JOB advertisements can hide rather more than they reveal. 鈥淎n attractive
remuneration package commensurate with age and experience,鈥� is a phrase that
turns up from time to time. Clearly, it is open to almost any interpretation,
and gives employers an opportunity to recruit on the basis of salary without
ever revealing their hand.
The attractions of a career in science and technology rarely include a
generous salary. Exploring new horizons, investigating interesting problems and
pushing back the frontiers of knowledge provide more job satisfaction than mere
cash鈥攚ell, that is the theory. While the cream of each year鈥檚 crop of
graduates begin their careers in investment banking on a package worth 拢26
000 or more and may go on to the stratospheric 拢1 million-a-year-plus
enjoyed by the likes of City superwoman Nicola Horlick, a former fund manager
with Morgan Grenfell, new recruits to jobs in science and technology are more
likely to begin at around 拢13 000 to 拢15 000 a year.
Yet, when compared with a range of other occupations, employment in science
and technology pays above the average. A recent survey by the Association of
Graduate Recruiters (AGR), among 260 of its large company members, found a
median starting salary for new graduate scientists and engineers of 拢15
300 compared with 拢14 774 across all groups. Barclays Bank conducted a
survey among students from a range of disciplines joining a broader range of
employers and discovered that graduates get an average starting salary of
拢12 697.
Advertisement
As reported recently, those who gain a PhD and go on to become a contract
research worker in a university can expect to be paid on a scale which rises
from 拢14 732 to 拢22 143 (Appointments, 1 March, p 58). Yet,
according to the AGR survey, someone starting their career in industry with a
PhD qualification can expect to receive 拢17 650, while a masters degree
attracts just 拢15 912.
Employers recruiting trainees say they are increasingly impressed by those
who have gained relevant experience, either through a placement during their
studies or vacation employment. Graduates who have been sponsored and those who
have industrial experience start on a salary which averages 拢500 more than
the rest, according to AGR.
快猫短视频s with an academic career firmly in view, a good honours degree and
qualified teacher status can begin their career in a state school on a salary of
拢14 280, which rises eventually to 拢34 044. Despite such
attractions, teachers, especially those specialising in physics and mathematics,
are in short supply. Head teachers can earn up to 拢56 676 depending on the
size of their school. The scale for university lecturers goes from 拢14 732
to 拢27 196. Professors earn a minimum of 拢32 927.
Not so very long ago, all scientists in the civil service were on the same
pay scale, with promotions from scientific to higher, senior and principal
scientific officer. The creation of semi-independent agencies, and the
privatisation of such organisations as the National Physical Laboratory, have
put an end to that system. Instead, each agency has its own pay scales, and
salaries have diverged. Increases in pay tend now to be related more to
performance than hitherto.
Pay scales vary between the research councils. For example, the Biotechnology
and Biological Science Research Council pays its scientific officers in the
range from 拢11 929 to 拢20 665, while the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council pays from 拢11 800 to 拢17 800. At the
equivalent of senior scientific officer level, however, roles are reversed with
the EPSRC being the best payer鈥攆rom 拢16 400 to 拢30 400, while
the others pay up to a maximum of 拢25 279 to people in this grade. Senior
research managers earn 拢48 773 at the Natural Environment Research Council
but only 拢44 451 in the same grade at the BBSRC.
During the last pay round, scientists in different laboratories received
quite different increases in their salaries. Those at the National Engineering
Laboratory in East Kilbride led the field with an increase in the range from 4
per cent to 5.25 per cent, closely followed by the Health and Safety Executive
which gave its employees a rise of 4.1 per cent. The average rise in salary over
27 employers surveyed by the Institution of Professionals, Managers and
Specialists (IPMS) was 3.15 per cent.
I seem regularly to comment on the plight of the biomedical scientists who
work in hospital laboratories. Their pay is considerably less than that of most
other scientific occupations and their last increase was just 2 per cent.
Trainee medical laboratory scientific officers are paid on a scale which rises
to 拢9064. Qualified scientists with two-years鈥� experience move onto a
scale that rises from 拢10 931 to 拢16 181. Senior managers of
hospital laboratories can receive up to 拢30 308. Clinical scientists, by
contrast, start on a grade which moves gradually from 拢12 298 to 拢16
181. There are three grades in all and senior clinical scientists can earn up to
拢30 308.
There is no doubt that rewards are higher in many parts of the private
sector, especially in the pharmaceuticals, oil and chemicals companies. Procter
and Gamble, for example, is now paying its graduate entrants with a first degree
拢19 020 and those with PhDs 拢23 640.
This year, employment is riding at its highest level since 1989 and jobs are
particularly abundant in information technology. Some firms are paying salaries
of more than 拢20 000 to trainee programmers, whose titles vary from
software engineer to associate consultant. Remuneration for senior people in
this industry is as high as any other, but average starting salaries for the
untrained remain in the region of 拢15 500.
In this 鈥淵ear of Engineering Success鈥�, new recruits to the engineering
profession receive salaries similar to scientists. Peugeot, for example, pays
拢16 000 and BICC from 拢15 700 to 拢19 000 depending on
qualifications and ability. Smiths Systems Engineering, a small consultancy
based in Guildford is offering engineers with a PhD a starting salary of
拢20 000.
It is hard to see any logic in many of the pay levels. In general, the more
the work is concerned with generating revenue from customers, or managing
project teams working on commercial ventures, the higher is the reward.
Providing a scientific service without commercial or management pressures is
less likely to generate a high income.
Salaries tend to be higher in the Southeast (especially with international
companies) than they are in the Northwest and in small indigenous firms. Most
employers still offer higher salaries to those working in or around London.
Teachers in London receive 拢2061 per annum more than those working
elsewhere, university lecturers 拢2134. The AGR survey found that among its
members the London allowance averaged 拢2422.