University of British Columbia Pay & benefits reviews

Great job, great lab, great team but low pay for an RA. Benefits are fantastic and had a lovely supervisor. It's a good stepping stone job to get experience and then leave for something else as it's often short term contracts.

Pros

great people, fun work

Cons

low wage

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Good work life balance but low pay.

Postdoctoral Fellow (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC, Canada - 24 September 2023

It is a good opportunity to wider your networking and to learn but the pay is just enough to survive. No salary increase. Consider this just a stop over that you may not want to spend more than 1-2 years.

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Insights into University of British Columbia

Based on 92 survey responses

What people like

Inclusive work environment
Ability to meet personal goals
Feeling of personal appreciation

Good Community, low wages, good benefit

Manager (Current Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 12 September 2023

Management is okLow wagesBenefit is good I enjoy working with children and families Nice community Work balance is ok Appreciation is low Environment is great You work in a forest

Pros

Good benefit

Cons

Low wage

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Good benefits, but questionable HR policies

Planner (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 30 August 2023

People stay for the benefits, but there were some significant things that occurred with HR going back on their word and integrity issues with the interaction between HR and managers.

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Nice and productive

UBC Sustainability Scholar (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 30 August 2023

I liked to work on this position. I learned lots od skills. I had good networking around my professional circle. Pay was good for students and time was very flexible. Coordinator in Park board was very supportive.

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I was the diversity hire for our department.

Development Officer (Former Employee) - Lower Mainland, BC - 4 August 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?Good compensation and benefits. Also an exciting atmosphere to be in.What is the most stressful part about working at the company?Its very department dependent, but unclear goals, unhappy staff, people who have been there for 10+ years who are just unexciting by the work. What is the work environment and culture like at the company?In the department I was in, it felt very cold and corporate, and inflexible with remote work. Anytime we did things outside of work for the staff it was awkward.What is a typical day like for you at the company?Super busy and unnecessary commute, followed by tons of meeting on zoom.

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Toxic

Communications Specialist (Former Employee) - Okanagan, BC - 29 July 2023

If you are on the admin side and aren’t in the Management category, it’s a toxic place to work, plagued by workplace bullying, overwork, and people desperate to hang onto their jobs. It’s sad as there is so many great researchers there and the culture is like a large, dysfunctional corporation.

Pros

Benefits

Cons

Long hours, bullying

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Good People, All the Problems of Higher Ed

Teaching Assistant (Current Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 6 July 2023

If you've ever worked in higher ed you know what the problems are: scope creep, sometimes poor compensation, the institution is casualizing the workforce, etc. Depending on the faculty and dept UBC can be a fun and rewarding place to work, but it's difficult as a graduate student since you aren't ever going to be compensated that well. I can't speak for classified workers, this is only regarding graduate student work.

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Nice part time job as student

Student Worker (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 5 July 2023

Worked at UBC Food services. Pay is okay and you can you get hours according to your class schedule. Work is usually independently and for duration so can get boring

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Good experience, unclear expectations.

Work Learn Student (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 24 May 2023

Overall, I enjoyed my time at UBC. My manager was sweet and generally understanding. However, the department supervisor stepped in on a project and I was “encouraged” to work over the 10 hours a week that work learn students are supposed to work. Then, when I went over overtime, I was “encouraged” to move my overflow hours to the next pay period so that overtime pay wouldn’t be paid.

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Jobs at University of British Columbia

Service Worker - Hotel (Evening)

Vancouver, BC

3 days ago

Barista - Hero Coffee (Auxiliary)

Seasonal work, as per semester season of students. Location on transit route, limited parking for employees

Dishwasher/ sanitation / stock keeper/casual janitor (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 9 May 2023

Lively work environment. Student energy is infectious. Very professional kitchen staff, certain level of professional attitude expected by all staff regardless of position, seniority full or part-time. Summers' off your decision.

Pros

limited meal items available but free.

Cons

long time on feet, have to be flexible what tasks you ae assigned- changes according to events etc.

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Great place to work

Visiting Professor (Bioproducts Institute) (Current Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 7 April 2023

Offers assistance to new employees on their duties, good training on HSE and good remuneration. I truly enjoy working for this University, best place where I've worked so far.

Pros

Benefits

Cons

Location

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Overall okay

Postdoctoral Fellow (Current Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 2 April 2023

Good place to do research (but depends a lot on the department) but poor salaries, poor work life balance and not enough benefits for posdocs. Poor HR management.

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good for start

Postdoctoral Fellow (Current Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 6 March 2023

Very organized place to work,supportive supervisors,good benefits,I like UBC as a starting point, because you can work without pressure and gain lots of experience.

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Fun work

Building Service Worker (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 4 March 2023

I love working alone because nobody bugging you just do it on your best to be appreciated by your superior. Sometimes working with someone is not good because you will be partnered with lazy one,or slow moving and sub standard way of doing assigned task.I always do good to my assigned job so that no complain will be reported. Do always good to be appreciated.

Pros

Cheap foods

Cons

Short breaks

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good benefits

Research Assistant (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 18 February 2023

Good environment to work in, UBC provides good benefits. Importance given to diversity and inclusion. Lots of administrative jobs available and research jobs as well but how you progress in a research job depends on your position, your boss. etc. Overall a good place to work in Vancouver, considering the expenses of living here. But for students, research assistants work and life here can be temporary, it can be hard to progress.

Pros

good benefits including professional training

Cons

work can depend on your manager

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Good place to work

Parking Facilities and Service Representative (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 18 February 2023

The environment here was great. The hours and schedules were flexible. They also paid you a decent amount for part time. I would recommend working here.

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Nice workplace with supportive staff

Undergraduate Academic Assistant (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 16 February 2023

UBC is a great place to work at, and no matter which department you are in, you are bound to always be surrounded by a supportive and knowledgeable people. The compensation for some research roles could be improved.

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Good employer and good benefits.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Current Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 14 February 2023

Too big and overwhelming, with low pay for postdocs. But overall good place to work, with good benefits, good opportunities and supportive supervisors.

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Good work life balance, bad management

Tradesman (Current Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 5 February 2023

Overall good place to work. Benefits/time off are good. Too many managers. Tough to get things done. To much workplace politics. Culture of laziness.

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Experience fully dependent on individual unit

Communications Specialist (Former Employee) - Vancouver, BC - 19 January 2023

UBC is a huge 60,000 people $2 billion corporation with hundreds of units, each different (even if under the same umbrella). Try to talk to ex-employees rather than current ones as there is a culture of fear in some departments.