research assistant

graduate researcher

teaching assistant

graduate assistant

postdoctoral fellow

University of Houston

Typical day is fast paced, but controllable (this of course varies greatly across campus). Many departments/units are understaffed and have high turnover.

My path has been geared towards the financial realm. The "career ladder" for finance here would be: Cashier or Financial Assistant 1 & 2 > Financial Coordinator 1 & 2 > Financial Analyst 1 & 2 > Department Business Administrator > College Business Administrator > Director. Of course where someone begins depends on their previous experience. I began as a cashier and within 6 years I was able to move up to a financial analyst 1 position. Once hired, moving around within the university is fairly easy.

Management: My manager is superb, but the university as a whole needs to work on it's overall management. This is especially true with upper administration. Upper administration recognizes no flexibility when it comes to completing a task. For instance my specific department was understaffed for almost 3 months, but we were still expected to operate at the same level, and meet all deadlines regardless.

The culture here is fun overall. Being on a large university campus there are always opportunities to be involved in something. Many events offer volunteer opportunities where staff can interact directly with the students. Some managers will allow volunteering during regular work hours by which staff can continue to be paid while volunteering.

Working with other departments that are understaffed is quite difficult. It sometimes will take 3-5 weeks just to obtain an email response for something simple. This issue can make meeting deadlines difficult. It is recommended to document everything via email to cover all bases. 

Luckily I landed in an amazing department. By far, the people I work with are the most enjoyable part of my everyday work life. The overall benefits (salary not included) are also great. For instance all full time employees receive 8 hours of sick/month + 8 hours of vacation/month (monthly vacation amounts continue to increase with years of service) + 2 days of bereavement leave within 100 miles of Houston and 5 days for over 100 miles away (separate from sick and vacation) + 15 paid holidays + emergency weather leave (paid time off for severe weather, again separate from sick/vacation) + longevity pay of $20 additional salary/month for every 2 years of service (currently I receive $60/month for 6 years - it continually adds for every 2 years) + no medical premium taken from your paycheck (state of TX covers all individual premium) + some others, these are the highlights though.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working as a Finance Coordinator at the UH office was unfortunately a very disappointing experience. There was very little support or proper training provided, especially for new employees. Most learning was expected to happen without one-on-one guidance, which made professional development difficult.

The workplace culture felt heavily based on favoritism, and opportunities to learn beyond limited assigned tasks were discouraged. Communication and management professionalism were also lacking. Administrative staff often appeared overwhelmed, frustrated, and unavailable when assistance was needed, while last-minute tasks became common.

Another major issue was the imbalance between salaried and hourly employees. Salaried staff frequently left early or took extended time off, while hourly employees were expected to stay and manage the workload.

Parking fees and taxes significantly impacted take-home pay, making the compensation feel insufficient considering the workload and commuting costs.

Overall, the environment lacked teamwork, fairness, training support, and employee appreciation.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful part of working at the company was the lack of proper support and training while still being expected to perform at a high level. There was often poor communication, last-minute assignments, and an overwhelming workload without enough guidance. Favoritism in the workplace also created an uncomfortable environment, making it difficult to grow professionally or feel equally valued as an employee.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment felt very stressful and unbalanced. Communication between staff and management was often unprofessional, and there seemed to be favoritism within the office culture. Team collaboration and employee support were limited, which made it difficult for new employees to feel welcomed or properly trained. Morale was often affected by uneven workloads, last-minute requests, and a lack of appreciation for hourly staff.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day involved handling a high volume of finance and administrative tasks with limited guidance and constant pressure to meet deadlines. Many processes felt outdated and inefficient, making the workplace feel very bureaucratic and unnecessarily stressful. There were often last-minute assignments, little communication, and very limited support or training, which created a frustrating work environment overall.


Working at the Measurement and Evaluation Center (MEC) is both dynamic and challenging, offering a rich environment for learning and professional growth. A typical day involves a mix of data analysis, managing SQL databases, and refining machine learning models to handle large-scale data processing and generate meaningful reports. There’s always a sense of purpose in the work, as the data insights directly contribute to key university decisions.

One of the most rewarding aspects of working at MEC is the learning curve. The role has allowed me to gain a hands-on understanding of advanced data processing and machine learning applications, especially with technologies like GEN AI and fine-tuning the LLaMA model. I’ve also developed skills in integrating these models within the .NET architecture, which has broadened my technical expertise significantly.

The management team at MEC is highly supportive, promoting a work environment that values independence, innovation, and constructive feedback. They encourage exploring new methods and technologies, which has been invaluable to my professional growth. The overall workplace culture is collaborative and inclusive, with a balance between teamwork and individual contributions. It’s a respectful and productive environment where everyone’s input is valued, fostering creativity and continuous learning.

However, one of the most challenging aspects of the role is managing the technical complexities involved in large-scale data processing within tight timelines. The high standards for accuracy and efficiency require careful attention and a proactive approach to troubleshooting and optimization. Despite these challenges, it’s incredibly satisfying to see the direct impact of our work, knowing that the insights we provide help shape meaningful outcomes across the university.

Ultimately, the most enjoyable part of working at MEC is the sense of accomplishment in deploying solutions that truly make a difference. The opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology, combined with the autonomy to innovate, makes MEC an engaging and fulfilling place to work.

With a university this big, you'll have a very different experience depending on where you end up. I have worked in multiple departments and had a very different experience in each.

Pros:
-Good people. 95% of people I've met here are very kind and genuine people.
-Good community overall.
-Extremely diverse environment.
-Professional development opportunities.
-Working directly with students.
-Opportunities to make a real impact on campus.
-Staff are encouraged to attend many on-campus events, which means lots of free food, free UH gear, and fun times during the work day.
-Pretty decent benefits, including an on-campus clinic and pharmacy.
-You are provided everything needed to do your job, such as a computer, office materials, etc. You shouldn't ever have to buy work-related things out of pocket.
-I barely ever had to take my work home with me.
-Opportunity to work 1-2 days from home if your supervisor allows.
-Overtime is compensated through "flex time", or taking off the same number of hours you worked overtime. You may have to remind your supervisor, but they should let you use your flex time.

Cons:
-EXTREMELY BUREAUCRATIC!!
-The extreme bureaucracy makes everything much slower and less efficient.
-Everyone deserves more pay for the amount of work they do.
-Overtime is expected in certain cases.
-Micromanagement (depends on where you are).
-HR and Business Services seem to be understaffed more often than not.
-Tendency to NOT promote internally, leaving little room for growth.
-Parking rates are atrocious and there is no free parking (garage passes are $800+ annually).
-9 hour work days. You're supposed to get a one hour lunch break but it's never been tracked in my experience, so you often end up working the full 9 hours.
-Yearly 2% merit raise doesn't even keep up with inflation.

I don't think this is a bad place to work whatsoever. I don't regret my time here at all, but I don't plan to build a career here. People are also leaving the university in waves right now, which leaves every department understaffed and everyone overworked. But if you want a fairly stable job where each day is different and you want to work on a university campus, this isn't a bad place.

A typical volunteering day will consist of arriving at UH at 5am and staying until 2pm. In the morning I set the day up by preparing for practice. This will include preparation of coolers and filling water bottles. Before each practice the team comes into the training room where they receive treatment for any injuries they have, or prevention for any future injuries. Here I help the athletic trainers gather equipment for special treatments and help the athletes with their rehabilitative exercises. I just started working with UH on August 9, 2016, so I have not been with the University for long. However, I have volunteered at Old Dominion University, while receiving my Bachelor's in Exercise Science, and that experience has greatly expanded my knowledge of the mechanics of the body, how to rehabilitate athletes on their specific injuries, properly work and clean equipment, and network within the workplace. I am a very sociable individual and adapt easily to different environments, which makes me easy to get along with others and co-workers. There really is not a "hard part" about volunteering, I just have to be able to lift heavy items and be quick on my feet when responding to high-stress situations, and because I work well in a fast-paced environment, this is not hard for me. The most enjoyable part of volunteering is meeting each individual athlete and being able to help them with their injuries. I am able to build relations with the athletes, and it is rewarding to see the athletes' progression in their rehab.

When I worked as a tutor for the LSAMP-SEP, Louis Stokes Achievement for Minority Participation & Scholar Enrichment Program, it was a natural transition from my previous position as a tutor. Tutoring at the university level presented many of the same challenges as tutoring at the community college so, I was well prepared for the experience with previous training. Most days, consisted of tutoring fellow students in their respective disciplines. As an Mechanical Engineering student I was expected to tutor any students who may have questions about any math, science, and engineering course in the students curriculum. I most commonly tutored calculus and introductory level courses for engineering students. For one Summer I had the opportunity to facilitate a calculus three workshop where I developed lesson plans, taught and retaught what the professors covered during their lecture, and added some group work problems with my assistance to reinforce conceptual information from class. The hardest part of the job was knowing what angle to attack the problem from. Students all have different learning styles, which are: visual, kinesthetic, auditory, and tactile. After I was able to discern the students learning style reinforcing the information for them became much more fluid. The most enjoyable part of the job was assisting students to achieve their goals. Many students strive for good grades and work diligently to achieve their goals and being a key resource in that process is a very rewarding experience.

The University of Houston is an incredible institution with a lot to offer its students. Firstly, the university is located in a vibrant and bustling city, which provides a diverse and enriching cultural experience for students. The campus itself is beautiful and modern, with state-of-the-art facilities that make it a great place to study and live.

The academic programs at the University of Houston are top-notch and diverse, ranging from business to engineering to the humanities. The faculty is highly qualified and dedicated to providing students with the best possible education. The professors are knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects, and they go above and beyond to help students succeed.

The university also provides students with a wealth of opportunities for personal and professional growth. There are numerous student organizations and clubs that cater to a wide range of interests, and the university regularly hosts events and workshops to help students explore their passions.

Additionally, the University of Houston is highly committed to student success and provides a range of support services to help students achieve their goals. From academic advising to career counseling, the university is dedicated to helping students succeed both inside and outside of the classroom.

Overall, I would highly recommend the University of Houston to anyone looking for a high-quality education in a supportive and dynamic environment. Whether you are looking to pursue a degree in a specific field or simply seeking to expand your horizons, the University of Houston is an excellent choice.

A typical day of work would involve going into the lab before class starts and creating aliquots / reagents for the coming experiment. Then I would lecture the students over the basic concepts of the experiment at hand before walking through it with them as they conducted it. Lastly, I would perform the cleanup and take down necessary before retiring to my office to grade the lab reports they had just turned in.

This job taught me patience in dealing with students who had extenuating circumstances necessitating changes in my own schedule to accommodate them.

I was managed by a professor that was very hands off. If I needed a question answered, he was there and ready to give the help that was needed, but he did not otherwise interfere in how I conducted the lab and worked with students.

My co-workers were supportive lecturers and professors who made me feel at home at the institution. They were understanding anytime I came to them with frustrations I was running in to and could normally come back at me with a story of their own, showing that I was never alone in what I was going through.

The hardest part of the job was having grade the mandatory lab reports. The handwritten reports took a long time to grade and put pressure on me to second guess my own grading to ensure that I was administering scores fairly.

The best part of the job was the actual lab work and working with the students. I enjoyed teaching the kids how to work safely in lab and had a lot of fun running through the experiments with them.


The University of Houston is an exceptional place to work, offering a dynamic and inclusive environment that fosters professional growth and personal satisfaction. With its commitment to diversity and innovation, this institution stands out as a premier employer.

One of the university's most significant strengths is its dedication to cultivating a diverse workforce. Faculty and staff come from various backgrounds, contributing to a rich tapestry of ideas and perspectives. This inclusivity enhances collaboration and encourages creative problem-solving, making it a rewarding workplace for all.

Moreover, the University of Houston values professional development and provides numerous opportunities for employees to expand their knowledge and skills. Whether through workshops, seminars, or access to cutting-edge research, employees have the resources needed to excel in their roles and advance their careers.

The campus itself is a vibrant and engaging place to work. It boasts state-of-the-art facilities, beautiful green spaces, and a thriving cultural scene. The energy and enthusiasm of students and colleagues alike create an inspiring atmosphere that makes every day on campus enjoyable.

In conclusion, the University of Houston's commitment to diversity, professional development, and a stimulating work environment makes it an excellent choice for anyone seeking fulfilling employment in higher education. Working here is not just a job; it's an opportunity to be part of a thriving academic community that values its employees and the contributions they make.

As a Director, my typical day starts with completing ongoing projects with different aspects of international studies. Students inquiries regarding courses , scholarships, their grades or enrollment issues, all need immediate attention.
It is rewarding to watch the fabric of global unfold for each student differently and the perspectives of students and peers unfold. I find my job challenging and interesting working with a staff that comes from Lebanon, Mexico, India and the US. I have a very democratic approach to my job and I find it exhilarating when I have to convince students what is the best for them. Most of the time they swing towards my decisions but some don't. That's the challenge.
I am always trying to design new programs, marketing the existing ones and looking for sustainability. I like it when I meet the returning students who talk about how the experience changed their lives.
I also meet delegates who sign memorandums of understanding for joint study programs and being able to execute these programs is a daily challenge too. I enjoy my job and profession as an international educator.
I have been a faculty and a country director implementing international projects in the Republic of Kiribati and have traveled widely and hope to be in the international arena for many more years to come.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Research assistant 10 salaries reported	$28,390 per year
Graduate researcher 10 salaries reported	$30,382 per year
Teaching assistant 9 salaries reported	$13.33 per hour
Graduate assistant 6 salaries reported	$23,777 per year
Postdoctoral fellow 5 salaries reported	$55,700 per year

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