GradLab Compass Toolkit

Tools for research life

Practical worksheets, planners, conversation guides, and Research Systems for the situations that rarely come with instructions.

GradLab Compass research life tools

Start with the problem you are trying to improve.

A Research System brings related tools together so you can work on a broader challenge instead of choosing worksheets one by one.

Instant PDF download · Use what you need · Yours to keep

Research Capacity System

Work with your actual workload, energy, priorities, and invisible labor instead of treating capacity as unlimited.

Includes
  • Weekly Capacity Planner
  • Burnout Early Warning Tracker
  • Guilt-Free PTO Planner
  • Invisible Work Planner
  • Affirmation Notes
Energy Rest Sustainable Work
5 tools $19
View System

Trainee-Mentor Meeting & Feedback System

Prepare for one-on-ones, clarify expectations, and make feedback or difficult conversations easier to navigate.

Includes
  • One-on-One Meeting Form
  • Mentorship Relationship Map
  • Feedback Reflection Worksheet
  • Difficult Conversation Prep
  • Individual Development Plan
Communication Feedback Psychological Safety
5 tools $19
View System

Lab & Team Foundations System

Make onboarding, collaboration, team norms, and everyday lab culture more explicit from the start.

Includes
  • Lab Culture Tool
  • Lab Onboarding Checklist
  • Collaboration Agreement
  • Team Retrospective Guide
  • Email Boundaries Tracker
  • Difficult Conversation Prep
Lab Culture Onboarding Team Norms
6 tools $24
View System

Career Direction System

Explore options, compare roles, translate your skills, and make career decisions that fit your current season.

Includes
  • Career Season Self Assessment
  • 5-Year Vision Map
  • Skill Gap Analysis
  • Academic-to-Industry Translation
  • Job Search Pipeline Tracker
  • Job Interview Playbook
  • Offer Evaluation Worksheet
Career Navigation Self-Awareness
7 tools $24
View System

Research Skills & Growth System

Identify development needs, prepare for opportunities, and turn feedback into a more concrete growth plan.

Includes
  • Conference Prep Planner
  • Skill Gap Analysis
  • Feedback Reflection Worksheet
  • Impostor Syndrome Reality Check
  • Individual Development Plan
Skills Growth Confidence
5 tools $19
View System

Want the full library?

The Complete Research Life Toolkit includes all five core Research Systems in one bundle.

Save $26 vs. buying the systems separately
$105 $79 Complete bundle View Bundle
Not sure where to start? Start free.

Free Research Essentials Kit

Five practical tools for common research-life situations: understanding your current season, planning around real capacity, making invisible work visible, preparing for a mentorship conversation, and translating your skills.

Use the one you need now. Save the others for when they become relevant.

Get the Free Research Essentials Kit
Free PDF · Immediate access
Research Career Season Self-Assessment Clarify where you are now and what kind of support fits this season.
Weekly Capacity Planner Plan around real energy, deadlines, meetings, and recovery.
Invisible Work Tracker Capture the labor behind progress that often goes uncounted.
Mentorship Conversation Prep Sheet Turn a vague concern into a clearer question or request.
Academic-to-Industry Skill Translation Worksheet Describe your research experience in language that travels beyond academia.

Need just one thing?

Every tool can also be purchased individually. Browse by the situation you are trying to address.