Ask HN: How to work when I have too many masters to serve?

Do you have a boss? I'd gather requirements without any promises and talk with him to decide what is important.

If that isn't an option I'd bring everyone together to discuss what is important and get everyone to agree. Everyone, this includes you. Provide a reasonable timetable and a reasonable schedule for the next iteration. (This is borderline Agile, but personally I try to stay away from rigid processes)

Also, do you HAVE many masters to serve, or are you trying to please everyone? I don't have to explain this line of questioning.

Main point, communication is key. Talk to your bosses, talk to your colleagues.

If you have multiple supervisors requesting things, realize when it comes to getting things done it's oftentimes a big power struggle. It's probably best to prioritize them according to power and push those projects through. Use the situation to exert power on your supervisor's behalf. Do it the right way and you can earn your colleague's respect and cooperation.

This works horizontally with your peers, but also vertically. If supervisor A is more powerful than supervisor B then push back on supervisor B due to higher priorities with supervisor A. If you're not overrun with work, instead of pushing back on B, you can make a deal: senior researcher C must assist you to get the project done. In either situation, you're proxying A's power and if you're lucky some of it will rub off on you.

The crucial detail is in how you execute. Leadership is just a euphemism for ability to exert of power in a way that people like.