How do I deal with a very frustrating Post-Doc

<p>I've posted before and received some good advice. I'm a doctoral student in an engineering program at a school in CA. I work with a post-doc in my research group that I'm having significant problems with. This post-doc and I are on the same project and funding source. This post-doc was a doctoral student when I first started and is now a post-doc. I was hoping some students or profs in similar situations could give me some helpful advice. Some of my frustrations include:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>The guy never responds to my e-mails</p></li>
<li><p>In many cases the guy does not forward important data or schedules that I need to do my job even after I've asked several times.</p></li>
<li><p>My advisor(who I like and work well with) has told me to focus my research on a very promising direction that moves our project away from the post-docs research. The post-doc has told me several times to stop what our advisor is telling me to do and focus on other things. This is frustrating.</p></li>
<li><p>The guy doesn't even show up to group meetings about 1/3 of time. This seems to happen more often when I really need to talk to the guy.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Any advice on how to deal with these situations?! I'm sure many well say to speak to my advisor about this. My advisor knows and I don't need to speak to him. My advisor has actually warned me several times about potential problems with this post-doc and I have never brought up the subject in conversations with my advisor. I believe my advisor is trying to get this post-doc to find other employment, but it may be difficult because of this post-doc's important family connections. I'm concerned that this post-doc wants to stay, forever(i.e. work his way up at our university by being a researcher and then prof). The post-doc seems resistant to leaving. The post-doc even owns an expensive residence in town that would be a stretch for a assistant professor to own.</p>

<p>A postdoc continuing on in the same group after graduating is a bad sign 'round these parts for sure. I’m sure you don’t want to be disagreeable, but that postdoc has zero power over you. You should listen to your advisor; he has had problem students in the past and knows how to work around them.</p>

<p>Bummer. This really sucks. It happened to me too and I just rode it out. The postdoc moved along to another project and the project we shared became mine. If it looks like the PI wants the postdoc to move along, [and any PI should recognize that a former grad student should postdoc elsewhere] then maybe this is a temporary inconvenience for ya.</p>

<p>Don’t be phased by him. Your adviser is the person who matters since he runs the lab and controls the funds.</p>