It depends on where you work - Anonymous employee Lawrence Berkeley Lab Employee Review

Great collaborative environment, great views

Some parts are slower moving due to bureaucracy but LBNL is unique in that red taping is also loose in some areas allowing for quicker innovation

work life balance; World-Class User Facilities and Instruments, Top-Tier Scientific Collaboration

Temporary Nature of Early-Career Roles: For postdoctoral researchers, positions are inherently temporary. Securing a permanent Staff Scientist role at a national lab is notoriously difficult due to limited openings and highly competitive, lifelong tenures, which often forces researchers to look externally for long-term career growth.