Shift work is usually a bad idea for someone with BP, simply because we tend to do much better on a fixed schedule.

I used to do consulting work which required me to get up at all hours of the night and catch flights, fly across two time zones for meetings, then get up and do it over again. I ended up in a manic state for more than two years. In the end, it required multiple hospitalizations and a period of time on disability to get things straightened out. That time was probably a little more drastic than straight shift work, but the principal is the same. If I were you and had the choice, I'd go for an 8-5.

For the past 7 months I've been working an 8-5, and it has done wonders for my stability. Combined with a reasonable med combo, I've been more stable than I've been for the past 20 years.