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Lawrence Berkeley Lab

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Research associate - Anonymous employee Lawrence Berkeley Lab Employee Review

3.0
Jan 30, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Able to work part time, enthusiastic colleagues, a supervisor with high level of integrity, and an opportunity to work with colleagues in other departments on interesting projects are all pros that I experienced. Beautiful views of the Bay didn't hurt either.

Cons

Hard to find funding, and during the slow times work can be boring. Work at my level came in waves. Also, part-time workers are discouraged against (a manager once told me that management likes to see people in their chairs or at their lab bench every day). Not to mention the fact that it takes forever to get funding and complete projects (too many internal hurdles related to management approving particulars of the research, as well as internal departments such as budget office etc). Oh yes, and VERY HIGH overhead, making it impossible to get adequate funding to fund a multi-year study with 3-4 people working more than 50% time on the study. A lot of my colleagues took "leave without pay" days just to finish a study. Seems that LBNL ultimately wants "star scientists" to lead multidisciplinary teams with groundwork carried out by Graduate Students. So, if you are somewhere in the middle, your work environment may not be that stellar and you may not have a chance to move upward. Lastly, some laboratory equipment outside the ALS and Physical Biosciences Division is very out of date, definately not "state of the art".

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5.0
Jun 26, 2026
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Pros

great work place to do research

Cons

need less micro management and trust the eployee

5.0
Jun 21, 2026
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Pros

Opportunity to work on impactful scientific and engineering projects that support research and innovation. Exposure to multidisciplinary teams, including engineers, scientists, technicians, and project managers. Strong focus on safety, quality, and technical excellence. Good work-life balance and professional development opportunities. Ability to contribute to long-term projects with significant national and scientific importance.

Cons

Large organizations can have multiple layers of review and approval, which may slow decision-making. Processes and documentation requirements can be extensive, especially for safety and compliance purposes. Project priorities can shift based on funding and organizational needs, requiring flexibility and adaptability.

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