[cherieb]

Hello ENZ forumites,

This is my first post so be nice:).
I'm seriously thinking about moving over to NZ as a postdoc for one of the Unis. Dunedin is my first choice so far.
Just wondering though has anyone else done this and did you receive any relocation help? or any Uni workers on a fixed-term position may be able to help. I'm a bit skint after being a postdoc in expensive Cambridge UK for the last five years :o!!

Any advice very welcome,
Thanks

Cherieb

[Leanne]

Hello and welcome to the forum!
:D

[JandM]

Hello.:)

[slider]

Hello, and welcome to the forum :)

[dilanium]

Hello and welcome! :)

[dusk]

Hey Cherieb, 'fraid I can't help with your query, but best of luck

[KerryS]

I did an 18 month post-doc position at Auckland Uni. Working with Prof John Hattie in the education dept developing an assessment tool for use in schools.
I didn't have any relocation assistance, as I was in NZ for a holiday when I was offered the position, and I had just finished 18 months in Australia (6 at UNSW in Sydney and 12 at JCU in Townsville).
I only spent 12 months as a post-doc in the UK, so don't have much experience there to compare with, but if you have any questions I can try and answer. (I've left academe now, but am still in touch with the team I worked with on a regular basis.)

[cherieb]

Thanks for all your "welcomes" everybody!

KerryS, you seemed to move about a bit is this normal for PDs in OZ/NZ due to funding I suppose? Also, is work experience from the UK seen as a good thing over there (I'm in molecular biology so maybe you aren't able to comment).

Any other Uni people about on the forum to give me some wise words of advice?

Thanks again everyone,

Cherieb

[dilanium]

I can't offer any words of advice as I've yet to arrive in NZ, and I'll only be going for my BVSc, but I wanted to say that molecular biology is an exciting field. I was considering getting into it if I didn't get into Vet school!!! :)

[KerryS]

Thanks for all your "welcomes" everybody!

KerryS, you seemed to move about a bit is this normal for PDs in OZ/NZ due to funding I suppose? Also, is work experience from the UK seen as a good thing over there (I'm in molecular biology so maybe you aren't able to comment).

Any other Uni people about on the forum to give me some wise words of advice?

Thanks again everyone,

Cherieb

I think moving about due to funding is pretty normal everywhere! The reason I left Australia and came to NZ was because my contract there had come to an end, and I had never intended to stay for any period of time. When I arrived in NZ I only knew one person, who happened to work in the same field and was leaving their post to go to the US. I was fortunate enough to be offered their role.
Most people do stay in post for a reasonable length of time - certainly longer than I did. I just became disillusioned with working in academia and so moved into something entirely different.
I don't think work experience from the UK is viewed any more favourably than work experience from anywhere else - it's the quality of the work you've done (although publications are viewed favourably here I found) rather than where it's undertaken.
I know nothing about the sciences, so can't really comment on whether there is as much movement there as within the social sciences field. Sorry.

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Hello and welcome.

My brother does similar in the Biochemistry field and has moved from UK to New York then back to UK (Leeds). Certainly publication was key to his retention when in NY and a major factor in getting offered his post in Leeds.

I don't remember him getting any relocation assistance, but as what he does means little to me I don't really know the details, just his general movements. Whether NZ would be any different, again I can't comment.

I would assume the Uni budget/funding for the position in question would determine whether there were any scope for relocation assistance, so may be different per post?

Just guessing as it's certainly not my field of expertise at all I just know the basics through association.

[wwwdot]

I am starting a lectureship in Dunedin in Jan 2009. Although the job ad specified that there will be no relocation assistance from outside NZ, I am getting all expenses paid by the Uni (visa expenses, medicals, removals, flights, and accommodation for the first week):).

This may be different for post-docs of course; I would imagine this depends on the funding for the post. Are you applying for an advertised post? Are you considering lectureships at all? Lecturer is on the long-term skill shortage list and Unis are quite desperate in many academic fields.

[cherieb]

wwwdot, thanks for your post.
I was going to apply direct to the labs but yes lecturing is definitely on my list too. I haven't seen any suitable posts in Dunedin yet for me though but I'll keep looking!
If you hear of anything in molecular biology/genetics/cancer research can you give me a shout!!;)

[wwwdot]

If you hear of anything in molecular biology/genetics/cancer research can you give me a shout!!;)

Unfortunately that is not my field of speciality so I have no insider-information:no

I should mention though that in my interview my motivations for wanting to move to NZ were very important (my OH is a Kiwi so that was easy), besides all the usual criteria obviously. My research assistant has applied for many jobs in NZ but never even been shortlisted and I think this is because he does not seem "motivated" to move to NZ. In academia there's always plenty of applicants, in my experience, to work that promotion with an outside offer etc so to get shortlisted and interviewed keep this in mind when writing your coverletter. Do you want to go to Dunedin because of a certain research team or personal reasons? The OZ academic salaries are about 40% higher than in NZ (see recent article in NZ Herald)!

Also, if you bringing a partner along, it'd be good if they are easily employable e.g. not a latin teacher or something. This was also brought up in the interview as they prefer a long-term investment.

Anyway, good luck with your job search! :nice1

[cherieb]

Thanks again dot for your reply.
NZ is my choice because my sister lives over there (in Auckland) and although I have more contacts in OZ I'd rather not go there.
Dunedin has been my first choice due to it being the oldest and most established Uni. Also cost of living is a factor. As for labs of interest nobody works on in my field so I may have to just set my own lab up. It would be best to get over there and sorted for a year before I get into all that polava!
As for partners I have no worried in that department as I'll be heading over by myself.

[dilanium]

I've heard (though honestly not sure it's true) that the best place for biological sciences in NZ is in Palmerston North. Of course, given that I'm headed for Massey in PN, the people I heard that from are probably biased.

[unar]

Yay, finally a thread about biology. I am a developmental biologist currently doing a postdoc in London. My Kiwi husband and I are going to move to Wellington sometime next year. It seems to me, postdoc positions in NZ are very few.. does anybody have experience in finding a lab in NZ? I wrote to a few labs in Wellington, either got no reply or "we are not interested". There is nobody in Wellington in my field, so I either have to change field (which seems unlikely because the few labs I wrote to weren't interested in training an already "experienced" postdoc, even though I am willing to learn, get my own money or take a lower salary) or leave research all together. I don't feel ready to, nor really want to, have my own lab yet.

Are there any scientists out there on this forum? What are you experiences in finding a position?

Thanks
-Una

[wwwdot]

I've heard (though honestly not sure it's true) that the best place for biological sciences in NZ is in Palmerston North. Of course, given that I'm headed for Massey in PN, the people I heard that from are probably biased.

Sorry if this info is obvious to you all, but NZ uses the so-called PBRF or Performance Based Research Fund to "rank" the Unis. This is similar to the RAE (Research Assessment Exercise) in the UK. The rankings can be found in the Tertiary Education Commission website.

I haven't checked the Palmy North ranking though. The area is nice though, may be biased though as in-laws live across the hills about 45 min drive away from there.

[Scotty69]

Hello and welcome to the forum :nice1

[cherieb]

Its weird that we seem to have difficulty in finding jobs because both lecturers and postdocs are on the shortage lists.
I've considered a move into plant sci agriculture but I love my miRNAs/ cancer research!
Not sure about Palmerston, I think it might be a bit ecological/agriculture focused. In my hunts, Dunners, Auckland and ChCh seem to be the best for my field. Next step, contact labs I suppose! Or become a sheep farmer :D

[unar]

oh yeah.. my plan is to win the lottery so I don't have to get grants and set up my own lab/institute. :) I won't be too upset if I have to leave research, as long as I have some thing interesting to do, a bit of dirt to grow flowers and vege and a dog.. I'll be happy.