15 replies to this topic

[Minnie Mouse]

Do you think the global recession will affect the availbility of job in research?

I will be submitting my PhD thesis after three months.
At the moment, I can only find a three month volunteer technician job, which I can start after submitting my thesis.

I have been asking around but most PI aren't interest in taking a post-doc, not even a self-funded post-doc.    

Any tips in persuading people to take me as a self-funded post-doc?
I don't need the PI to pay me a salary, as I have enough saving to support myself for one year.
As long as the PI is willing to train me...not just making buffer and filling tip-box.

Minnie is very desperate for a job. I know many people are now unemploy.
It would be difficult for me to find a job.  

[mdfenko]

yes, i think the recession affects jobs in research. pharma is laying off and grants are more difficult to obtain. government jobs are frozen or being reduced. schools are getting reduced funding.

although you would think that any pi would take a self-funded postdoc you have to realize that there are other expenses than salary. supplies are required, with a certain amount of expected waste, when training someone. the pis may think that one year is not worth the investment and they can't afford to extend your stay.

that being said, there is always someone looking for a competent postdoc. so hang in there, you should be able to find something (where they will pay you).

[gebirgsziege]

This is horrible: nobody wants you even if you are self funded     I was not funded during my PhD,but I never had a problem to get the abiltiy to work as long as I did not want money......
But where I learned a lot was when I was doing analyes for different working groups and companies to get some money.....lots of methods and strategies for experimental set-up, so maybe you can get hold on some of these freelacer jobs???? Its nothing forever, but I hope that funding will increase again in one or two years time and the economic pressure will decline.
Ok this might be an optimistic point of view, but do we have any options? I think most of us hanging round here are PhD students and PostDocs or depend on some project funding. So of course the global recession will affect research as well, especially "basic" research with no clear applicable goal (like my field - taxonomy, although you can not do proper research without knowing your organism).

Do you want to stay in a certain area or are you free to move? I think somebody like you should find a PosDoc position somewhere!

[Telomerase]

Poland isn't in recession (though the crisis is here, too) and I hope we'll stay in plus.
There are government plans to increase budget in science, actually, and those aren't supposed to be changed. There is a caveat, though - to have a decent payment, better apply for a Marie-Curie stipend or something like that, and you have to choose wisely your supervisor. Half of Polish PIs are with their minds still in socialism era; another half develops ideas very robustly. It's a matter of knowing where to apply.

[hobglobin]

I heard that countries with a lot of private funded universities will encounter problems, because the donations decrease largely and sponsors don't have that much money left or think twice if they still want to finance the university.
State-aided universities (or whatever is the correct term) will have less problems at least if not the government reduces the research budget, as telomerase wrote.
Perhaps poetic justice, the non-private ones were always underfunded...

[casandra]

hobglobin, on Feb 1 2009, 05:21 PM, said:

I heard that countries with a lot of private funded universities will encounter problems, because the donations decrease largely and sponsors don't have that much money left or think twice if they still want to finance the university.
State-aided universities (or whatever is the correct term) will have less problems at least if not the government reduces the research budget, as telomerase wrote.
Perhaps poetic justice, the non-private ones were always underfunded...

But even before this economic meltdown, some gov'ts have been gradually reducing funding set aside for research- esp fundamental research..and now with many sectors asking the govt for bailouts, how do you think  the universities and research institutions would rank in the gov't's list of priorities?

[Telomerase]

casandra, on Feb 1 2009, 03:39 PM, said:

hobglobin, on Feb 1 2009, 05:21 PM, said:

I heard that countries with a lot of private funded universities will encounter problems, because the donations decrease largely and sponsors don't have that much money left or think twice if they still want to finance the university.
State-aided universities (or whatever is the correct term) will have less problems at least if not the government reduces the research budget, as telomerase wrote.
Perhaps poetic justice, the non-private ones were always underfunded...

But even before this economic meltdown, some gov'ts have been gradually reducing funding set aside for research- esp fundamental research..and now with many sectors asking the govt for bailouts, how do you think  the universities and research institutions would rank in the gov't's list of priorities?

You're right, however here it's a political matter - raises in science budget were planned for a long time now and gained a lot of publicity. just like with funds for public schools. That is a very surprising amount of common sense for politicians, but our prime minister seriously thought to develop the country by raising science funds and building highways. Now they can't back, since the plans are already in motion.
It probably depends on the funding structures in every country.

[gebirgsziege]

Telomrase, on Feb 2 2009, 07:40 PM, said:

casandra, on Feb 1 2009, 03:39 PM, said:

hobglobin, on Feb 1 2009, 05:21 PM, said:

I heard that countries with a lot of private funded universities will encounter problems, because the donations decrease largely and sponsors don't have that much money left or think twice if they still want to finance the university.
State-aided universities (or whatever is the correct term) will have less problems at least if not the government reduces the research budget, as telomerase wrote.
Perhaps poetic justice, the non-private ones were always underfunded...

But even before this economic meltdown, some gov'ts have been gradually reducing funding set aside for research- esp fundamental research..and now with many sectors asking the govt for bailouts, how do you think  the universities and research institutions would rank in the gov't's list of priorities?

You're right, however here it's a political matter - raises in science budget were planned for a long time now and gained a lot of publicity. just like with funds for public schools. That is a very surprising amount of common sense for politicians, but our prime minister seriously thought to develop the country by raising science funds and building highways. Now they can't back, since the plans are already in motion.
It probably depends on the funding structures in every country.

they said the same here too, but now even our national funding agency was not able to approve any projects, as they are not sure to get enough money this year....but still I hope that it gets better again  

[Minnie Mouse]

Funding will be reduced in research due to global recession.  

Will there be massive layoff in research?

[casandra]

Minnie Mouse, on Feb 2 2009, 06:22 PM, said:

Funding will be reduced in research due to global recession.  

Will there be massive layoff in research?

Oh yes, and it will be worse before it gets better... ..c'mon Minnie....let me be the prophetess of doom here...

[Telomerase]

Huh! One striking thought - does that mean I was actually lucky to restart my PhD studies? When I finish, the recession will be over and I will be competing with people who have three years less lab experience. PI will say: yup, she's heck old, but she can do stuff neatly and has papers (hopefully). <optimism mode on>
Minnie, go to Poland! Apply for a stipend. We'll love having you there.

Edited by Telomrase, 03 February 2009 - 01:41 AM.

[haiyan]

Telomrase, on Feb 3 2009, 01:08 AM, said:

Huh! One striking thought - does that mean I was actually lucky to restart my PhD studies? When I finish, the recession will be over and I will be competing with people who have three years less lab experience. PI will say: yup, she's heck old, but she can do stuff neatly and has papers (hopefully). <optimism mode on>
Minnie, go to Poland! Apply for a stipend. We'll love having you there.

I still found there were many advertisement for post-doc or academics. I don't think the global recession affect the reserach field a lot.

[perneseblue]

I think the global recession won't effect academic research this year because the money has already been allocated.  Next year, however will be a different story. If the recession gets worst, than next year grants will be scarce and academic jobs will be harder to find. I think industrial jobs will be first hit.... probably seeing waves in that sector right now.

[gebirgsziege]

perneseblue, on Feb 4 2009, 01:44 PM, said:

I think the global recession won't effect academic research this year because the money has already been allocated.  Next year, however will be a different story. If the recession gets worst, than next year grants will be scarce and academic jobs will be harder to find. I think industrial jobs will be first hit.... probably seeing waves in that sector right now.

I recently read a paper on Naturejobs that in the US there is already the problem that lots of people coming from industry come back to academic jobs including project management. And they are more likely to get a job as most of them have done a MBA or something similar while working......
So if the recession gets worse grants will decline but people applying for them or jobs in the projects will get more......

[Trof]

The goverment here announced big cuts in science and research budget as the most expendable. Really thanks for that.
Which is almost the only source of funding for research here. Two national grant agencies are to be canceled soon and goverment will only help through the huge crazy EU grants. Megalomania comming.
Not a very happy pespective.