Types of Laboratory Jobs

[FayetheAspie]

I was curious what types of laboratories hire people with Aspergers and if is a good work environment.

 

[Jumpinbare]

Physics lab, electronics lab.
Never seemed like work. Just being paid for having fun.

 

[Shamar]

I was curious what types of laboratories hire people with Aspergers and if is a good work environment.

I've done QC work, checking the readiness of state-of-the-art geophysical instruments, as well as diagnostics and (some) repair of them. I have also done rock sample measurements, determining the electrical properties of rock samples (yes, rocks have electrical properties, some rather exotic), as well as testing artificial samples for research purposes. Also designed and built a few. I got a few good stories out of this.

Bear in mind, this was long before I was aware of autism. It was obvious in retrospect, but I had to undergo the stress of masking. With all of the lab work, I was working with myself, no interactions with others (except when I needed specific information), and it was great.

 

[Judge]

In my university days everyone (particularly all the criminal justice majors) pretty much agreed that getting a degree in forensic science was absolutely the toughest degree to get. I knew one of them in the dorm, but no one could ever find him. Off studying 7 days a week. What I'd call a "brutal major".

Just looking at some of the textbooks of such subjects, you better have a very strong stomach to deal with crime scenes and all the evidence that goes with them. Real "culture shock" for most folks.

Looks like even forensic lab technicians require a bachelors degree even at entry-level. At least according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Forensic Science Technicians

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I am a trained lab tech, then trained again specializing in organic coatings most of mt experience was working in labs supporting application of these coatings. Most was either QA OR QC type testing. usually worked alone.

 

[FayetheAspie]

I am a trained lab tech, then trained again specializing in organic coatings most of mt experience was working in labs supporting application of these coatings. Most was either QA OR QC type testing. usually worked alone.

I know qc is quality control but what is qa?

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Quality assurance, QC is after the fact QA is prior to use.

 

[FayetheAspie]

I've done QC work, checking the readiness of state-of-the-art geophysical instruments, as well as diagnostics and (some) repair of them. I have also done rock sample measurements, determining the electrical properties of rock samples (yes, rocks have electrical properties, some rather exotic), as well as testing artificial samples for research purposes. Also designed and built a few. I got a few good stories out of this.

Bear in mind, this was long before I was aware of autism. It was obvious in retrospect, but I had to undergo the stress of masking. With all of the lab work, I was working with myself, no interactions with others (except when I needed specific information), and it was great.

That is interesting about the rocks. I knew that plants had been discovered to send out electrical signals but was unaware that rocks did as well. I wonder if training in biology and chemistry allows you to work with rocks. They don't offer geology courses at my college.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

One of my lab positions was at a testing laboratory facility made up of every type of laboratory you can think of.
Interesting place, took a tour a few times, you name it it could be tested there. Was a non profit to support industry.
owned by provincial government.

 

[FayetheAspie]

One of my lab positions was at a testing laboratory facility made up of every type of laboratory you can think of.
Interesting place, took a tour a few times, you name it it could be tested there. Was a non profit to support industry.
owned by provincial government.

That sounds like a fun place.
Not that I know many people face to face who would agree.

 

[Misty Avich]

I'd like to work in a lab, even though I know nothing about science. I always imagine a lab as a bright place where everything's clean.

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

I worked in a genetics lab, counting fruit flies, making their food, transferring them to new jars. At that time I think it was cream jars that were used, those of you old enough to have bought cream from an actual dairy.

I was a single mother at the time. My son took his afternoon nap under the lab benches.

I also worked in a medical lab studying the effects of hormones on cell growth. I didn’t like that much at all.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I'd like to work in a lab, even though I know nothing about science. I always imagine a lab as a bright place where everything's clean.

Lots of colour in a paint lab spills everywhere. Nothing worse than gallon can of pigment getting loose in shaker happened a few times.

 

[FayetheAspie]

I worked in a genetics lab, counting fruit flies, making their food, transferring them to new jars. At that time I think it was cream jars that were used, those of you old enough to have bought cream from an actual dairy.

I was a single mother at the time. My son took his afternoon nap under the lab benches.

I also worked in a medical lab studying the effects of hormones on cell growth. I didn’t like that much at all.

Did you dislike both or just the later? Was there something specific that disturbed you or is it simply that labs in general just aren't your thing?

 

[FayetheAspie]

Physics lab, electronics lab.
Never seemed like work. Just being paid for having fun.

That sounds fun too but I would have to switch programs. I was interested in the laser and photonics degree but can't currently afford it.

 

[FayetheAspie]

I've done QC work, checking the readiness of state-of-the-art geophysical instruments, as well as diagnostics and (some) repair of them. I have also done rock sample measurements, determining the electrical properties of rock samples (yes, rocks have electrical properties, some rather exotic), as well as testing artificial samples for research purposes. Also designed and built a few. I got a few good stories out of this.

Bear in mind, this was long before I was aware of autism. It was obvious in retrospect, but I had to undergo the stress of masking. With all of the lab work, I was working with myself, no interactions with others (except when I needed specific information), and it was great.

That is interesting about the rocks. I knew that plants had been discovered to send out electrical signals but was unaware that rocks did as well. I wonder if training in biology and chemistry allows you to work with rocks. They don't offer geology courses at my college.

Geology - Geochemistry, Rocks, Minerals | Britannica
Maybe?

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

Did you dislike both or just the later? Was there something specific that disturbed you or is it simply that labs in general just aren't your thing?

The latter. The guy I reported to was an idiot, I was working with radioactivity and had to do some stuff to live rats which I’m not going to describe.

 

[FayetheAspie]

The latter. The guy I reported to was an idiot, I was working with radioactivity and had to do some stuff to live rats which I’m not going to describe.

I wouldn't like that one either.

 

[Shamar]

That is interesting about the rocks. I knew that plants had been discovered to send out electrical signals but was unaware that rocks did as well. I wonder if training in biology and chemistry allows you to work with rocks. They don't offer geology courses at my college.

The rocks themselves don't emit signals or contain electricity, except under special conditions. Hammering certain rocks can cause a pulse of electricity, called piezoelectric effect. What I was doing was measuring how well rocks conduct electricity, and polarization, the ability of rocks to take a charge of electricity (similar to electrical capacitance). These properties can vary with different orientations, and understanding this was important to understanding results from the field. In the lab we could control these aspects and get an understanding. My experience in the field was that rocks tend to orient in the most perverse and difficult to interpret configuration they can.

One project (Puna Geothermal Power in Hawaii), we were getting non repeatable changes as we watched, with results changing according to the time of day, We eventually figured out that with the rocks being so porous and permeable, we were seeing the rise and fall of the water table with the tides.

 

[FayetheAspie]

The rocks themselves don't emit signals or contain electricity, except under special conditions. Hammering certain rocks can cause a pulse of electricity, called piezoelectric effect. What I was doing was measuring how well rocks conduct electricity, and polarization, the ability of rocks to take a charge of electricity (similar to electrical capacitance). These properties can vary with different orientations, and understanding this was important to understanding results from the field. In the lab we could control these aspects and get an understanding. My experience in the field was that rocks tend to orient in the most perverse and difficult to interpret configuration they can.

One project (Puna Geothermal Power in Hawaii), we were getting non repeatable changes as we watched, with results changing according to the time of day, We eventually figured out that with the rocks being so porous and permeable, we were seeing the rise and fall of the water table with the tides.

Interesting!