mircenzo
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« on: February 28, 2010, 03:16:58 PM » |
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Hello,
I just got an offer from a university in Saudi Arabia as an assistant prof. in math. I am a brand new PhD. They offered around $40K base salary + $2K moving expenses (one time) + $2K transportation (yearly) + free furnished housing (utility included) + free health insurance + free round-trip tickets for me, wife and child + 2 months paid vacation per year. My wife is also looking for a job, she has a few interview scheduled in the same area. Our aim is mainly to save money, and continue to do research (my teaching load is 3 class / semester, mainly what I have been teaching for the past 5 years as a TA,though my wife teaching load will probably be more heavy). We are planing to spend the 2 months paid vacations back in the US visiting prestigious labs for collaboration.
I have a few questions and would love to hear your opinions:
1- is that salary good enough (wrt the cost of life, and also wrt to the standarts). I heard that they should offer at least %25 higher salary than in US, so this offer seems to be low to me.
2- What about coming back after a few years (hopefully with a good record of publication)? Is this experience going to kill our career (by the way, we are not US citizen). What would think SC members of our CV?
Any thoughts are welcome.
Thanks
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doccan
Junior member
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« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2010, 03:31:32 PM » |
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Which university? King Saud?
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mircenzo
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« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2010, 07:15:05 PM » |
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This is not King Saud.
King Saud offered $30K salary to my wife last year (engineering PhD, 15+ publications, 5+ years postdoctoral experience). Of course she did not accept!
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mircenzo
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« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2010, 07:23:51 PM » |
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How do you know these numbers?
They offered me a little bit more than $3200 monthly (way less than $4000-$6500)... Do you have any knowledge / expertise in how to negotiate with them ? :)
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doccan
Junior member
Posts: 66
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« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2010, 07:24:49 PM » |
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I have already accepted an offer from KFUPM!
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mircenzo
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« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2010, 07:28:01 PM » |
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OK, now I want to know more!
Are you there yet? Which department? and of course, again, how to negotiate?
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doccan
Junior member
Posts: 66
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« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2010, 07:37:27 PM » |
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There are no fixed salary scales for expatriate professors in Saudi Arabian universities. As regards non-Saudi academic staff are concerned, the top universities in Saudi Arabia always prefer Western-educated PhDs.
Foreign academic staff are hired on a contract basis with negotiated pay!
Didn't you meet with the university officials in the U.S.? I negotiated my salary and benefits during my interview in the U.S.
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mircenzo
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« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2010, 07:46:30 PM » |
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Yes, I met them but we did not discuss salary! Aren't you supposed to get an offer before negotiation? I got the offer by email a few days ago. I asked if there is room for negotiation, they did not really say 'no', but they tried to discourage from it (I guess).
If this is not personal, are you US citizen (or do you have a green card). I heard they issue the offer according to the candidate's citizenship (salary standarts of home country), and I am not US citizen.
Also, what do you think about how this experience will look like on your CV (in case you aim to work in the US / academia later).
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doccan
Junior member
Posts: 66
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« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2010, 07:58:25 PM » |
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They did ask me questions pertaining to salary and benefits! As far as I know, KFUPM does not discriminate western-educated foreign academic staff on the basis of nationality. My colleague, a Turkish citizen, was also able to negotiate his monthly base salary ($ 4000-6500/month). They offer a different salary scale to only EFL/ESL lecturers/instructors.
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mircenzo
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« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2010, 08:25:29 PM » |
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Thank you, very valuable information. A last question though, are you and your colleague fresh phD or do you have a few years of experience?
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doccan
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Posts: 66
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« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2010, 11:08:53 PM » |
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More than 3 years.
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khokha2
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« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2010, 01:53:34 PM » |
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Dear doccan & mircenzo,
Your discussion has been very helpful to me. I too have just received an offer from KFUPM as an assistant prof. of engineering with a base salary around $40,000 plus the other benefits you two discussed earlier. I have two questions that I'd appreciate your answers to:
1- (to micrcenzo) were you able to negotiate your salary? How much did you ask for and how much were you given ~ if you don't mind answering of course.
2- (to doccan) what's the base salary you think I should ask for?
Thank you two for your help and you never know, we might all end up meeting there and be neighbors :)
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doccan
Junior member
Posts: 66
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« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2010, 04:34:14 PM » |
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Given that the average salary of an assistant professor in engineering in the U.S. is $ 75,000 (see http://chronicle.com/article/Chart-Average-Faculty/64500/), you deserve a minimum annual base salary of US $ 60,000 in Saudi Arabia. |
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