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Stanford University

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Not enough protection for post-doctoral scholars - Postdoctoral Scholar Stanford University Employee Review

2.0
Aug 6, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are ton of resources to help you and a ton of classes and training available.

Cons

Competitive nature of the environment at Stanford promotes sociopathic, abusive, and exploitative behavior by some faculty. Definitely not every faculty is like this, only a select few. But I am unlucky enough to be with one of these abusive faculty members. While administration is sympathetic, there is very little real protection for abused postdocs, and very little to no consequences for abusive faculty, so the abusive behavior continues unchecked.

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Stanford University Response
9y
Postdoctoral scholars are not considered employees

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5.0
Jul 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

The Hume Center is the best on campus job! The people are amazing and you get to help students.

Cons

Some students might be uninterested when they come for their session.

4.0
Jun 19, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Overall, Stanford is an amazing place to work. The environment and benefits can't be beat. You can go for a swim on your lunch break or a walk around the lake. The recreational classes and opportunities are usually great. Eating at the dining hall, although pricy, is a real treat.

Cons

If you're not senior management, faculty, development, etc., Stanford's pay has not kept up with the cost of living in the area. If you come for a job from outside of California, be prepared for a real shock when you see the kinds of rentals and the prices. Beauty has a price. You will not be able to live near campus as the average employee. Unless you're really familiar with the traffic in California, don't look at places that you think are an hour away, because they'll be two hours away by car. And you'll have to pay to park on campus, so not driving at all is your best option. Many administrative jobs are held by partners of people working in tech or faculty, because that's the only way you can afford to live there. If you don't have a partner making $200K+, you'll be taking the train or bus for an hour. If you're thinking about buying a house and you don't have a suitcase of cash, that sound you're hearing is my laughter. It's also important to realize that the working conditions across campus vary by unit. Working at the Graduate School of Business will seem more like a corporate job; working in Medicine could be brutal; and the treatment you will get can vary by department.

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