Physics Lecturer: Job Description, Pay, Allowance & Satisfaction

[Mit-chan]

Yeah, so I'm a physics student (sorry, it's obvious, I know) and I am seriously considering taking on a job as a lecturer (a teacher first) after I graduate.

I'm interested to know how is it like, the pay, the monthly allowance, the satisfaction you get, etc. Any current physics lecturer in here, or something similar- or perhaps know something about such issue to give an advice?

 

[Vanadium 50]

This varies enormously from country to country, even with regard to job title. A "lecturer" in the UK is the lowest rung of permanent faculty, but in the US it's usually a title given to a part-timer.

 

[physics girl phd]

In the US:

Note that in the present economic downturn, some colleges are disposing of lecturers, choosing to instead reduce the number of times per year that upper-level courses are offered (some even being offered every other year).

Being a lecturer does often mean part-time (if there are courses left after tenured and tenure-track faculty fulfill their teaching obligations)... and this means you probably will not receive benefits (health, etc.).

As such, you're a second-rate citizen in the department... even if you get teaching awards and win grants for education research (doing that on the side).

Note: Our department chair is very supportive of lecturers (in our case, it adds to the diversity of the department.. and in my particular case... I've been winning intra-university education research grants to get funds for my class and to go to conference with my research results)... but I still feel this way, and my job is still in jeopardy after this term.

I'd take a lecturer position only if it's the only thing you can get at the time. Honestly.

 

[Mit-chan]

Thanks for the help, guys. My uni is in Perth, Western Australia. US and UK's market doesn't seem compromising to me regarding such job.