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Remote work and the research administrator career track

  • 1.  Remote work and the research administrator career track

    TEAM CAYUSE
    Posted 02-14-2023 10:58

    Hi everyone,

    I was recently looking at the 2022 data from the Connect Community and something that stood out to me is the number of job posts (325 in 2022!). When I started at Cayuse, I asked my coworkers about the career paths of research administrators and was told that for a lot of folks in RA, they lived in college towns where the school was the big employer, so the main way to rise in the ranks was internal promotions.

    As one of those people myself who lives in a college town where the school is the big employer, I'm curious about what folks have observed about how this dynamic has changed with remote work becoming more common. Are you seeing more job hopping to climb the ladder? Has it let you bring in talented folks who normally would have been too geographically distant? What's your take on the new landscape of research administration careers?

    And as a reminder, you can post anonymously if this is a delicate subject :)



    ------------------------------
    Simon Helton
    He/him
    Community Manager
    Cayuse
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-15-2023 03:56

    This is fascinating to me as well.  Research admin has long been a profession where you have to move out to move up.  Maybe high-throughput shops have well-developed RA1 and RA2 kinds of serial positions, but in smaller schools we just truck along and do the same stuff across a career. Or we move to a different school for an Assistant Director position, and so on.  Now, people don't have to haul their whole family across the state or country for a new job.  And, at least in my family (back in the day) my career didn't pull the financial weight of my partner's, so justifying a move for my career would have been tricky anyway.  All of those potential barriers are gone with remote  work.  And I say yay to removing barriers.  Even though I personally don't much like working remotely - but I'm learning.



    ------------------------------
    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
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  • 3.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-16-2023 16:43
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Nope, no change in job description.  Late hours and early hours persist.  Workload is more.  Just wanting to know what other schools are experiencing.  Whether you're working from home locally or out of state, your salary is decreased.




  • 4.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-17-2023 06:14

    Well that, if you'll pardon the expression, is just bullshit on a stick. If anything, they ought to pay remote workers more - they have to pay for office furniture, they may have to upgrade their home internet service to accommodate work needs, etc. The only reason salary should go down is if your workload does.



    ------------------------------
    Michael Spires
    Research Development Officer
    Oakland University
    Rochester, MI
    (he/him)
    mspires@oakland.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-20-2023 07:20

    Originally when WFH and remote options were getting a lot of press, the idea of paying less was for workers who did not live in the same state/city as the employer and instead lived in a location with a much lower cost of living.   Until this thread I'd not heard of an employer implementing that for all WFH employees and have to assume the employer would prefer not to have WFH but is, for some reason, compelled to do so.   Their hope is that most will not take a lower salary and instead "choose" to be in the office.   It's employers like that that push more and more employees to seek options else where and one reason why actually WFH and fully remote options are gaining traction.

    I'm sorry for anyone stuck in that type of environment since it probably means the employer is passive-aggressive about a lot of other things as well.



    ------------------------------
    Lorraine Bell
    Research Program Manager
    University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-20-2023 11:39
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    I agree AND I tend to work more when I'm home. It's just easier to work a little longer, a little later, a little earlier knowing my bed is just upstairs.  And I'm actually okay with that flexibility.  It's not appreciated though.




  • 7.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-15-2023 07:09
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Simon,

    I've definitely seen a change since my department has been allowed to work remote full-time. My staff covers the main 3 time zones here in the U.S. Previously, we worked on two campuses at my institution. The ability to work remote has saved money for many of my staff. I have seen more remote jobs posted and when I've posted jobs for my department, people are simply telling me that they just want to work remote. This has allowed a wider array of candidates and allowed me to get employees from areas not even close to any campus at my institution. I also see individuals looking for higher level positions at many institutions. I love being able to do my job remote full time, but some of my concerns are that people are not committed to the longevity of a position if something else comes up. 




  • 8.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-15-2023 07:10

    While our University lets departments make their own determinations about WFH arrangements, staff are local and just don't drive to campus rather than living out of state or too far to commute.

    Not administrative related but other positions in our department have been much harder to fill and it's only been within the past few weeks that we've had a significant increase in the number of applications for open positions.   I think the COVID-19 shutdown and subsequent changes to remote vs in-person has driven a lot of people to re-evaluate what they want in an employer and what career path they want to pursue.  

    I'd be interested in hearing what others are seeing at their institutions.   I've started keeping an eye on posted jobs in various fields to see if there is a fully-remote position that speaks to me.

    Thanks,

    Lorraine



    ------------------------------
    Lorraine Bell
    Research Program Manager
    University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    Posted 02-16-2023 06:20

    The pandemic has changed everything...permanently.  I don't think things will ever "return to normal".  It definitely feels like the number of job postings has increased.  Simon, do you have the number of job postings from previous years as a comparison?  I'd be curious.  For those who are working remotely, do you find it difficult to become part of a new team of people?  The pool of jobs to choose from has expanded for those looking.  And I do agree that it's very easy to leave when the world is now your oyster due to be able to work anywhere.



    ------------------------------
    [Audrey Wineglass] [Foster]
    [Director, Sponsored Programs]
    [Gallaudet University]
    [Washington] [DC]
    [202-651-5497]
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    TEAM CAYUSE
    Posted 02-16-2023 08:52

    Good question, Audrey! I just looked at the 2021 stats and we had 271 job posts versus the 325 in 2022. I also know that both numbers don't represent all the openings, so there are clearly a lot of options for folks!



    ------------------------------
    Simon Helton
    He/him
    Community Manager
    Cayuse
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-16-2023 08:41
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    I'm curious if people's workplaces have a policy that reduces your salary if you work remotely?  




  • 12.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-16-2023 12:20

    My university does not reduce salary if you work remotely.   But again, none of our options allow you to live out of state.   Employers who do allow you to live out of state may have a different practice.



    ------------------------------
    Lorraine Bell
    Research Program Manager
    University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-16-2023 14:53

    What?  Why would they reduce your salary?  Did your job description change?  It seems like a reduced scope is the only reason your salary should go down.

    But I'm still musing on these post-COVID changes, which I agree are permanent.  GCOs having access to a wider range of possibilities could do the profession a world of good.  We have  (and I mean "we" quite literally to include me) have been notoriously boundary-free about accepting too much work, too many late nights and weekends....  We are not or ought not be the university's solution to ill-advised human resource planning.  And now... people have more possibilities for moving on if the work-load becomes intolerable.  I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE MY STAFF - she hollers, in case they are reading this.  But I am even more aware now that I have to do what I can to create an environment where we really act like it when we say that we value people and their contributions.



    ------------------------------
    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-17-2023 06:53
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    I totally agree, Andrea.  I believe the current job situation requires us to be even more attentive to ensuring staff has what they need to do their job AND time to decompress and enjoy life.  Offering professional development opportunities and letting them know you support them is essential.  Scheduling time together, via Teams or Zoom, is also important.   




  • 15.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-16-2023 16:41
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Regardless of whether you're in-state or out-of-state, there's a percentage decrease in what you get paid, if your position is fully remote.  I think it's unfair, but...




  • 16.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-20-2023 11:41
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Regardless of whether you live in or out of state, if you're working remotely for my institution, your salary is reduced by a certain percentage.  At least that's the policy.




  • 17.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-20-2023 10:33

    This is an excellent thread-a lot of good content and discussion. I appreciate everyone's willingness to talk about their experiences and university positions.  

    I have noted many different opportunities for WFH and Hybrid RA work recently.  Both in Academia and outside.  In some cases, a salary differential depends on the worker's location based on CoL for the area.  In most cases, the employer will be willing to negotiate the salary depending on the applicant's experience.  But CoL salaries for WFH and Hybrid jobs are becoming more popular nationwide.  

    An article in the Huffington Post in 2021 discussed this CoL-location-based pay scaling: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/location-based-pay-salary-cut-remote-work-pay_l_615c7ccee4b0896dd1a985d0

    So, this begs the question, is this 'fair and equitable'? We have these guidelines built into our hiring system.  Positions should be paid fairly and equitably based on experience, qualifications, and expertise. However, if you live in Boise, you will be paid less than in Seattle or Portland. 

    It should not matter if the position is remote, hybrid, or in-person, but now it seems it does. Are we now going to ask questions like, are you married, how many children do you support, do you own a home? If so, your salary will be adjusted accordingly.

    Thoughts?



    ------------------------------
    Michelle Davis, M.Ed.
    Research Administrator, Office of Research
    College of Health Sciences, Boise State University
    michelledavis3@boisestate.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 18.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-20-2023 11:10

    Right???  It seems to me that this whole situation is begging for a lawsuit.  Your pay depends on your job description -period.  VERY occasionally, a COLA could be in place for a very expensive locale, it seems to me - but it should be made obvious to all and sundry that that increment is not part of base pay.  Base pay shouldn't go down in any situation I can think of.

    A



    ------------------------------
    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
    ------------------------------



  • 19.  RE: Remote work and the research administrator career track

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-20-2023 11:37

    Yes, and I have followed up.  If a remote employee is hired at a location-specific pay band, can they renegotiate their salary should they relocate? 

    This type of banding based on location opens the door for this type of pay negotiation for employee/employer contracting. 

    Something to think about.

    *I might want to retire to Portland, so I will work remotely there for five years, negotiate the higher pay band take advantage of the Oregon retiree benefits, or possibly pop over to Vancouver, Washington keep the same pay band, and choose not to pay any state taxes at all. Hmm. -M



    ------------------------------
    Michelle Davis, M.Ed.
    Research Administrator, Office of Research
    College of Health Sciences, Boise State University
    michelledavis3@boisestate.edu
    ------------------------------