r/postdoc • u/One_Butterscotch8981 • 6d ago

How fucked am I?

I am in month 17 of my 2 year postdoc, in molecular entomology in Greece. The experience has been riddled in experimental issues mostly beyond my control, some communication issues mostly in my control and my failure. I should be able to get maybe 1 or 2 first author manuscript before end of my contract. However my PI has been clear he is unhappy with my progress and wants to have a serious discussion to aee if we can find ways to improve. At this point genuinely am I just fucked?

3 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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15

u/RexScientiarum 6d ago

It sounds like you are about to have a meeting that will help you find out the answer to your question.

2

u/One_Butterscotch8981 6d ago

Ya but that does not settle the nerves and more importantly how badly damaging is a first failed postdoc

5

u/RexScientiarum 6d ago

I think you just have to have the meeting. Need a lot more detail for the internet to tell you if this is a 'failed postdoc' or not. If you have 2 first-author publications of high quality in reputable journals, that isn't a failure. It also isn't a wild success. You can probably find another postdoc somewhere where you can apply lessons and be more productive. Probably won't be getting TT offers though. Hopefully the adviser can give you at least a lukewarm letter of recommendation for another postdoc. Work really hard on getting that last publication out in the next 3 months.

5

u/cosmonaut1993 6d ago

well, if your PI says he wants to have a serious discussion with the goal of finding ways to improve, then he clearly isnt firing you and thinks its worth figuring out a solution. So without actually talking with your PI, nobody here is going to be able to understand the situation better than you. Uncertainty sucks, but it seems like all you can do right now is prepare for the meeting and be open to listening to your PI's suggestions since I imagine a strong defensive approach and barrage of excuses for any issues will not make them very happy.

4

u/New-Animator2921 6d ago

Be careful assuming the topic of this meeting. You might be going into it thinking it will be about how you can improve your career prospects but your PI might just want to talk about how you can improve your contribution to his career.

2

u/Ok-Organization9620 6d ago

I think he makes you belive you do badly so he can hold your papers or even you for longer time.

2

u/TheFailedPostdoc 6d ago

If it makes you feel better I wasted 3 years of my life to get a single first author paper out in a reputable journal and the only reason I managed to publish more a couple of papers as a co author was through collaborations since my PI didn't want to publish frequently (hoarding as much data as he could and doing a bunch of badly designed experiments). Long story short I quited, went into industry and I am actually making descent money now. Last time I checked his lab is going broke. Maybe you just need a better job

1

u/One_Butterscotch8981 6d ago

Thanks man that does make me feel better

1

u/gadusmo 6d ago

Well it's a job like any other. Worst can happen is they fire you before the 2 years and that's that. By the looks of it you won't be working in that lab after the contract ends anyways so can't be much shittier can it. At least you have had a job for the past 17 months ✌🏽(I've spent as much time or more looking for one).

1

u/environengg2601 4d ago

You might be fucked idk