> In my experience, they tend to be used as lab support, for example, ordering reagents, managing the annoying aspects of big projects, etc. etc. The thing is,

> In my experience, they tend to be used as lab support, for example, ordering reagents, managing the annoying aspects of big projects, etc. etc. The thing is, as a PI, someone has to do this. And while I too would like to spend my time working independently on research projects and not having to do time consuming lab support stuff I'd rather not do, I also need to be writing grants to keep my staff scientists paid. Also, the whole argument to staff scientists representing institutional knowledge also applies to support stuff. "We don't order from X any more for reason Y." "Collaborators at Other University are usually two months late, built that into the timeline", etc.