UC San Francisco Reviews

Pros

Decent PTO, COVID pay and Sick Pay, health benefits

Cons

Below average pay, expensive parking, no room for growth

Pros

Both the pros and cons might not apply to every unit in the campus system, but having read some other ones on here, it does feel like there is a shared theme. Good benefits and pension package, an inspiring mission, interesting colleagues. The UCSF healthcare system, if you choose that as your plan, is some of the best in the Bay Area. Flexible schedule supportive of occasional remote work, although sometimes you have to fight for it a bit (well, pre-Pandemic you did). Feels good to see UCSF in the news and know that your workplace is impacting the world in a meaningful way.

Cons

You buy into the mission and vision, and you're excited about the retirement plan, so the first few years pass by in a honeymoon glow. But then you don't notice how many more years have passed and you've not had any growth opportunities, because everyone else also clings to their roles so there is sometimes a limit you hit with moving up. Your skills atrophy unless you make the effort to seek out training opportunities (on top of an already huge workload that is hard to balance). and anything you might learn is going to be hard to implement because department heads don't want to allocate resources for new software or adding a new role that could bring value. And then there's the fact that the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion messaging doesn't actually align with the reality. People organizing diversity events sometimes use language that goes counter to their messaging. Accountability seems to work on a trickle down system where the heads of departments are protected before the employees are.

Pros

Best technology, amazing access to intersectional scientists and techniques. Your peers are so friggin' smart and amazing you will absolutely learn by leaps and bounds Prestige out the wazoo. They're one of the top receivers of grants in academia. San Francisco is a cool place to live Best place to start your biotech startup while you work there! Staff there really care about the students! Office of Career and Professional Development might be the best in the country

Cons

They actively discourage unionizing - don't believe that you don't deserve to unionize A lot of talk about DEI, not much in terms of follow through HR is only there to protect faculty, not students or staff They allow toxic ppl to run many programs and consider it part of the trade It's very much a sink or swim place unless you hit the jackpot with a real mentor Ridiculously expensive to live even nearby, unrealistic stipend. Minimal support for parents. Super toxic academic culture of "well I was here in lab on a weekend"