graduate researcher

teaching assistant

student assistant

research assistant

postdoctoral fellow

Georgia Tech

How hard is it to become a communications officer? Well let's see, first is the application online, after that's done there's a panel interview, once you are chosen... there is a 30 to 40 page application you must fill out with about 3 pages of signed notaries (out of pocket if you are not one) and you must answer everything you have done... in some cases since high school, private time, and previous jobs... you better not lie either because some, if not all, of those questions will be on your polygraph test, oh yeah, and for the polygraph test and psych evaluations (note both of these places are not located in Atlanta so you commute so more money no pay or reimbursement). You will know if you pass the polygraph immediately, you will not know about the psyche eval til hr calls you, there is also a physical you must do as well, it's in midtown, sounds like alot to put in on an employee with preferable experience, isn't it? Oh, If you passed, they 'liked' you, then you will get the job and a start date... I bet you are thinking wow they really investing alot to get good employees, don't they?? Now buckle up, this is where I will add things you may or may not understand... ITS JUST GETTING STARTED... I walked in as a 5 yr experienced 911 Comm Officer for a much busier PSAP of 3million calls a year which is one of the reasons I chose this PSAP for the smaller call volume... However they still will start you at $16 (or try to, the hr rep said it was negotiable tentative I pass the olympic hiring hurdle then lied and said no he didn't)... if you dont have a GA POST for this state (again something else they have to invest in just to get an employee). Apparently, my daily majority satisfactory scores, 90% on test scores, with no assistance on how to sign up for benefits, working with faulty equipment at the only console with no proper radio, not certified to handle such when it comes to traffic stops, and expect success, officers with no proper radio ettiquette, having to be proactive in setting up my own meetings for benefits and my GA POST class, never receiving a ride along to learn the area, or jurisdiction which is needed for any dispatcher, the exclusiveness of the communications manager, the no breaks for trainees then yelled at if they see you on your phone during down time, and 3 weeks of actual training in 60 days as I was sent to observe for over a month, with self study by myself, and an already scheduled vacation for a week, you are (I am) terminated for not reaching job satisfactory... How, with no actual guidance accept for the last 21 days, someone with years of trained experience actually capable of doing the job, with little to no assistance for more days with a trainer not present than present, for not having the proper tools to do a job a job in the middle of a pandemic with most jobs not hiring... long story short, DO NOT APPLY... it is very political here... It all happened the moment they hired the communications manager according to most dispatchers there, as the PSAP functioned without one for quite sometime perfectly... 

GTRI is an amazing place to work whether you are full-time or part-time. Management is really great, personable, and always open to new ideas. I would only give the Job Culture a 4/5 rating just because I think there's a lot of potential that is not being harvested here, but by no means do I think that the Job Culture here is bad. Just capable of competing with larger Tech companies out in the Valley. 
Even as a part-time employee, I feel like I'm doing meaningful work here. GTRI is a cutting-edge research facility that produces very important technology every year. 
However, I do wish it was possible to gain a more permanent position here without having a degree. Georgia Tech (not GTRI) places a limit on how many hours per year that a student can work here (or any other employer on campus) which is unfortunate because I would love to be able to fill a full-time position here. However, if you do graduate while still working here, odds are you are very likely to be placed in a more permanent position. Job Security is awesome here, and I believe that there are lots of opportunities for advancement.

GTRI really rewards people for hard work and good ideas because that is what keeps this place going. The people here really care about their job and will say hi to you in the hallways, and management will make the effort to always make sure that you're doing well and thriving in your position. HIGHLY recommend working for this company.

Come for the tuition assistance. Leave before you realize that it won't get you anywhere at GT without knowing someone.

Ask anyone at the bottom at GT and you'll likely hear a vastly different story than those in an office making $60k+. We have seen the inefficiencies of our leadership. We have seen the unethical behavior of our leadership. It took the news to shine a light on our institute for anything to actually be done. These guys covered for each other and helped each other. Some left before everything hit the fan, but they didn't get very far before something else caught up with them.

This is how much of GT operates. It's the good old buddy system. I've applied to literally hundreds of jobs only to often find that someone was already lined up for the position. The one I have is not exception, except that the person that was supposed to get it messed up soon before (caught doing something they shouldn't have).

I've seen an employee go from making $24k to nearly $70k in 6 years through 2 promotions and 2 reclassification thanks to those above him. I've seen another employee get awarded employee of the month while he took a several thousand dollar projector home, kept pornography on his work computer, and was so well known to only work 4 hours a day, that his name became synonymous with anyone working half a day.

I love GT, but I sure am frustrated with the inept leadership. At least they paid for my degree.

As a graduate research assistant at Georgia Tech, I had an incredibly positive experience that I will always cherish. The opportunities that were available to me as a research assistant were unparalleled and helped me develop valuable skills that will serve me well in my future endeavors.

One of the things that stood out to me was the level of support and guidance I received from my supervisor and fellow colleagues. They were always willing to lend a helping hand and provide advice on how to tackle difficult challenges. This collaborative environment fostered a sense of camaraderie and allowed me to develop meaningful relationships with my colleagues.

Furthermore, the research projects I worked on were truly cutting-edge and allowed me to contribute to the advancement of science and technology in meaningful ways. I was given a significant amount of autonomy and was able to take ownership of my work, which helped me grow as a researcher and gain confidence in my abilities.

Overall, I am extremely grateful for my experience as a graduate research assistant at Georgia Tech. The university's commitment to research excellence, coupled with the supportive and collaborative environment, created an exceptional learning experience that I will always look back on fondly. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to pursue a career in research or academia.

Generally speaking, working at Tech is wonderful. There is a lot of work but it is manageable and the students make it all worth while. 

A typical day includes checking applicant credentials, answering student inquiries, reviewing and uploading transcripts, processing student acceptances, communicating with programs.  

Culture varies from department to department. My department is laid back, perhaps TOO laid back, while others are high pressure.  

The hardest part of my job is the frequent turnover of directors who all have a different vision about what the graduate studies office should be, yet they do not stay to see it through.

The most enjoyable part is working with students, always. Not only do they need you to help navigate the complex procedures around campus but helping them makes you feel as if you are part of something great. You are contributing to society, to Atlanta, to the world.

But Georgia Tech suffers, campus-wide, from unhappy staff members who feel undervalued.  Georgia Tech is making an effort to change that but it will be a long time before that is resolved. Still, nearly everyone I know has been here for 10 or more years! Many for twice as long! This means people are happy but it also means that certain mind sets do not change as frequently as they should.

GTRI overall is a great place to work.  The projects are interesting and you have the freedom to work on different things.  Because of this and that you're always working on new projects, it's hard to get bored.  The benefits are also amazing - there are tons of insurance options and the vacation/holiday/sick time off is great.  The worst part about GTRI is the below average pay and how difficult it is to get a raise and/or promotion.  Small (1-3%) annual raises happen about every other year.  The only other ways to get a raise is to 1) apply for a promotion which is a very painful and lengthy process that has time restrictions, only gives 6%, and partly has nothing to do with your day-to-day work or 2) become a manager and do less of the fun, technical work.  One other comment about GTRI is the freedom given is a blessing and a curse.  The freedom is nice because you're not being micromanaged but the downside is you're often left to figure things out on your own which could lead to learning bad practice (i.e. a mentor figure may be lacking).

What is the best part of working at the company?
You have time to help the victims of crime, because the call volume is not backed up. You can do more than simply write the police report. Other agencies don’t always  have that option because of the amount of calls for service. The students and staff support the Police Department and feel like we were really trying to help them.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
You can possibly get hurt doing the job, because you don’t just deal with college students. You will come in contact with different types of people and you will make traffic stops on students and non students. The non students do not always make your job easy.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
You are supported by the Police Chief, and by your supervisor, but you had better not get out of line or do unprofessional things that bring discredit to the department or the job of Police Officer and that is how things should be.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You will patrol the campus and surrounding streets that are not a part of campus. Georgia law gives campus police 500 yards jurisdiction from Board Of Regents property so as I said before, you will come in contact with non students.

Georgia Tech, officially known as the Georgia Institute of Technology, is a premier research university located in Atlanta, Georgia. Renowned for its rigorous engineering, computing, and technological programs, it offers a highly collaborative and innovative environment that prepares students for leadership roles in their fields. The institute is distinguished by its strong emphasis on scientific and technological research, fostering an environment where practical, problem-solving skills are at the forefront of education.

The campus is vibrant and bustling, filled with a diverse student body and an array of extracurricular activities. From cutting-edge labs to numerous student organizations, Georgia Tech provides ample opportunities for students to engage and excel. The faculty are leaders in their fields, often involved in groundbreaking research, bringing the latest developments directly into the classroom.

Despite its demanding academics, students benefit from a supportive community and ample resources aimed at ensuring their success. Georgia Tech stands out as a beacon of innovation and excellence in higher education, making it a top choice for aspiring engineers and technologists.

I've worked for GTRI for a few years, and have thrived on the fast pace environment.  I love being able to introduce my expertise to any given project, and am very lucky to use my experience to better equip soldiers down range.  On any typical day, I am given a set of technologies to review, and support report writing with enemy responses and trends on the battle field.  When more technical writing is involved, where my input is related only to enemy trends, part of my responsibilities have been to gather a team of experts to conduct a more thorough investigation of particular sets of technologies. 

The management style allows for me to make decisions on which teams I will use for specified projects, and allows me the flexibility to conduct work, within a reasonable amount of time.  I am able to work on projects and programs at my pace, and the customer has been happy with the product, and the turn around time for any given task.  With that, I have been recognized as an outstanding team member, and that sort of feedback helps me to continue down the same path of success.  It goes without saying the end result of my work makes my job most enjoyable.

Everyday I came in and updated the news database with new hits relevant to the college and made necessary corrections. Then I reviewed the different social media campaigns going on for the week and monitored social media platforms for the college. I also assisted in other projects and helped with other tasks within the office. Everyday consisted of new tasks and I was constantly working on different things, helping me to strengthen my multi-tasking and communication skills. I also become more familiar with social media tools and marketing online. I also got to do a few light website editing and news postings. Through this position, I found a new appreciation for digital marketing and desire to really pursue a career in this field. I also learned a lot about marketing on many different levels, assisting in operations, analyzing, and project management. My co-workers were very supportive and always encouraging me to think outside the box.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Graduate researcher 33 salaries reported	$33,445 per year
Teaching assistant 20 salaries reported	$12.85 per hour
Student assistant 22 salaries reported	$14.14 per hour
Research assistant 11 salaries reported	$30,773 per year
Postdoctoral fellow 13 salaries reported	$60,124 per year

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