PostDoc

What exactly do you do, details

I am a PostDoc at the University. I have to take care of a research project where there are 3 PhD students and some Masters. I have to address the students in their work but also to deliver my own research to my Professor. I have extra assignments concerning safety issues, material purchasing and tools responsible.

What sort of company do you work for, how many employees does it have etc?
University, 18,000+

What part(s) of your job do you really enjoy?
Working in the lab

What part(s) of your job do you really dislike?
Waiting periods. When you dont know what to do because the work is stack by other people.

What software/special language do you use?
None

Who, within or outside the company, gives you tasks to do etc.?
My professor and my students

To whom do you report?
To my professor

With whom do you interact most often?
PhD students

How many phone calls you do you receive/make a week?
3-4

How many emails do you receive/make a week?
50

How many meetings do you attend a week?
3

What does excellence mean in your domain?
Publishing in good journals

What does incompetence mean in your domain?
Not publishing

Describe a tough day.
I get to work at 8am but the tool I need is booked by someone who doesnt show up until 11, so I decide to look for the technician I need to operate another instrument. He has been on holidays for a month and yesterday someone used the tool and broke it. There is a second chance using a similar machine, but that technician just toke holidays for the next five weeks. In the mean time someone has, by mistake, poor some waste in my reaction so I have to start again the work of the last week. I go home late and I have done nothing.

Describe a good day.
Get early, work smooth, have some good results before lunch. Prepare the next tasks having a coffee and advance some preparation before 4pm.

With whom do you have conflicts?
Normally with no one. It is useless to have conflicts at work.

What makes you happy in your work?
The fact that one day someone will use my work for their own research and it will be useful for the people. If not, that I contribute to understand better the World where we live.

How are you evaluated?
On my work and interaction with my colleagues.

How many years might a person do this job?
2-3

How many years does one have to study to do this job?
school + bachelor + university + PhD... at least until you are 28, I think.

What kind of training are you offered?
Scientific instruments, constantly. Some on proposals writing.

What does your boss do?
Mainly delegate work on others, to keep everyone busy and discard useless tasks. Paperwork, looking for collaborations, funding.

What do your subordinates do?
Sometimes report some good work done. Other times make me work double. Mainly keep me busy and make me learn from the interaction.

What does it take to get fired from this job?
Not working, being lazy and not helpful. Bad interaction with colleagues.

What do you have to do to get promoted from this job?
Find a position in another group or your own research grant.

What did you do before doing this job?
A PhD

What could you do after this job?
Another PostDoc or going to industry as project manager.

Could you do this job in other country?
Yes

How do you dress for work?
Casual

How many hours do you work a week?
40

How often do you do overtime?
Only in very busy periods, but then it is for something good.

Do you go out to have lunch?
Normally not. Unfortunately I eat in front of the PC too often.

Do you have lots of friends at work?
Not really.

Are you happy with how much you earn?
Yes

What other job do you think you would love?
This one is good.

What would you change to make your job more beautiful?
The place where I work is old and ugly. The people around me is nice, but we dont match.

How did you end up doing this job?
The knew me from the PhD and offered me the job.

Would you recommend this job to your kids?
Yes

Are you happy with this job?
I am ok

Science PhD Researcher

What sort of company do you work for, how many employees does it have etc?
K... University - one of the best Research Univ in the world. I don't know the number of the employees

What part(s) of your job do you really enjoy?
The possibility to discover something really important to treat specific diseases

What part(s) of your job do you really dislike?
Absence of clear career system
Distance from reality

What software/special language do you use?
Windows- English

Who, within or outside the company, gives you tasks to do etc.?
My supervisor (University Prof.)

To whom do you report?
My supervisor

With whom do you interact most often?
My colleagues

How many phone calls you do you receive/make a week?
0

How many emails do you receive/make a week?
20/week

How many meetings do you attend a week?
2

What does excellence mean in your domain?

Unfortunately number of publication and impact factor of the Journals

What does incompetence mean in your domain?
Absence of publications

Describe a tough day.
You get the result of an experiment lasted 2 weeks that does not fit completely with your working hypothesis

Describe a good day.
You do not have a tough day

With whom do you have conflicts?
My supervisor but rarely

What makes you happy in your work?
-

How are you evaluated?
According to the data you produce

How many years might a person do this job?
8 years maximum

How many years does one have to study to do this job?

If well organized 3 years of university can be enough

What kind of training are you offered?
Science

What does your boss do?
Science

What do your subordinates do?
-

What does it take to get fired from this job?
-

What do you have to do to get promoted from this job?
To publish papers

What did you do before doing this job?
Student

What could you do after this job?
Industry
Academia

Could you do this job in other country?
Yes

How do you dress for work?
casual

How many hours do you work a week?
Around 50-60

How often do you do overtime?
90% of the time

Do you go out to have lunch?
No

Do you have lots of friends at work?
Few friends and a lot of colleagues

Are you happy with how much you earn?
No

What other job do you think you would love?
Self-employee
Industry

What would you change to make your job more beautiful?
Clear career system
Less politics
More contact with reality

How did you end up doing this job?
Naive idea about science

Would you recommend this job to your kids?
No

Are you happy with this job?
No