graduate researcher

research assistant

teaching assistant

postdoctoral research associate

postdoctoral fellow

Rice University

First off, I notice most of these wonderful reviews are written by students or student workers, not by regular employees. Honestly I'm not that impressed. The best thing about working here is probably the benefits, mainly the health insurance offers very good coverage. But, in my opinion it's pretty expensive, more expensive than average if you're covering more than just yourself.

The work environment itself in non-campus office positions is extremely dull and boring. You're typically glued to your desk and the offices are set up in a very isolated manner, to the point it gets depressing. You may meet a lot of nice people here, but there are also a lot of people that are in lower positions that are stuck up and on their "high horse" because they think working for Rice is such a big deal, even though they're actually at the bottom of the barrel in the lowest positions. My experience has been that the people higher up are actually the nicer people.

Time off is ok, but they're very strict about how much time you can use and when and also you're expected to take NO time off for the first 6 months except for University holidays. In most departments you'll get 1 week off in December for a holiday break (but some departments work through the break) and 3 weeks of PTO (vacation, sick, etc all included as one). Even though this sounds good, the time can run out quickly because many holidays that other schools and colleges are closed, Rice is not. You don't get Good Friday, President's day, or even Christmas Eve and there's no spring break for staff. So if you want those days off, you'll have to use your PTO, which will take almost a week of your time away just on holidays.

Traffic in this area is horrific. I live about 15 miles away and it takes about 45 mins to 1 hour to get there in the morning and 1 hour - 1 and 1/2 hours to get home in the evening. If there's an accident, close to 2 hours. They frown upon working from home and flexible schedules even if your job is not people oriented. So, there's no option of working from home.

My biggest gripe is that the work is SO boring and slow paced and dealing with the attitudes of some of management that don't communicate with each other, then take it out on the employees and try to blame us when something goes wrong. Overall if I could go back (I had 2 jobs offers when I took this job) I'd have taken the other job I was offered).


Being a student at Rice University has been an incredible journey of academic and personal growth. From the moment I set foot on this picturesque campus, I was captivated by its lush greenery and stunning architecture. Rice's intimate and tight-knit community immediately made me feel like I belonged.

Academically, Rice University has exceeded my expectations. The professors here are not only experts in their fields but also deeply committed to their students' success. They encourage critical thinking, foster intellectual curiosity, and provide ample opportunities for research and collaboration. The small class sizes allow for meaningful interactions with professors and classmates, creating an environment where learning feels personal and engaging.

Beyond the classroom, Rice offers a plethora of extracurricular activities and organizations to suit every interest. Whether you're passionate about the arts, sports, community service, or entrepreneurship, there's a place for you here. I've had the chance to participate in clubs, volunteer work, and attend exciting events that have enriched my college experience.

Moreover, Rice University's strong sense of community has been a highlight of my time here. From residential colleges to campus-wide traditions, the sense of belonging and camaraderie is palpable. The diverse student body fosters an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere, and I've made friendships that I know will last a lifetime.

In sum, being a student at Rice University has been a transformative experience. It's a place where academic excellence, community, and personal growth converge to create a truly exceptional college experience. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had here and excited about what the future holds as a Rice Owl.

As faculty/researcher it is a fantastic place to work because of the unique combination of quality and small size. This latter makes it easier to deal with the painful admistrative overhead that accompanies research (note that the actual overhead costs on grants are not as high as in many other places, but they still hurt).
Students are great, atmosphere is great, facilities are great, and I will add that Houston is great.

More than a "con" is an observation about what I felt is a mismatch between the talking and the "walking" for what concerns collegiality, loosely defined (probably the most used/abused word in every meeting/gathering/report). Everybody is quick and happy to fill his/her mouth with big self-congratulatory statements about collegiality, but in my experience the collegiality stops there.
It does not run very deep. That's been my experience. There is not a true spirit of being a "community", instead of just a cohabitation of researchers under the same roof. Dept. events (social, but also colloquia) tend to be poorly attended for instance, which I would consider a pretty genuine clue that people don't care that much about the rest or their department (and not just the divas).

Improvements have happened over time, slowly, but there is still a lot of room for improvement on faculty/instructors/postdoc mentoring. The older generation's faculty often seem to see it as a sign of weakness and there isn't yet a "culture" of the importance of mentoring and appreciation of its positive impact not just on mentees but on mentors themselves.

Where to start? You go through a nearly two month period of at least 4 rounds of interviews being told it’s a permanent, full time position with benefits. Like they advertised. Only to get the job and have the rug pulled out from under you at the last minute, when they switch your position to a temporary 6 month assignment with no benefits, that you have to reapply for again at the end.  They make sure to do this after you’ve accepted their offer and you’ve given two weeks notice to your current employer. Thanks again, guys!

I’m not saying every dept does this, but the technology dept does. There were two other people in the same boat as me. They claim it “better fits our business needs”. They’re lying. I raised a big enough stink when I left that they confirmed this practice. They do it so they can get rid of you after 6 months, hire someone new, and get around paying benefits long term to their employees. Half of my dept was temporary. 

Now let’s discuss working environment and culture…there is none. People are very unfriendly and, if anything, they’re out to get you. You can’t trust anybody. Oh, and did I mention how pretentious this place is? I wouldn’t work here again if I was facing homelessness. 

The facility there are very childish and petty. When tough have a problem with someone.. there's nobody to really voice your complaint to because, they don't do anything about it.  They just tell you to deal with it. The students are very petty and spoiled.  One of Rice's biggest concerns is supposed to be SAFETY. Yeh,  that's a huge negative seeing that they let the students to what they want. People running stop signs on campus and students not paying attention to what they are doing or where they are going. They don't like to follow rules on campus, which was very stressful for me as a supervisor who tried to follow policy. Even the drivers on campus face a lot of scrutiny from the students and faculty. Some of those people will lie just to get you fired. Worst 2 years of my life.  And the night escort position needs to be taken away.  It's not safe to drive around later night on that campus full of drunk students and the driver doesn't have protection. The campus police are very slow with responding...a lot of the time they don't respond to the calls at all during the night shift and you have to look for them if you have a problem. WAY TOO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN ON THE CAMPUS.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend Rice University as an employer to anyone with more than 3 to 5 years of professional experience. I accepted a position at Rice several years ago and I truly believe that was the worst decision that I've made this far in my career. The compensation at Rice is not competitive, the leadership is awful, there are little to no opportunities for advancement for staff, and there is so much bureaucracy, politics, favoritism, *discrimination*, and nepotism across departments, leadership, and the university that it is extremely challenging to get anything done.  I've been at Rice for "a number" of years and I haven't learned a single new skill while working here, yet Rice prides itself for being an elite institution. 

If I only knew what was going on behind the scenes when I interviewed at Rice, I would have considered other options. Internet friend, if you're serious about your professional growth and personal development, Rice is not the organization for you and I would recommend that you look elsewhere. Best wishes.  


I wish I'd been more aware of the toxic work culture that was encouraged. I poured my heart into my job, I loved it when I first got there. I was always given the impression I would advance. I was always given the impression if I just did "a bit more" I would finally get decent pay. I stayed for ~10 years before I finally gave up and realized that I was trapped where I was. I never got above $50,000. My manager was toxic, the work culture was toxic, and the supervisors above her were neglectful at best. When I asked for a better raise they pointed out "all the great benefits" (literally just insurance). You have to pay for parking, there is no work/life balance, and for me personally the last straw was clocking in and out at a position like this. We were basically on salary for the first 9 years of my employment, then they instituted a clock in/out procedure. After covid, there was no discussion around keeping any element of work from home. I often felt harassed by my supervisor and her replacement - both of whom regularly texted and called me off the clock, on my break, and on vacation. 

The atmosphere at Rice is laid back. It is a school, so the work load cycles with the semester schedule. Summers are quiet and the campus is beautiful with decent amenities. The benefits, including healthcare and retirement are good. 

If you don't have a Ph.D., the opportunities are very limited. Even administratively, there are so many industrially "un-hireable"  Ph. D.'s that the university has its pick. Additionally, because the Ph.D.'s are like children, they absolutely will not have the non-Ph. D. peasantry above them...or even equal.  This mentality is why they are sequestered at the university and not out in the real world.

Other negative issues include:
Wages and wage growth are low...unless you are part of the Ph.D. bourgeoisie.
Little or no bonus given.
No free parking on the campus.
No free rec center for employees.
The dining options are very limited.
The school is surrounded by the Medical Center and million dollar homes...i.e. you can't live anywhere near campus.
Traffic can be a problem in the areas surrounding the campus.

Overall it is a very good place to work. I have found that most everyone on campus is incredibly supportive, no matter what department they are in. I have never called someone for help and been told they did not have the time for me. I have learned that we are all in this as a team. My co-workers are wonderful, caring and talented individuals, who again see the department as a team and not as a group of individuals.

What I find difficult about the job is the lack of advancement. The job is, what the job is, no matter how good you may be at it, you will never be awarded with a raise or a promotion. You must leave  where you are happy and comfortable in order to secure more money and a promotion of any sort.

The most enjoyable part of the job is the access to all forms educational lectures, visiting artists and performers. We have an incredible window to the world within our hedges!

Typical name submitting purchase orders and paying invoices. What I learned working for Rice University is that the University is on a budget and if new federal funds are not received this will impacted your merit raise at the end of the year. Management sought highly qualified employees that could assist them to change their current process to a faster updated system of records. Co-Workers worked and assisted others during vacation schedules or during down time. The hardest part of my job is processing over 5,000 invoices from begining to end by fiscal close while maintaining vendor files and the equipment folders for large purchases with proper documentations. The most enjoyable part of the job is assisting the faculty and coworkers with purchase orders and ensuring accounting principles and accounting budgets or in line with the grant proposal.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Graduate researcher 9 salaries reported	$37,056 per year
Research assistant 7 salaries reported	$38,000 per year
Teaching assistant 6 salaries reported	$13.50 per hour
Postdoctoral research associate 1 salary reported	$59,000 per year
Postdoctoral fellow 5 salaries reported	$56,200 per year

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