Initially pursuing a career in teaching and research, Lane carried out post-doctoral studies in the Department of Applied Mathematics at Queen's University Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland, studying with Professor Alexander Dalgarno, and as a visiting fellow at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (currently JILA), working with Dr. Sydney Geltman.

On leave from Rice for the academic year 1979-1980, Lane served as director of the Division of Physics at the National Science Foundation (NSF).

[3][4] Returning to Rice as provost in 1986, Lane served in this role until 1993, when he joined the Bill Clinton Administration as director of the NSF and ex officio member of the National Science Board.

As Director of the NSF from 1993-1998, Lane focused on preserving the agency's emphasis on supporting fundamental research in all fields of science, mathematics and engineering.

During Lane's tenure, the NSF was required to develop a formal long-range strategic plan in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993.

[5] The NSF plan[6] avoided prescriptive quantitative metrics and retained a discipline-based organization focused on funding excellent basic research, with expert peer review evaluation as the main criterion for success.

NSF also established the CAREER program for young investigators and began implementation of the first federal agency electronic system for proposal submission and review.

During Lane's tenure, the NSF created the major research equipment budget line,[7] which supported several construction projects, including the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), the first GEMINI telescope, and the new Amundsen-Scott South Pole Research Station, part of the U.S. Antarctic Program.

As science advisor to President Clinton, Lane worked to promote the administration's science and technology initiatives and, specifically, championed the advancement of basic scientific research in the U.S. During Lane's tenure, the White House OSTP dealt with policies related to stem cell research, food safety, missile defense, climate change, the U.S. space program.

Lane continues to lecture, provide Congressional testimony, meet with students, scholars and leaders in education, business and public policy.

Neal Lane and George Abbey, "United States Space Policy: Challenges and Opportunities Gone Astray," American Academy of Arts and Sciences (occasional paper) (Cambridge, Mass., 2009).

Matthews, Neal Lane and Kenneth M. Evans, "U.S. Scientific Research and Development 202", in "Science Progress" (July 23, 2011, on-line) http://scienceprogress.org/2011/07/u-s-scientific-research-and-development-202/ 9.