University of Sydney Reviews in Sydney, Australia Area

Pros

Fantastic employee benefits - lots of paid sick leave, paid maternity leave, 17% superannuation and a 35 hr working week with flexitime.

Cons

Not as great pay as you could get in industry jobs.

Pros

good research but closed net groups

Cons

no chances of advancement, raise nor job security

Advice to Senior Management

create a sense of some job security in employees - renewing few months at a time is not good

Pros

Excellent work life balance at the research assistant level. Any higher and the level of competition in the academic world requires greater work.
The union has negotiated a great pay scale with excellent incremental increases. Annual step progressions also mean a higher income each year. However once you get to the top of a step there's nowhere to go.

Cons

Once you get to the top of a step there's nowhere to go! As a general staff it takes a lot to get a promotion or a reclassification.
Also, the Vice Chancellor is making huge staff cuts in the coming year so there will be greater dissatisfaction at the University.

Pros

It has a good weather. It is not too competitive. There is flexibility with your time job. Good balance with your life. There are good salaries.

Cons

No too many funds for science. There is no good comunication with your bosses. The city is very expensive and the houses are completely unafordable.

Advice to Senior Management

Should be a better career promotion at postdoctoral level. Should be a better free career training. Sould be a better acknowledge for the people working here, for example in the web page groups there are only information about bosses.

Pros

Plenty of freedom
Good research environment
You are encouraged to apply your own grant
Promotion opportunity
You can choose to focus on research rather than teaching

Cons

Lack of support from senior researchers
Sub-par salary comparing to the similar position in other institutions and industry
No bonus

Advice to Senior Management

Apply for your own grant

Pros

Working as a tutor gives good pay and little pressure. It is a fun and rewarding job and fits in well with existing studies you are undertaking.

Cons

The biggest problem is with poorly developed tutoring materials. If the course co-ordinator works hard to develop good material, it is a pleasure to teach it.

Advice to Senior Management

Management is great but needs more checks to ensure that the quality of tutoring materials is of a high standard.

Pros

Sandstone. Close to where I live. Scope for expansion. Very good reputation.

Cons

The University is massively bureaucratic and therefore latently obstructive. It is (almost unapologetically) elitist, without recognising that elitism is a political choice, and not just about social value or quality. This elitism sometimes becomes complacency. Old-fashioned.

Advice to Senior Management

Need stronger strategies for encouraging staff development and innovation. Seek a better alignment between teaching, research and administration. Take advantage of the intangible assets of the university. Don't try to run it as a business.