$12 an hour for "meaningful research" vs $17-20 an hour for scut work

[Nerdeka]

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Scut work = flexible hours for my ass who wakes up late and lives pretty far.
fun coworkers.
is a "core" so boss does little to no research of her own.
*already getting a great recommendation

Meaningful = full time hours
pain in the ass post doc who will "rat me out" if I'm a minute late
known lab with great reputation
*my credibility could be improved, can't imagine how many emails bitching me out was BCCed to PI

 

[eteshoe]

Can you get any presentation out of the scut work or at least be able to intelligently talk about what you gained from the experience? I'm just asking since you don't sound like you're that into research (from your post anyhow) and if that's the case you might as well do something that will gel with you and get paid.

 

[order66.exe]

Do the scut work and find some volunteer clinical research to do on the side.

There is no point to working in a lab with a crap colleague because it can effect the quality of your LORs and it seems unlikely that he will list you as an author in any eventual publication.

 

[ed*26]

"Scut" and "meaningful" are terms that should be applied more towards your role in the lab rather than the lab itself. In the "scut" lab, are you just referring to the core lab or to the fact that you will be doing crap work (something like cleaning glassware, taking care of mice, etc)? In the "meaningful" lab will you be actively contributing to a project? You should be aiming for a research experience that's impactful to you. If all you're doing in a lab is mixing gels and mopping up floors, they won't care whether it was core or whether it cured cancer.

Agree with the above. Environment is hugely important in being successful in lab, and your postdoc doesn't seem like they are providing that.

 

[Monkey.King]

You really need to address your work ethic when it comes to time. But I would agree with the posts above

 

[dontbelievemejustwatch]

sorry but what's a core lab?

 

[JustAPhD]

sorry but what's a core lab?

A core facility is one that does a specific job that relates to research. Anyone at the institution (and sometimes outsiders for a larger fee) can use the core's facilities/personnel. Usually cores are comprised of very expensive equipment that would make them difficult for a single PI to purchase for the lab. A couple examples are: flow cytometry core, mass spec core, peptide synthesis, antibody production, electron microscopy, etc.

 

[darkjedi]

If they're both research type gigs, the difference is nominal, especially if you're getting letters from either. Adcoms don't know every PI at every institution, even if they are rock stars at your local one. What's more important is the product of your work, and if you can manage to publish something at either, that's what adcoms will care about.