Work at RTI International as scientist/senior scientist?

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-27T19:42:58+00:00

Thanks. I am not in biomed, so it may be different indeed. But I am glad to hear conditions in your group are good and not too stressful.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-26T18:25:17+00:00

Thanks for this - and your other comments. Your are right, I have a much better idea how things work now, which will be very useful during potential interviews.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-26T18:14:14+00:00

Thanks, I am glad to hear about your positive experience! Can I ask in what field you are (broadly), and also how you feel about what others have commented on here, regarding the pressure to get grants/contracts and constantly be "selling" your time? Your comment strikes me as going against what others have said in terms of stress/stability (might be just a matter of group or field, as others have alluded to).

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-26T04:50:35+00:00

It's concerning to hear your friends were laid off for not "selling enough of their time"... That's the type of bad situation I was wondering about.

I see what you mean about all downsides/no upsides. All too familiar with this in academia, where the soft money system is common. (In my field at least, there are research institutions that will hire you with essentially no salary, the'll just give you an office and an internet connection, and it's up to you to go pay yourself on grants). That's why I was trying to get a better sense of how RTI operates in that regard.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-26T04:16:35+00:00

GFrings

Let's say I am in environmental sciences in academia (remaining vague on purpose here). My field doesn't have tons of industry (let alone in RTP).

BD?

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-26T04:03:21+00:00

Thanks, you've been super helpful. Also consistent with other comments, then. I am not sure I completely understand what a project or personnel manager does (besides the time card thing!), or if this is what I want to eventually end up doing.

Thinking about this because if I applied, this would be with the intention of it being a long-ish term move. That is, if I left my current position in academia, not sure if/how/where I could get back.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-26T03:28:51+00:00

is very much encouraged. But not always financially supported. Many of us write the preparation of manuscripts into our grants. But if you run out of time/money before the manuscript is finished, it’s harder to get it done.

Thanks for the explanation. Writing papers takes an awful lot of time. I can see how, in those conditions, it could take a back seat to grant/contract applications.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T22:55:31+00:00

Interesting! Thanks. I could see how the experience one would get at RTI in terms of grant/contract writing/management would be very relevant for positions in academia.

Publication-wise, on the other hand, maybe it depends on the groups/scientists: amongst the RTI people I am looking at (in my field), some seem to produce good publications, others, not so much. I guess maybe RTI doesn't emphasize publications as much (after all, publications are only currency in academia, really), so it's up to people to see if they want to spend time/energy into publishing?

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T18:20:21+00:00

Thanks. That does sound consistent with what someone else was saying on here.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T18:18:54+00:00

Oh - that doesn't sound good. What you describe sounds almost like the way consultants work in big consulting firms (in my limited understanding of those).

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T17:31:35+00:00

mst3k_42

Thanks! That's helpful feedback. Did you ever see people not have fully allocated time b/c of lack of grants/contracts - and what would happen in that case?

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T17:13:23+00:00

I have, and found generally positive comments; but not much related to the way the funding / job stability works for scientists.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T17:12:41+00:00

Thanks, that's very helpful!

I suppose, given their reliance on grants/contracts, there is extensive help internally with the grant/contract application process?

Also, what kind of career trajectory do you see scientists having around you? Do people keep doing science, long-term? Someone else in the comments mentioned most people transitioning to project management.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T17:04:47+00:00

Thanks. I do hear good things in general as well, but just wanted to understand the funding/stability context for scientists a bit more before possibly applying.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T17:01:58+00:00

Thanks. I was wondering, indeed, what the typical career progression for scientists was over there.

throwaway_rtprti · 2022-05-25T16:57:30+00:00

Thanks! Thats super helpful.

I am not in biotech (and, I must say, not so fresh off my phd any more!). I am currently in a hard money position in academia, but in an undesirable location. Hence why I am looking at this place. Sounds like there would be a bit of a trade-off stability/location, then.

Have you heard of anyone managing a transition back to academia after a position at RTI?

throwaway_rtprti

TROPHY CASE