IRC POSTDOC 2018

postdoc2018

Has to be today, surely?!

Gile_na_gile

Technically, they could push it as far as Monday, by which time a proportion of us will already have made commitments to other jobs in other places. I think that for next year, they should push the whole thing forward another month. In 2016, the results were coming out late June (HUM) and early July (for STEM), which was crazy, but it is still not quite right.

Delaney101

hopefully today?

postdoc2018

I agree it is extremely late in the year and would much rather these decisions be made earlier. It’s hard to keep hedging the bets on all fronts until the outcome! The NUI postdoc fellowship only hold the interviews in July though, which seems absolutely crazy to me so relatively soeaking, the IRC are reasonable. Fingers crossed for today in any case - make sure to send an update if anything happens!

Delaney101

will keep checking today and send notification if I see any change.

This whole process has been a horrible wait. It would be better if they gave us abit more information e.g., expected dates of results; through phase 1 & 2. What happened to the so-called phase 1 & 2. I suppose the strike in the UK delayed the process somewhat?

Solli

Minister is meeting with the Council today so expect announcement within the hour...

postdoc2018

Solli wrote: »

Minister is meeting with the Council today so expect announcement within the hour...

Eeek what does that mean?!

Delaney101

who said that?

postdoc2018

Would be very surprised if they make an announcement this late in the day, especially considering that the portal hasn’t been down at all today. But fingers crossed! Obviously can’t leave my computer now until close of business...

Delaney101

is today the day?

postdoc2018

I’m starting to think that by ‘end of April’, they meant ‘sometime in May’...

Gile_na_gile

In other years, it has meant halfway into the next month for STEM applicants. On previous form, the results should be out today shortly before noon. Will probably give them a ring if there is no news. Can't keep hedging until next week...

A bit materialistic on the dayof the crate drop, but given rent in Dublin and dependents etc, do ye know how much the salary amounts to monthly after all deductions? I know there is a 3.3k PRSI contribution on top of salary, as well as pension, but what would be the montly take home?

Delaney101

I read in another post about monthly take home pay? with deductions I read 25-26k per annum €2k per month ish + 5,000 expenses

Gile - I know what you mean. It's nice to get a postdoc to do your own research etc but there's a lot of risk and sacrifice. Pay isn't great and permanent job is a pipe dream (IRC being a stepping stone but not solid ground). Risk and sacrifice even more with family, mortgage, leaving job, leaving home country etc. is it worth it?

just throwing that out there to shake up the conversation?

Gile_na_gile

I think this award is ideal for those who would be on Level 1 postdoc, in which case the salary is ok, and you get to do your own pet project completely designed by you with your mentor's guidance. If you have postdoc experience (at Level 2 or higher), and a nice flow of publications (teaching counts for little...), then the fellowship is a 10k paycut in exchange for your own project.

Note that our economy is once again doing well, and there are lots of postdoc opportunities for a country of our size and an increasing trickle of lectureships. Would be good if they had two levels, but I think they are addressing this at the moment with something in between this and the Laureate award, which has lots of assistant professors and senior lecturers among awardees.

Delaney101

yeah that's a good point, especially about postdoc levels. which I agree with. Your optimistic. I would be more pessimistic.

postdoc2018

It’s not going to be today either, is it?

Re: the salary - it hasn’t changed for literally years (a decade even?) which is a bit of a disgrace really. That said, things have been so volatile in Irish Higher Education in the last few years that it’s understandable. However, as you mention Gile_na_Gile, now that things are improving in the sector, surely the onus is on the IRC to match cost of living. I was interested to see that the NUI fellowship salary is 40k. Pity there’s only one of them this year!

Gile_na_gile

The NUI fellowship is 40k in its entirety, whereas the IRC is 45k including fieldwork, PRSI, and pensions contributions. So I am wondering if maybe the NUI one (literally one) is not even lower in salary? There was pressure this year to raise the IRC salary, but it wasn't successful. The Enterprise one might be higher, but they are late with putting the call out, so who knows. I think the salary reflects the fact that we are 'postdoctoral students'

Delaney101

IMO, despite the drawbacks of IRC, at least it's based on peer-review and merit. unlike so many postdoc positions advertised (in the humanities - don't know about STEM),which are internally pre-ordained in a nepotistic fashion.

sorry the wait is making me vent!!

chocksaway

I've been working as postdoc for over a year now at point 2.

i've applied for this grant as money in the lab was tight and liked the idea of running my own project at last.

But over time I've decided that I have no desire to do it. Post doc life is too demanding with long hours and supervision of junior students/staff to be taking a pay cut for

The salary scale is completely screwed.

L.Belcher

Well thank you all - the wait has been horrendous, but lurking in your company has made it a bit more bearable. Was really hopping for some news by now - surely there were applications that could have been eliminated early on (including, I suspect mine). Now I don't know how much effort I have to out into my Tesco interview. Ahh, who am i kidding, I don't have the experience for Tesco...

Gile_na_gile

chocksaway wrote: »

I've been working as postdoc for over a year now at point 2.

i've applied for this grant as money in the lab was tight and liked the idea of running my own project at last.

But over time I've decided that I have no desire to do it. Post doc life is too demanding with long hours and supervision of junior students/staff to be taking a pay cut for

The salary scale is completely screwed.

I guess the STEM experience is very different, with so many lab responsibilities. For Humanities, I wager that other than the crap salary and any voluntary teaching duties (for which I would be paid), I would have a lot of freedom to wander in and out of fieldwork, work from home, etc. A negative might be that not having assistants or collaborators the research can only do so much, but if you have a good host, then you can co-author and so on.

For lab work, I imagine there are excellent options for hopping in and out of industry and covering wage drops with wage hikes to 50k-80k. Probably helps with getting a permanent post or a PI position?

laurittcha

Hi all.

This wait is killing me! So I rang them and they said to email postdoc at research.ie and this is the reply I got from them:

"You’ll be receiving an email from us next Monday with the outcome of your application."

So Monday it is. Damn it! A very anxious weekend ahead for me....

Good luck to all

postdoc2018

Oh well. Good to know and thanks for the update. See you all here on Monday for more of the same. Try to enjoy the weekend anyway!

Delaney101

Thanks laurittcha

well that clears that up. The last day of April it is then. I take it results will be released at 11.59pm!!

Have a good weekend. Best of luck to all. Talk Monday

laurittcha

Does anyone know if the result on Monday is just for those who went ahead to 'Phase 2' and if those who didn't go beyond Phase 1 have already been notified?

postdoc2018

laurittcha wrote: »

Does anyone know if the result on Monday is just for those who went ahead to 'Phase 2' and if those who didn't go beyond Phase 1 have already been notified?

I haven’t heard of anyone being notified yet either way.

carathump

laurittcha wrote: »

Does anyone know if the result on Monday is just for those who went ahead to 'Phase 2' and if those who didn't go beyond Phase 1 have already been notified?

Will it now be a case of "sorry you did not get the funding...and you actually didn't even get to the final round...kept you guessing though!" Ouch.

Best of luck to everyone for Monday :-)

Delaney101

morning folks

today is the day!

postdoc2018

Should we have a little wager as to what time the announcement will be made? I reckon 11:30ish....:confused

SaraFraichi

Morning everyone and good luck for today ! 
I cannot wait anymore so i hope that the announcement will arrive this morning!