How to Negotiate Your First Lab Manager Offer?

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Competition for scientific job positions is increasingly fierce nowadays. That pressure is felt even more strongly in the global south, where stable and well-funded jobs for highly trained scientists are limited, often available in a select few cities (Kent et al, 2022[1]).

Major employers include public organizations such as health research-oriented institutions, government institutions, and universities. However, long-term career development is often constrained by funding instability and low compensation. Industry may seem like an obvious alternative, with a work pace that is completely different from academic.

. It is common to spend months moving through applications and interviews, living with uncertainty before an offer arrives. After a long wait, it is natural to be tempted to say yes and accept the offer’s conditions, without even considering the possibility of negotiating.

A year after finishing my postdoctoral fellowship, I accepted a lab manager position at a biotech start-up in California. For me, it was a major professional and personal transition, since until then all my experiences had been in academic environments in my home country, so accepting that role meant making difficult decisions and moving to the United States to chase a new horizon.

 

If I negotiate, will I lose the opportunity?

It is common for early-career scientists to have no professional negotiation experience, so this is one of the first doubts that arise (Gould, 2025[2]; Redkar, 2018[3]). Personal context, such as gender, caregiving responsibilities, and financial urgency, can make us feel that asking for more is risky. Besides, migration status and relocation costs can make the situation even more challenging.

However, it is important to remember that job offer negotiation is not about winning; rather, it is about entering the role with more clarity and understanding of what will be expected of you. Respectful negotiation indicates that you are taking your labor and expertise seriously, and not that you are being difficult.

In academic institutions, negotiation is not expected. There is the established idea that an academic job is a vocation and that commitment should matter more than compensation, making practical questions feel uncomfortable. This idea is contrary to industry hiring practices, where salary negotiation is common. The important thing is to understand that compensation is only one part of the offer.

Academic institutions use formal salary scales to set compensation based on position, researcher experience, and productivity, which may leave less room to negotiate base pay. Then, in those cases, the conversation should be more focused on the conditions for success, such as access to facilities, equipment, technical support, funding continuity, and realistic expectations.

In the industry, even when the salary is fixed, there is usually more room to discuss it and include non-salary terms. The most common are conference attendance support, professional memberships, relocation assistance, and religious or family leaves.

 

Negotiate according to real responsibilities, not just the title.

A lab manager position can mean very different things depending on the institution or company. .

In a Lab manager position, duties can easily expand, especially in fast-paced environments such as a start-up, where priorities can change frequently. Looking back, I would like to understand why defining the actual scope of the role during the hiring interviews is one of the most important parts of negotiation. When I started in my position, I did not know that I would be responsible for creating SOPs, and I lacked knowledge of best practices in this area. If I had been aware of this point from the beginning, my learning curve would have been faster, giving better results in a short time. So, ask about your daily activities and responsibilities. Avoiding vague terms early can reduce problems later.

Since I had to relocate for the job, I found it highly valuable to get any information I could about the cost of living in the area. Also, look for salary benchmarks in similar institutions or companies and, if possible, find out about the lab’s funding situation. Those facts will give you good arguments for discussing compensation, workload, and working conditions.

Instead of thinking about whether you have the capacity to do the job, ask yourself if the structure of the role will allow you to succeed without becoming overwhelmed. Do not leave your personal needs out of the conversation; it is crucial to set a work-life balance from the beginning. If you are a parent, a caregiver, or someone managing chronic health conditions, you may need some flexibility in your schedule or hybrid work options. Consider that clarity around practical matters, such as after-hours expectations, can make a major difference in whether a position is sustainable.

If the position involves scientific or technical contributions beyond routine support, it is necessary to talk about growth and recognition. It is good to know about the possibility of authorship or professional recognition where relevant.

Documentation is a form of protection; ask for the final terms in writing and save the job description and the offer letter for future reference. Key points to prepare yourself before negotiating.

  • Base your negotiation on the scope of the position, your experience, and the local job market. Clearly explain why these factors support your requests.
  • Ask your colleagues or mentors for help practicing a negotiation conversation and gathering insights from their experiences.
  • Focus on key negotiation strategies such as active listening. Practice will enhance your confidence.
  • Anticipate possible questions and rehearse your responses before entering negotiation.

One thing that I learned from my first lab manager role is that negotiation was possible in more areas than I thought. Beyond salary, I could have asked more clearly about the dynamics of change priorities in a rapidly evolving environment like a startup. For many researchers like me, dependence on visas adds another layer of complexity. Furthermore, as a woman and early-career researcher, I know firsthand how easily negotiation can feel risky, especially when we usually prioritize adaptability over our own interests, to show professional commitment.  This first experience in a startup taught me that negotiation is not confrontation; rather, it is a professional skill that can be developed through preparation and practice. In future opportunities, I will enter these conversations with more confidence and clearer questions about working conditions.

 

Further readings

 

References:

Kent, B. et al., “Recommendations for Empowering Early Career Researchers to Improve Research Culture and Practice,” PLOS Biology 20, no. 7 (2022): e3001680, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001680.

Gould, J. “Salary Negotiations: A Guide for Scientists,” Nature, ahead of print. (2025) https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-01678-9.

Redkar, A. 2018. “Negotiation Skills: Sell Yourself Correctly,” Plantae. https://plantae.org/negotiation-skills-sell-yourself-correctly/.

World Health Organization. 2026. “Responsibilities of the Laboratory Manager,” World Health Organization. https://tbksp.who.int/en/node/1116.

 

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About the Author

Montserrat Lopez-Coria

Montserrat is a 2026 Plantae Fellow, and a plant biology researcher with experience in industry and academia. She is passionate about science communication and education and is excited to contribute to the Plantae Fellows Program by creating accessible resources that connect diverse audiences with plant science.