Mixed Bag - Graduate Student Researcher UCLA Employee Review

3.0
Jul 21, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I have worked as a graduate student researcher for a little over 4 years, and there are a lot of things to like about UCLA. The campus is great, there are a lot of smart people to learn from if you look, and the competitive environment of Neuroscience really pushes you to be productive.

Cons

I don't know exactly where the kink is, but I have been double or triple paid several times, which seems nice but then the school sent all the notices to my first year address, even though I had changed my address through the main UCLA student web portal. Turns out the grant people keep their own addresses and don't update; they were attempting to go to collections against me when my adviser found out and obviously I got things settled. It then happened several more times (although obviously contacted them immediately later). On other occasions I have gone without pay for 2-3 months at a time, just to have them pay out all that money at once. Its EXTREMELY annoying as a grad student who doesn't make that much. I have other less direct evidence of the ridiculous inefficiency of UCLA's bureaucracy but its more hearsay. Just be ready for it.

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5.0
Jul 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Great pay and good work

Cons

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1.0
Jul 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

None that I can think of

Cons

A colleague was laid off today. She was with UCLA for 10+ years. She got a meeting invite with 10 minutes notice. Her Director read out a cold statement that her position was eliminated and handed her over to the HR. Her manager came running to her cubicle and told her she had 2 minutes to pack up and leave. He insisted that he accompanied her to her car. Many other colleagues had similar or worse experiences. All Managers and Directors and above saved their jobs. And they sacrificed many individual contributors.

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