Worse experience I have ever had after working for 5 educational institutions in 3 countries
Pros
The only Pros in my position was the illusions of the beginning. Other positions like full faculties and staffs are full of benefits; but they make sure that the benefits remain only for them, so that they can shimmer it to tempory positions people, and exploit them as much as possible.
Cons
A world of modern slavery for postdocs. At FSU, they have a category of employees called OPS, with no benefit, and that can be fired at anytime even for no reason. They put most of the postdocs in that category. They don't mention it in the negociation nor in the offer and they don't give any documentation for the category; at least in my case. I found it for the first time on the pay check. Then I searched for the signification but it was too late, I was already in the position as an international postdoc with no possibility to change the employer without the agreement of the current employer. And there are many international people in similar situation. I found it ridiculous for a ranked University in US, to exploit the international people that way. - I am also impressed by the gossip: a professor always saying how bad are other people, how bad are other institutions. - It is the first time I found a distinguished professor spending most of his time digging into the private life of people with whom he works; investing a lot to find other people they meet, what they discuss, what they do of their free time. Inviting mutual acquaintance to dinner just to get more details. To compensate the time he spent in unuseful investigations, he overloads people with whom he works. Calling at night and during the week-end, hidding behind checking on them to give them extra work. - I was disapointed to hear a HR agent telling me that I am an OPS employee and can be fired at any time even for no reason. I understood that the system is build like that, and that it is not helpful to report any mistreatment to the HR.
