research assistant

teaching assistant

graduate researcher

graduate assistant

software engineer

Carnegie Mellon University

Temp assignments typically last one to four months, although my first assignment was  six months long.  Tasks very from front desk reception, to financial management, event management, data entry or supporting faculty.

It is really challenging to step into new jobs 3-4 times a year.  It is stressful learning the position, tasks and of course the personalities of a different office team.  Most offices are in significant need by the time they decide to spend funds to bring in a temp.  Most jobs have kept me extremely busy, and nearly all have been kind and appreciative. 

Generally, I would say that the University undervalues this Department and the people who work as Temps through it.

The policy differences between regular employees ( even limited term employees) and Temps are: 
1) No paid time off (PTO).
2) No increase in wage based upon performance or longevity, no bonus structure.
3) Wage is set at the lowest available rate for the position grade, which is well below what the University offers any regular new hire.

Every other rule and benefit is the same.  We just get shockingly low wage and the stress of not having paid time off. 

Having a Temp who already knows the finance and other in-house systems is of value to an office, since you are able to hit the ground running, so to speak, and not have the learning curve of, say, someone who might be hired from an outside Temp Agency who would have to start from scratch.  That is the reason given for the low wage- to keep it competitive against outside vendors, however, the value of having a trained, in house cadre should offset this to at least some degree.  Each manger who learned my rate of pay was shocked and/or disgusted with the low amount- compared to what the same position would pay even a regular new hire with the same amount of experience and capabilities.

The health insurance is really great, but to use it, you have to take unpaid time off- and if you're making $13 and hour, each hour is a pretty big deal.  Still, the great health insurance coverage is the biggest draw of the position, since the Health Market Place in PA is a horror show.

You can take up to two classes at a time ( after a minimum time in the job), free (tuition benefits) but as a Temp, it is hard to plan around, since you may change jobs mid- semester, and not get approved by the new manager to attend.  

The City of Pittsburgh has a new ordinance that requires employers of CMU's size to grant the accrual of of Sick Leave at the rate of ( roughly) 1 hour per week of full time work.  It went into effect today.  Not a word from Administration about this.

As a PhD. student, I am an independent researcher. My typical day at work starts with brainstorming ideas and analyzing my available data to verify my ideas. Sometimes when I come up with great ideas I often go to my adviser to discuss about them. He is always available to listen to my ideas, and helps me realize many aspects of my ideas. 

Over the years, I have learned to become a good problem solver, a good data analyzer, and be creative or think-outside-of-a-box person. 

Every week, I have a group meeting with colleagues. I have learned to be a team player. But in some occasions, I led meetings' agenda. I have had respects and acknowledgements from them. It is not quite easy to convince senior physicists, but if you present your ideas with enough evidences they will believe you-that is what really great about our group, people are open-minded.  

I have one main thesis project but I usually work on several projects at a same times during my PhD years. I do enjoy multitasking  because they keep me busy and make me feel, embarrassedly, important. Yet sometimes I feel overwhelmed and stressed out. That I guess is the hardest part of my research career. 

I enjoy doing data analysis because I am always curious about what I can learn from the data. Another enjoyable aspect of my works is that every project most likely needs its own approach. It helps me improve my problem solving skill and my creativity.

Duties:
Primary responsibility is user support and customer service. 
Be present and visible at the Cluster User Consultant desk and available to users requiring technical assistance.
Respond to questions from callers and walk-ins; assist students, staff and faculty with technology problems in offices, classrooms, and computer clusters.
Learn fundamental operations of commonly used software, hardware, printers and other equipment.
Follow standard operating procedures.
Accept general responsibility for the computer clusters and ensure that they are ready for use; stock paper and toner in the printers, push in chairs, restart frozen computers, etc.
Enforce Computer Cluster policies.
Manage the circulation of computer equipment and software manuals.
Attend all training sessions and Cluster User Consultant meetings.
Become familiar with available help resources; stay updated on Heinz and campus technology changes.
Become familiar with Heinz Computing policies, services and staff.
Direct issues to appropriate Heinz Computing staff as necessary.
Maintenance of Software Loan System (SLS); loaning and returning software


What is the best part of working at the company?
the students were great and I loved the job position and the things i brought to the program.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The very low pay,  very stressful trying to make a living on extremely low pay and never seeing a raise.  They need to "train" the people they put in charge as managers, for they just haven't a clue how to manage or use their people properly.   

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very click-y and if you aren't in the click you are a leper.  Definitely appears to be some strange tensions with some faculty to staff.  Staff does all the work, we barely saw the faculty come in to work.  Seems like the less you work the more you get paid and some staff have higher educations than some faculty, but still paid poorly.  

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
 I really enjoyed my job throughly and my responsibilities, just not the way people could treat you.  I found it way over the top gossipy on a daily basis, and a bit of a back stabbing environment.  Way too much talk behind peoples backs and strange hierarchies to deal with, best to just stay put in your office and focus on your work.

The ECE PhD program at Carnegie Mellon University offers a great deal of flexibility, which I've found invaluable as a researcher. Once you've fulfilled your coursework and TA responsibilities, you have the freedom to structure your research schedule according to your own pace and priorities. There's no micromanagement, you're trusted to take ownership of your work and drive your own progress. The program requires submitting a progress statement each semester, which serves as a lightweight but effective way to stay accountable without feeling overly constrained.

Beyond the structure, the people here are genuinely supportive. Faculty and staff in the department are approachable and responsive, whenever I've needed guidance or help resolving an issue, scheduling a meeting has never been a problem. That accessibility makes a real difference during the more challenging phases of doctoral work.

Overall, if you're a self-motivated researcher who thrives with autonomy, CMU provides a strong environment to grow and do meaningful work.

Carnegie Mellon is the kind of place that quietly dares you to level up—and then gives you the tools (and pressure) to actually do it. The culture is intense but deeply energizing: people here care about ideas, craft, and impact, whether you’re building products, running analyses, performing on stage, or pushing the boundaries of research. What stood out most to me is how practical the learning feels. Classes don’t just teach concepts; they force you to apply them, defend your choices, and iterate when reality doesn’t match the textbook. That rigor can be stressful, but it’s also what makes the experience transformative.

The community is more collaborative than outsiders assume. You’ll meet peers who are incredibly sharp yet surprisingly generous—sharing notes, reviewing resumes, and brainstorming late into the night. Faculty and staff can be demanding, but many are invested in helping you grow if you show initiative. Pittsburgh also plays a real role in the experience: it’s affordable, walkable, and full of hidden gems, which helps balance the workload.

I worked at the Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) at CMU as a lab assistant and it was easily one of the best jobs I've ever had. I learned innumerable things about language and AI tech as well as about education in general. Management was absolutely wonderful, genuinely concerned for employee's well-being and extremely personable without ever giving up leadership status. The folks I worked with were fascinating, from every walk of life and a joy to be around. The hardest part of the job was watching the same video clips again and again while trying to annotate exactly what conversational strategies were being used, balancing a smidgen of instinct with observable fact. The most enjoyable part was knowing how my work was actually making a difference in the world and furthering scientific study.

Fear-based culture simmers beneath the surface.  Mistakes are not opportunities for growth, they are an anathema. Don't make them.  If you have an issue with a co-worker or your supervisor, HR will be useless to help you. They will always do what's in the University's best interest.  
The best part of the job was was that people made an effort to be cordial. The worst part was knowing that cordiality can often be a false front. I wish this weren't true, but it was for me. 
 

The research output is undeniably of high quality, with cutting-edge innovation and impactful findings. The team often achieves ambitious goals, publishes in top-tier journals, and contributes meaningfully to the scientific community. However, the work environment can be highly stressful due to intense pressure to perform, lack of clear communication, and inconsistent management practices. Deadlines are often tight, and expectations can be overwhelming, leaving little room for work-life balance. Support systems may be limited, and recognition for individual efforts is not always consistent. While the scientific rigor is impressive, the high-stress atmosphere and managerial challenges can lead to burnout and reduced morale among researchers.

As a post-doc, you do not exist at this university. There is nothing for postdocs: no seminar, no gathering, no recreational activity, no information such as the salary range or the number of post-docs, and no career development.

Pay for researchers is the minimum that the law allows.

They try their best not to spend money. According to the department head, the pay is the least to discourage postdoc employment because the same money can be spent hiring graduate students and the larger the number of the graduates, the better the look of his resume.

The carpets, AC's, desks etc. in some offices are as old as the university. Very often, there are cockroaches in the hallways. The management does not even bother with keeping the space clean. Food quality on campus is miserable.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Research assistant 9 salaries reported	$14.56 per hour
Teaching assistant 20 salaries reported	$15.80 per hour
Graduate researcher 6 salaries reported	$37,417 per year
Graduate assistant 4 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour
Software engineer 10 salaries reported	$104,300 per year

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