I think it's as much dependent on PI as on discipline. I know a young resercher whohad a terrible time at a Russell Group uni in a particular interdisciplinary research centre (but she and the PI were from computing) and she left well before the end of the contract due to his appalling approach to the workplace. This included the expectation, expressed months in advance, that they would all be working 12-14 hour days in the last week before the CHI conference deadline (I think it was CHI, perhaps WebSci). The PI was a 70+ hour week worker and expected his researchers tobe doing the same while also being abrasive and insulting ratherthan helpful and supportive. Luckily, she's found a job in an academic-related research centre, and is doing well, though I worry that she's going to find it difficult both internally and externally if shewants to move back into the main stream of academia. Her new place, working on quite similar things, not only does not expect silly hours, but has an anti-long-hours culture. The head of the group makes sure people are taking holiday when they say they're taking holiday, and tells them off gently for answering ordinary work emails when they should be off.
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dancing_serpent
(no subject)
Date: 2014-05-03 02:23 am (UTC)Luckily, she's found a job in an academic-related research centre, and is doing well, though I worry that she's going to find it difficult both internally and externally if shewants to move back into the main stream of academia. Her new place, working on quite similar things, not only does not expect silly hours, but has an anti-long-hours culture. The head of the group makes sure people are taking holiday when they say they're taking holiday, and tells them off gently for answering ordinary work emails when they should be off.