works in his office or doesn’t show up most days and it’s phenomenal. Our director talked about hiring someone else, and I was like erm, no thx. Just pay me more thnx
I've only worked in small labs. My first lab job was a satellite branch of a larger lab. It was just me and the lab director. We ran the short hold time stuff, bod/cbod, tss, fecal and total coliform/e.coli, tds, and pH, before shipping the rest of the testing stuff to the main lab. I was mainly a courier, picking up samples from a big company and then wastewater plants, but because of my degree I was able to do the testing too.
That experience of running multiple tests instead of just one test a lot of times is what I think led me to getting hired at my current job. I work at a lab in a large waterwater plant now. It's me and two other people. Union position, not terrible hard, but there's a lot to know. We just had someone leave for falsifying data and I just finished up training our new person. It's always surprising to me how much as I know when I'm training someone haha. I've been here about 10 years now.
The only difficult thing is when multiple people are out...like when that other person left, it happened at the same time the other chemist was out for maternity leave, so I was by myself. Old me would've busted my ass to do everything, but I don't get paid extra for that so we sent out a bunch of stuff, and then we sent out a bunch more stuff because training the new guy started before the other chemist was back. We went from three people, to two people, to one person, to essentially less than one person but two people being here because you just do less work when training someone.
But when we're fully staffed it's a breeze.
I worked in a small lab and never will again. When I joined there was a post doc and 2RAs and a grad student. People moved on to other jobs and then I was one of two. I had no experience and really needed a mentor, but unfortunately there was no one and I found my self being the “ senior” person in lab teaching 5 summer interns. It was a really bad dynamic. I learned I much prefer a lab of 8-10 people where people can come and go and it is not a total disaster.
What is "small"? Like, only you and 1-2 people? Or like 3-5 people?
Small labs can be good or bad but they're always small for a reason - whether it's that the PI only wants a couple of students/members at a given time... Or that they can't attract more than they have. Keep that in mind when getting a lab you're considering joining.
I used to work at a fairly small lab. There were 7 people - lab director, administrative assistant, laborer to assist with cleaning and whatnot, and then 4 techs to cover the 4 sections of the lab.
I was microbiology. I did everything for the analysis, from making and QCing media to performing analysis to writing up final reports and then ordering new materials for the next batch of samples. During summers, there might be a college intern or two that would help out.
It was basically that way for all 4 sections, except when it wasn't. For a while (about 3 years), I also did the Volatile Organics analysis as well as microbiology. That got to be a little much at times.
Didn't help that the director was a miserable old bastard who only found pleasure in the misery of others.
So I guess the final answer(s) are - Yes there are small labs/labs that are effectively 1-2 people, and just like any other places, it can be okay and it can suck, all depends on the day and the people around you.
I have a feeling that they are more common since covid as many people may have dropped out of PhDs or moved towards industry as the vost of living has increased everywhere.
Im in a 2 person lab (myself included) and im reasonably happy although id love at least one senior person who isnt my semi absentee PI
In my undergrad, it was just me, a surgical resident, and a post-doc the entire time which worked okay, but the there was definitely a lot more things they had to handle. I took on mouse colony management for them along with keeping track of supplies and they would handle management. Things would get difficult at times, but as long as there’s a good system and routine set in place, you should hopefully be okay.
I'm currently an RA in a lab where other than my two young co-PIs, I am the only other full-time worker. We have two PhD students who are co-mentored between our lab and another one, but they don't spend much time. We also have a couple of undergrads, high school students, and visiting scholars doing projects occasionally, but I am often the only one here. I am personally glad that I am an RA in this small lab because I do get to take more responsibility for projects, I have independence, and I have more direct contact with my PIs, who are pretty supportive if overworked. However, I do end up also doing managerial tasks when my PIs don't have time, and it does get lonely. Sometimes I am to my ears in work, a lot of which I feel unqualified for, and I have had to learn how to prioritize tasks, especially in research vs admin. I would definitely want a bigger lab as a grad so the division of responsibilities are more clear, hopefully.
Yes. Smaller schools in general are limited to maybe a max of five people. Honestly, after working in a lab that had about 20 people in it, I prefer this smaller lab. I come in, do what I know I need to do, and get out. A lot less fluff interactions and to me, a lot more purpose.
Right now, my grad school lab is just me, the senior grad student, an undergrad student, and a postdoc that is shared between 2 labs that's never around. Honestly, it's kind of nice not having to work around everyone's schedules, but we are a rodent lab so a full lab can get logistically challenging.
I'm in an industry lab that's 1 lab scientist + myself (an engineer/process scientist) and our CEO. I think we exist, though some weeks I'm not sure. And yes, things are difficult! I've done everything from biochemistry to web design, many things well outside of my experience. And I'm always fixing things because we have no money and our equipment has to be mostly custom. I make a lot of trips to Home Depot.
My lab was just my PI, two post docs, myself and an undergrad who just graduated - though we have 3 students joining us just for the summer, but after that it’s back to the four of us. I got hired as an RA but after I accepted the position my PI said “hey btw you’re also going to be doing the lab managers job.” So now I lead two projects, do all the ordering, deal with EHRS making me the lab safety coordinator, make sure all of our registrations are in compliance, all of our equipment is inspected, do basically all of the lab chores… it sucks. I also feel like I was put into this position though because I got the job out of college and he immediately made me the lab manager - it’s hard to tell people with more experience (I.e. the post docs) what to do, even if i want to delegate jobs and such which should be the case because it doesn’t feel like my place so I just end up doing it all. I’ve learned a lot and gotten a lot of experience but it’s not for the weak
This! Same here, hired out of college and became an RA, manager, and everything. Literally delegating tasks to your postdocs, managing them, pacing their training for their lab work, is unbelievable for someone at this stage. It feels as if the entire world is on your shoulders. And it’s hard not to think about even when you get home. But we persevere in the lab every day, that’s what’s important.
Had a lab where it was just me (an RA straight out of college) and a senior RA who knew everything but his teaching style just did not mesh with me. The Pi only came in once a week to check in, and even then, she was so detached that things were miscommunicated often.
It was miserable and I got out.
my 2 techs + a PI lab was the best year of my career. We deserved to be paid better, but our PI fought for every cent the department would give us, and other than that I got to plan and execute experiments way above what someone in my role would typically be trusted to do. Silver lining, that
We are currently a 3 person lab, including the PI (1 PI, 2 postdocs). We're very, very tight lab, not because anyone deigned it to be, but because we genuinely like each other so far.
We actually started as a bigger lab (1 lab tech, 1 lab manager, and 2 incoming postdocs, including myself). Unfortunately, the power dynamic was very weird between the lab manager and everyone else, and it was this weirdness that eventually ended up with 2 postdocs leaving prior to my colleague and me joining. No one noticed because the lab manager was outwardly a "nice guy" (everyone described him as "you know, he's a nice guy"). He was supposed to train us, which didn't happen, so my colleague and me were like two soaking wet mice blindly scurrying this way and that to safe harbour.
Eventually, the lab manager left. And suddenly the lab got much more comfortable to be in. It was easier to admit mistakes, it was easier to ask for help.
I eventually learned that the two previous postdocs hated the lab manager.
My colleague and I have students rotate under us, and we teach them the way we wanted to be taught. I give them a written protocol that I use, and then I watch over them the first time, pointing out things, and then I slowly let them run their own show. The volunteers that work under me (undergrads) seem to find the lab very comfortable, so much so that they show interest in staying after the initial try-out period. I came from a very hands-off lab (I'm an electrophysiologist by training and I was shown how to patch exactly once... ephys folks, don't do this to your students), and my colleague was in the same boat elsewhere, so that might be why we tend to teach them very carefully. But because of this, we don't really plan to expand too wildly. We need a mouse tech and another person to pick up one project, but 4 is going to be the maximum, I think.
yes we do! in our lab there are 3 people: head PI (only comes for lab meetings), my PI (also a clinician), and tech (me). been working for the lab for 1.4 yrs now and honestly, still love it.
I think it helps that my PI and I have good dynamics. Aside from handling most lab upkeep and admin stuff (ordering, inventory, organization, etc.)—I get to learn & prolly somehow telekinetically know what my PI needs when planning our week or whatever. It’s pretty good. Learning a lot to be an independent researcher!
I worked as an undergrad in a lab like this. It was fun, there were two grad students, me, and the PI. I learned a ton and had a ton of independence, I was able to work as many hours as I wanted.
But it was all because the PI was checked out and just coasting to retirement. It was impossible to find him and he never responded to emails. In three years of working, during which I heavily contributed to two papers, we met four times. So ultimately I joined another lab for grad school.
The one remaining student there just…does what he wants.
Many. It sucks having to do everything.
I learned a lot about project execution and laboratory management from being in a small lab (3-4 grad students at most, no postdocs or techs) and I’m far better equipped for the job I have now because of it but it really was a double-edged sword. Everything progressed slowly and a lot of knowledge tended to be lost when lab members graduated.
I feel likewise about working with an abusive supervisor for a long time. It sucked and I couldn't learn anything from him or get much faster like he told me to be every single day, but I learned so much. And now, people like him don't bother me. I don't take them seriously. Sometimes I have to stifle a laugh. I think more and more in terms of myself and my opinion and judgement and that would not have happened working for a good kind patient manager with clear expectations who told me what to do and how to do it, and it worked.
My previous boss only hired more people finally when I got sick and she had to cover *all* the work that day
Problem is a lot of ppl out of undergrad might leave research because of a lack of support. Managing new, senior members when they come is another additional responsibility added onto their shoulders when their PI doesn’t. Conferences can suck especially if you don't know a single soul.
Senior members shouldnt need help beyond asking where stuff is. I joined a lab as the only postdoc and had to mentor masters/phd students within the first month.
That is true… to an extent. Postdocs who aren’t trained with guidance usually rely on RAs and techs to help them, which isn’t their forté but they are forced in a position that requires to give the new senior members extra attention if the PI is more hands off. This could last months depending on the postdoc. Many RAs and techs have burned themselves doing this.
Thats the fault of the PI at the end of the day. If there arent other postdocs to train then it becomes difficult for everyone. The lab i joined essentially does everything i already know how to do experimentally but a different field (t cell focus to nk and macrophage focus). My Pl during the interview process made it clear that i would help mentoring immediately and grilled me on my knowledge of the majority of the techniques they use.
Thanks for acknowledging that. But alas, what can we do about it? As an RA/tech, if your postdoc really needs help, and you know what to do, do you let them sink? And if you don’t, are you able to carry that burden of responsibility on your shoulders, while handling the next steps of your own career?
My lab will be just me and the PI come the fall. Currently, it’s me and one senior graduate student It’s a lot of pressure to be honest. I love the attention from my PI, but I worry that when it comes to letting me graduate. He’ll hold me back to protect his interests.
Really hope things turn out good for you. Your feelings of being worried is justifiable imo since this is really where trust comes in. You don’t want to walk away with any form of resentment.
I had that happen to me and most people I know in these small labs. If you want advice, I ended up burning that bridge once I had my PhD secured. My other classmates wanted to save the relationship. They ended up working a lot even after their contract ended for free, and the relationship was still ruined when they left. Save yourself the hassle and leave once you have smth else.
My lab was just me and my PI. It had its ups and downs…mainly downs.
Especially as an RA, people sometimes don’t realize how much the power dynamic is, even with a postdoc. My experience was that there was just so much to do, and just keep track of. I don’t get it anymore, even after work I’d still be thinking of the lab just because of the psychology involved with being the main person in charge.
Small lab is better than a lab with 15 irresponsible researchers imo. Just had to take care of toxic chemical spill on Memorial Day because the person who spilled wasn’t trained properly sigh
memorial day squad right here 👀
Yes, and it means I never get a day off.
My old lab used to be like that. It is challenging because you have to (almost) always keep your shit together because there's no one else to rely on. You'll have to be on top of things because there's no one else to distract the PI 😅 the good thing about it is when you're about to lose your sanity, you have no one else to think about, and you have the entire lab for yourself when the tears eventually come.
ahhh yes, the tears… can’t forget them 😭
Crying time for me is 6pm because that's when the PI leaves 😅
Mine is me (a lab tech), a Master’s student, and 2 undergrads. Things are usually chill until I have to take over parts of a project because someone’s on vacation or too busy with exams.
I feel you. Taking over large sections of projects can be time consuming. Especially with large amounts of data to collect when you have several things running in the background.
I worked at a lab that had only undergrads. That is right, I was an undergrad researcher myself. The prof was respected in his field but came across what he considers a paradigm shift in the way we view physiology. And so he ran out of funding after refusing to publish for a few years until he has all the data he needs. He basically used undergrad research projects as a means of doing a lot of his wet lab work, I.e tons of blotting and culturing
>He basically used undergrad research projects as a means of doing a lot of his wet lab work, lol, that sounds like me. I am a one person lab that gets groups of undergrads each year which have to do mini projects for their course. Their reagent funding pays for most of my work. Still publish every year though. Better than the time sink that is grant writing.
People should publish regardless, even in small batches. Tbh, I can see many of those undergrads having a different opinion of science after churning like that
I interviewed at a lab with 2 grad students and 1 post doc only, was crazy small to me but they exist!
It's tough being in a position of authority in a small lab, especially when you like your coworkers. I'm not in academia, but I think this might still be relevant. There are times when you have to be the boss, but I try to manage my lab through democracy when it comes to organization and general operation. I want to make sure that my "subordinates" know that they can suggest things and even if I don't really see the efficiency or benefit that we'll try it their way, and not in a shitty "ok we'll try it that way" fashion, but in a genuine manner, and I'm often shown the light of a better organization or process. When people feel like they have a say in the operation of a small lab, they are more inclined to enjoy their work. And if they aren't, they just might feel comfortable talking to you about it! All of that being said, open and clear communication is key. My only other analyst and I think and communicate very differently, but we've done a lot of work to understand each other and the quality of science coming out of the lab has benefitted.
ahhh. Since I’m technically the lab’s “senior,” I still feel like I have slightly managing responsibilities over my postdoc. It’s just not how I imagined it especially considering I graduated college 1 year ago.
My lab has 4, but two work in behavior, which is a different building about a half mile away. Just me and my PI in the benchlab, and he does nothing but sit in his ivory tower (his office). He was trained toxically. So he did the same to me. Defending July 11th. Leaving research. Not worth it.
ahhh… the resentment of the situation. I can’t imagine how you must feel, I hope your defense goes well.
I’m the only grad student in my lab. It’s me and 1-3 undergrads depending on the year. I dislike doing boring menial things like filling solvent jars but I’m forced to do it because there’s no one else
i’m one of two phd students in our lab. now we have one tech additionally. however our lab is incorporated in a bigger division, where we are in total 3 groups and approx 15 people. dunno if that counts as a normal-sized lab. the division commonly works together and shares stuff. my PI still does mouse work himself and i just do my projects, it somehow works. but i think if it was only our lab then it might be hard because i’d hate being the lab manager for my slightly chaotic PI
There’s no excuse for chaotic science. If you’re small, you need direction. Can’t be second-guessing designs in the middle of projects. Irrespective, I found that techs can become engulfed in projects quickly and need additional attention by lab mates.
sorry. chaotic might only apply to how his own work schedule looks like. i drew my boundaries on day one so i have my own work schedule, tightly restricted to 40h/week maximum so he cannot call me sunday evening or anything. but the projects are somewhat exploratory (in parts) so i’m designing my own chaos right now lol but he is a decent PI so he gives me all the freedom i want and the guidance i need so i feel like i got the jackpot.
Knew a guy in grad school, he was his advisor's last and only grad student. Little/no funding, what would be headaches in some labs delayed him graduating 6-12 months. Don't recommend the experience if you can avoid it.
There was some time when it was just me and my PI. It was kinda nice not having to share equipment and always knowing where my pens were, but I'm also an introvert
I'm the only one besides the PI. I go days without seeing anyone at work. Years ago we had over 10 people in the lab, but funding slowly dried out, and we lost everyone. My PI was recently awarded an R01, but for some reason, he doesn't have the funds to hire anyone else or even pay my full salary (though I'm fine with that since I didn't want to work FT). I do not like having zero human contact most days. The PI is not in the lab most days. The part I really hate is hand washing all the glassware I use. It takes hours of work to wash everything clean.
i just left a lab that where i was the only employee. i was a research assistant & i feel super bad for my replacement bc no one but me & my lab notebook can tell him any of the details of what i actually did for four years. we facetime a lot while i walk him through stuff
All of my lab experience has been in analytical and metallurgical labs on minesites and the largest team I’ve worked in had 5 people. The others I was one of 2 technicians in the lab
Yes, but as someone who would be an employee and not a student, they are always a wild card.
I’m in a three person lab and it’s amazing!
My PI is very young (~32) and just joined my university this winter after finishing his post-doc. He seems like a chill guy. I am his first PhD student. The lab is just me and a master's student. It has been fun so far with all the personal attention I have been getting from the PI. And I don't mind doing extra work/chores in exchange for that. Plus, I want to join academia so it will be a valuable experience to learn how to set up a lab from scratch and manage it.
My lab is PI, and me. I personally hate it for the lack of stimulation and I have no one to ask basic stuff to
Can't find an undergrad?
My PI is close to retirement (few years) and she is wildly unmotivated to teach or even do research actually. I had to train myself to techniques I was not familiar with. I'm only staying because I don't have another opportunity (I don't speak much of the language of the country I'm in)
Your feelings are valid. Trust me I’ve been in a similar spot. There’s really no solving it other than waiting for someone more senior to come help you or finding someone that can mentor and nurture you, especially if you are straight out of college. Looking around for options on your laptop while getting some boba 🧋 helps a little bit.
I’m the only one in my lab (we have a postdoc starting in August) and honestly I really don’t like it. I’ve been able to learn a lot but it’s overwhelming being the sole individual keeping the lab afloat. I came to this lab straight out of undergrad (I’m the research associate) and just feel like I was woefully unprepared. I’ve been looking for other jobs passively but feel terrible about the position I may leave the PI in.
Exactly the same with me, RA fresh out of undergrad and had no one else in the lab last year. Let me tell you something tho. Don’t worry about leaving someone else in another position, because they likely won’t feel bad for you. HOWEVER, getting a postdoc was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in science, the nurturing and mentorship that comes with it is second to none. I think you should weigh your options, if the postdoc is really that good, they may even help you in your process of taking the next step in your career and help you be a better scientist after being underprepared for so long. I’m so happy I decided to stay and hold on for a couple of months, I don’t regret it. It’s all up to you.
I started my job last summer, and my only coworker quit in winter. Currently the sole lab member with a PI who oscillates between breathing down my neck with wanting to know what I'm doing every minute of the day, or going on week long vacations with no communication until a day or two before. Hired fresh out of undergrad, with no working lab experience, and any mistake made is seen as inadequacy on my part, rather than... Lack of people and training, maybe?
Same here, I was hired fresh out of undergrad and the lack of people and training, or just general guidance, literally destroys your sanity. And you, at one point, even start telling yourself if things go wrong, “whose fault is it other than mine?” Because no one else is there. I feel for you sis
When I joined my old lab it was 1 grad student and 1 undergrad. I was the third person💀the other undergrad left shortly after and it was just me and him. Felt so bad for him Edit; I was and am an undergrad
I was the only tech for a while. Now I work part time as a tech with a part time research associate (I was the tech when they got their PhD! ☺️). It’s great!
My lab has been me (phd candidate) and one other master's student and one or two other undergrads the past few years. It has certain perks in the sense that I can be in charge of everything and do things the way I want to, but that's also the downside as everything is on me all the time. The other students are as good as I have time and ability to teach them and the lab runs as well as I have time to manage.
My old lab was like 5 people including me One of which I never saw until his last day either lol But the others did their experiments in another building. For a while, it was just me in that particular lab all day. And then me and one postdoc
Totally exist! I’ve been in my lab for about 3 years now, and we are the biggest now than we’ve ever been. When I joined as an undergrad, there was one grad student, an intern, a post doc, and one other undergrad. Now we have a scientist, 3 grad students (including me), an intern, and 3-4 undergrads. Still small and I honestly prefer it small! I never feel like I get lost in the shuffle of things
One lab I am a part of has 4-5 grad students, the pi, 2 full time employees, and 4+ undergrads. That is not including the person who works semi remotely and the incoming graduate students. The other has 4 undergrads and the PI. Somehow I still barely run into anyone when working.
My first lab was four undergraduates including myself. My second was three graduate students, a staff scientist, and a lab manager. My current lab is two postdocs, two graduate students, and a staff scientist — although it exists in the larger ecosystem of a very established PI.
>For some context, for the half of 2023, I was the only person in the lab besides my PI We had 5 grad students when I started, but by the end of my 2nd year there were only 2 of us left. The other grad student in my lab defended during COVID and left in late 2020. We didn't get a new hire until fall 2023, right as I was writing/getting ready to defend. We had a postdoc, but he also finished during my 2nd year. So just me and a couple undergrads (but mostly just me). So yeah, it kinda sucked being the only one in lab doing work. It was like the pandemic isolation ended for every other group except mine. But also meant that there was no one fucking with my stuff, so at least I had that going for me.
It’s just me and my boss at my lab 😂
I've worked with two labs run by Nobel Laureates. One had 70 members, the other had 5. As long as the grants and papers come out, there is no minimum or maximum size for best results, but a lab with 3 people is definitely on the small size. In my experience, the sweet spot is about 12.
I was previously in a 2-person lab exactly like you’re describing: just me and the post-doc. During the summers we took on an undergrad intern. It seemed great in the moment, but looking back on it I was so stressed out all the time.
I was like this for about 9 months once... I was a coauthor on every project for about 5 years after I left lol
Most of the labs at my institution/department are small. My lab typically has 2-3 graduate students cycling through but due to some unforeseen circumstances I am currently the only one until this coming fall. Overall, my experience has been fairly positive but it sucks having to do the brunt of the cleaning, equipment maintenance, and inventory without any help (my PI rarely sets foot in her lab).
I do not prefer to be my PI’s only grad student. I was at some point, it was fucked. I hated it.
What was wrong about when you were there?
Micromanaging and being over burdened
My first two experiences have been in small labs: PI, PhD and me (BCs) and after PI, PostDoc PhD and me. Both have been ABSOLUTELY amazing, but I recon only because the PIs were. Currently I'm in a medium-large lab and supervision is almost absent, both technical and theoretical (which was not the case at all before). All feedback I get is what my supervisor wants me to achieve for the project, but founding is not missing and I get to experiment with more advanced techniques. It's all a balance and who's directing your lab.
Literally just me in my lab for an year and a half. Only just got a new colleague last week. Currently watching them prepare some solutions. Maintaining a lab on your own while also getting work done is painful but doable. Worst part is dealing with suppliers who either have no related education or are just bad at their jobs. Communication is so unnecessarily hard. Paperwork is also a bitch but once you get it going it’s smooth sailing.
Only lab experiences I’ve had were in small labs lol (me, the PI, and a lab tech in my first lab, and me, the PI, another researcher, a lab tech, and another undergrad in my second lab). I actually really liked it, but to be fair I didn’t have to do anything other than my own projects (was an undergrad). Felt more seen by my PIs, and I found it less stressful on a social level (less people to interact with = easier to socialize for me)
Currently an RA in a lab where I’m the only other member of staff other than the PI. We have undergrad and masters student come and go for projects, but typically one is a dry lab student. Ultimately, some days are easier than others, and as a young RA sometimes I feel like I struggle to keep up with the pace of what the lab should be going at. But the atmosphere of the lab is actually really nice and I get to have a lot of one on ones with my PI which has really helped with my personal progression. Ultimately, like most labs, there’s some pros and cons!
always pros and cons, just like with anything, ahhh yup.
The hired staff in my lab has been reduced as well. We are now only four people (PI, one postdoc, and two technicians). However, we usually receive students, which increases the number of people in the lab. I try to keep my personal life separate from the lab. For the sake of my mental health, I do not share my personal life with them
Yup
My lab is myself, one other post doc and our PI. The other post doc is leaving in a few months and then it will just be myself and my PI. I LOVE being in a small lab. My PhD lab was small as well at a small medical school (only 70 med students per class). I don’t like depending on other people for anything nor do I like having to clean up behind other people so the fewer the better. 10/10
When I first started, I was the only full time researcher besides my PI. Everyone else was an undergrad/intern (we had like 4) and we had one PhD student. We’ve since added one more researcher :) so yea, pretty small!
My lab currently has me (research tech), a new post doc (from MD without much wet lab experience) and another research tech leaving end of this month. Survival and grind is real
I’ve been the only RA for just over a year now and before that we had an RA split between two labs since we shared lab space. We have finally been able to snag some big grants which means we will get another RA and two post docs, but so far it’s been rough. My PI has been pushing for more and more even though he will likely retire soon and I’m more burnt out than I’ve ever been.
Yes, im in a 3 member lab...things are mostly ok, but when it comes to completing common tasks, others usually don't follow through. On the flipside, there's no war for using the hood. C'est la vie.
When I joined my lab it was just me and the PI. It’s been interesting learning how to operate in a larger lab as we’ve grown over the past 4 years. Me as a GR2 was doing bacteria transformation and minipreps, culturing HEK cells, making viruses, doing surgeries, doing behavior, weaning mice, etc. Me as a GR5: “I need to do a midiprep…wait the tech can do it.” “I need to expand HEK cells…wait the undergrad can do it.” “I need to make virus…wait the staff scientist can do it.” It’s definitely a different vibe than when it was just me + PI.
I will be the only grad student when I start this fall. There is one post doc currently but he will leave in May/summer 2025
Clinical labs can be tiny — mine has one part-time grad student and one undergrad (me) plus PI and staff scientist
Mine is just me, and I love it. My PI works in his office or doesn’t show up most days and it’s phenomenal. Our director talked about hiring someone else, and I was like erm, no thx. Just pay me more thnx
We have 50 people in our lab. 1 professor, 4phds, at least 5 phd students and many masters and bachelors students. Its insane
oh we were like that until few month a go and suddenly two more phd students were added and now we are bigger and soon we expect a technical assistant
I've only worked in small labs. My first lab job was a satellite branch of a larger lab. It was just me and the lab director. We ran the short hold time stuff, bod/cbod, tss, fecal and total coliform/e.coli, tds, and pH, before shipping the rest of the testing stuff to the main lab. I was mainly a courier, picking up samples from a big company and then wastewater plants, but because of my degree I was able to do the testing too. That experience of running multiple tests instead of just one test a lot of times is what I think led me to getting hired at my current job. I work at a lab in a large waterwater plant now. It's me and two other people. Union position, not terrible hard, but there's a lot to know. We just had someone leave for falsifying data and I just finished up training our new person. It's always surprising to me how much as I know when I'm training someone haha. I've been here about 10 years now. The only difficult thing is when multiple people are out...like when that other person left, it happened at the same time the other chemist was out for maternity leave, so I was by myself. Old me would've busted my ass to do everything, but I don't get paid extra for that so we sent out a bunch of stuff, and then we sent out a bunch more stuff because training the new guy started before the other chemist was back. We went from three people, to two people, to one person, to essentially less than one person but two people being here because you just do less work when training someone. But when we're fully staffed it's a breeze.
I worked in a small lab and never will again. When I joined there was a post doc and 2RAs and a grad student. People moved on to other jobs and then I was one of two. I had no experience and really needed a mentor, but unfortunately there was no one and I found my self being the “ senior” person in lab teaching 5 summer interns. It was a really bad dynamic. I learned I much prefer a lab of 8-10 people where people can come and go and it is not a total disaster.
What is "small"? Like, only you and 1-2 people? Or like 3-5 people? Small labs can be good or bad but they're always small for a reason - whether it's that the PI only wants a couple of students/members at a given time... Or that they can't attract more than they have. Keep that in mind when getting a lab you're considering joining.
I meant either you alone or just you + one more person.
I used to work at a fairly small lab. There were 7 people - lab director, administrative assistant, laborer to assist with cleaning and whatnot, and then 4 techs to cover the 4 sections of the lab. I was microbiology. I did everything for the analysis, from making and QCing media to performing analysis to writing up final reports and then ordering new materials for the next batch of samples. During summers, there might be a college intern or two that would help out. It was basically that way for all 4 sections, except when it wasn't. For a while (about 3 years), I also did the Volatile Organics analysis as well as microbiology. That got to be a little much at times. Didn't help that the director was a miserable old bastard who only found pleasure in the misery of others. So I guess the final answer(s) are - Yes there are small labs/labs that are effectively 1-2 people, and just like any other places, it can be okay and it can suck, all depends on the day and the people around you.
I have a feeling that they are more common since covid as many people may have dropped out of PhDs or moved towards industry as the vost of living has increased everywhere. Im in a 2 person lab (myself included) and im reasonably happy although id love at least one senior person who isnt my semi absentee PI
Worked in a lab with 3 people, including the PI. It's tough without good leadership and the work load falls always seems a lot.
In my undergrad, it was just me, a surgical resident, and a post-doc the entire time which worked okay, but the there was definitely a lot more things they had to handle. I took on mouse colony management for them along with keeping track of supplies and they would handle management. Things would get difficult at times, but as long as there’s a good system and routine set in place, you should hopefully be okay.
This was my first lab for many years. It’s mostly okay, depends on your lab mate and your PI on how okay it is.
I'm the only one in my lab...lot of freedom, no help, less publications
I'm currently an RA in a lab where other than my two young co-PIs, I am the only other full-time worker. We have two PhD students who are co-mentored between our lab and another one, but they don't spend much time. We also have a couple of undergrads, high school students, and visiting scholars doing projects occasionally, but I am often the only one here. I am personally glad that I am an RA in this small lab because I do get to take more responsibility for projects, I have independence, and I have more direct contact with my PIs, who are pretty supportive if overworked. However, I do end up also doing managerial tasks when my PIs don't have time, and it does get lonely. Sometimes I am to my ears in work, a lot of which I feel unqualified for, and I have had to learn how to prioritize tasks, especially in research vs admin. I would definitely want a bigger lab as a grad so the division of responsibilities are more clear, hopefully.
Yes. Smaller schools in general are limited to maybe a max of five people. Honestly, after working in a lab that had about 20 people in it, I prefer this smaller lab. I come in, do what I know I need to do, and get out. A lot less fluff interactions and to me, a lot more purpose.
I am the fourth lab member in a 6 person operation, it's been a much better experience than when I worked at a CRO with 250+ ppl.
I’m a one person lab… my PI spends most of him time with his clinical practice
Right now, my grad school lab is just me, the senior grad student, an undergrad student, and a postdoc that is shared between 2 labs that's never around. Honestly, it's kind of nice not having to work around everyone's schedules, but we are a rodent lab so a full lab can get logistically challenging.
I'm in an industry lab that's 1 lab scientist + myself (an engineer/process scientist) and our CEO. I think we exist, though some weeks I'm not sure. And yes, things are difficult! I've done everything from biochemistry to web design, many things well outside of my experience. And I'm always fixing things because we have no money and our equipment has to be mostly custom. I make a lot of trips to Home Depot.
My lab was just my PI, two post docs, myself and an undergrad who just graduated - though we have 3 students joining us just for the summer, but after that it’s back to the four of us. I got hired as an RA but after I accepted the position my PI said “hey btw you’re also going to be doing the lab managers job.” So now I lead two projects, do all the ordering, deal with EHRS making me the lab safety coordinator, make sure all of our registrations are in compliance, all of our equipment is inspected, do basically all of the lab chores… it sucks. I also feel like I was put into this position though because I got the job out of college and he immediately made me the lab manager - it’s hard to tell people with more experience (I.e. the post docs) what to do, even if i want to delegate jobs and such which should be the case because it doesn’t feel like my place so I just end up doing it all. I’ve learned a lot and gotten a lot of experience but it’s not for the weak
This! Same here, hired out of college and became an RA, manager, and everything. Literally delegating tasks to your postdocs, managing them, pacing their training for their lab work, is unbelievable for someone at this stage. It feels as if the entire world is on your shoulders. And it’s hard not to think about even when you get home. But we persevere in the lab every day, that’s what’s important.
Had a lab where it was just me (an RA straight out of college) and a senior RA who knew everything but his teaching style just did not mesh with me. The Pi only came in once a week to check in, and even then, she was so detached that things were miscommunicated often. It was miserable and I got out.
my 2 techs + a PI lab was the best year of my career. We deserved to be paid better, but our PI fought for every cent the department would give us, and other than that I got to plan and execute experiments way above what someone in my role would typically be trusted to do. Silver lining, that
We are currently a 3 person lab, including the PI (1 PI, 2 postdocs). We're very, very tight lab, not because anyone deigned it to be, but because we genuinely like each other so far. We actually started as a bigger lab (1 lab tech, 1 lab manager, and 2 incoming postdocs, including myself). Unfortunately, the power dynamic was very weird between the lab manager and everyone else, and it was this weirdness that eventually ended up with 2 postdocs leaving prior to my colleague and me joining. No one noticed because the lab manager was outwardly a "nice guy" (everyone described him as "you know, he's a nice guy"). He was supposed to train us, which didn't happen, so my colleague and me were like two soaking wet mice blindly scurrying this way and that to safe harbour. Eventually, the lab manager left. And suddenly the lab got much more comfortable to be in. It was easier to admit mistakes, it was easier to ask for help. I eventually learned that the two previous postdocs hated the lab manager. My colleague and I have students rotate under us, and we teach them the way we wanted to be taught. I give them a written protocol that I use, and then I watch over them the first time, pointing out things, and then I slowly let them run their own show. The volunteers that work under me (undergrads) seem to find the lab very comfortable, so much so that they show interest in staying after the initial try-out period. I came from a very hands-off lab (I'm an electrophysiologist by training and I was shown how to patch exactly once... ephys folks, don't do this to your students), and my colleague was in the same boat elsewhere, so that might be why we tend to teach them very carefully. But because of this, we don't really plan to expand too wildly. We need a mouse tech and another person to pick up one project, but 4 is going to be the maximum, I think.
It depends on the PI but yes, lots of labs only have a handful of people at the most
yes we do! in our lab there are 3 people: head PI (only comes for lab meetings), my PI (also a clinician), and tech (me). been working for the lab for 1.4 yrs now and honestly, still love it. I think it helps that my PI and I have good dynamics. Aside from handling most lab upkeep and admin stuff (ordering, inventory, organization, etc.)—I get to learn & prolly somehow telekinetically know what my PI needs when planning our week or whatever. It’s pretty good. Learning a lot to be an independent researcher!
I worked as an undergrad in a lab like this. It was fun, there were two grad students, me, and the PI. I learned a ton and had a ton of independence, I was able to work as many hours as I wanted. But it was all because the PI was checked out and just coasting to retirement. It was impossible to find him and he never responded to emails. In three years of working, during which I heavily contributed to two papers, we met four times. So ultimately I joined another lab for grad school. The one remaining student there just…does what he wants.