University of Cambridge Employee Reviews

I interned here a while back and had a great time with the team. They do really interesting research, have a great location, and they are highly motivated people!

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Few opportunities for career progression

Postdoctoral Research Associate (Current Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 29 October 2017

Much lower salary compared to industrial or corporate positions, no work incentives e.g. bonuses, few opportunities for career progression as higher positions are already saturated and will only become available upon death, retirement or relocation of current staff.

Pros

Flexible(ish) working hours

Cons

Poor salary

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Insights into University of Cambridge

Based on 23 survey responses

What people like

Supportive environment
Feeling of personal appreciation
Time and location flexibility

Hide-bound and Archaic Culture

Postdoctoral Research Associate (Former Employee) - Cambridge - 11 October 2017

Working for the University of Cambridge sounds like a dream job, but far from it. The University is so in love with its long history that it seems to actively resist modern workplace practices. Its attitude to disabled staff is egregiously, dangerously muddled and old-fashioned. Avoid like the plague if you are disabled in any way. Departments simply do not cooperate and many systems in place, such as IT support or purchasing appear to be arranged solely for the convenience of those providing them, not the users. It takes weeks to get anything basic done that would take about two hours anywhere else. To add insult to injury, they pay staff approximately one spine-point equivalent less than other universities for the same role.

Pros

Limited local retail discounts

Cons

Location, Pay, Attitudes, Values, Facilities.

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head pastry chef

Head Pastry Chef (Current Employee) - cambridge university - 10 October 2017

in charge of the pastry for one of the college under Cambridge University . we are preparing hot cold and plated desserts for 550 people everyday with different range of dessert , in addiction we host weddings and private vip dinner.

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Productive work place

Grant (Current Employee) - Downing Street - 9 October 2017

I spend most of my time in the lab, which I love it. I work doing genotiping, PCRs and another lab technics. I'm with a research group working with Heliconius butterflies, our work is based on the genetic basis of wing patterns, conducting crossing experiments in Panama with races of H. melpomene wich led to the cloning and identification of wing pattern genes such as optix.

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Reputable company which puts its people first.

HR Administrator (Current Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 23 September 2017

Nice place to work, looks after its staff as much as possible. Good benefits, reasonable salary, feel valued. Looks after employees with a long length of service who perform their roles well.

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Productive and fun place to work

Research Associate (Current Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 28 July 2017

The University of Cambridge, depending on the supervisor of course, gives you total freedom regarding how to phase and organise your work and encourages to join international conferences.

Pros

Free day organisation

Cons

Long hours no benefits except pension

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Good

Research Assistant (Former Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 12 July 2017

Good work environment, well managed, well resourced, interesting place to work and full of world leaders in chemistry. Be prepared to be stretched and challenged.

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great

Volunteer (Former Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 4 July 2017

It was really fun experience even though it was a one time thing. I gained experience in working with important chemical substances like liquid nitrogen as well as interacting with the general public and especially children. The managers of the event were really nice and accepting so it was a joy to be a part of this.

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Friendly and Interesting

Kitchen Assistant (Current Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 26 June 2017

The hardest part of the job is, when short staffed and have to cover each other picking up the lack as it were. The most enjoyable part of the job talking with the Professors, staff and Student during there lunch breaks, and helping the head chef out cooking.

Pros

free lunch

Cons

Over time isn't always available

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Excellent working environment and great people

HR Administrator (Former Employee) - Cambridge, UK - 21 June 2017

The University of Cambridge was a great place to work. Staff are treated with respect, and work/life balance is a high priority. The atmosphere among assistant and managerial is cooperative and not competitive, and people are simply expected to do their work with competence and commitment. The only real downside is the level of pay---in another part of the UK, it would be fine, but the cost of living in Cambridge is so high that it is difficult for mid-level staff to find affordable housing anywhere near Cambridge.

Pros

Professional working culture, work/life balance

Cons

Poor pay considering the extremely high living costs of the area

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A happy and productive work place

Proffesor of astrophysics (Current Employee) - University of cambridge - 1 June 2017

It was an amazing experience and very life changing experiences, furthur more no one harrased me about being gay. I also loved the challenges and the hardwork.

Pros

Yummy food

Cons

Smelly co-workers

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This is daft

Research Associate (Current Employee) - Zoology - 12 May 2017

I work in one small group - I have no idea about the rest of the University. But in my situation, I had a person disaster and my boss was just ruthless about time and money. Wouldn't give an inch.

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Good place to train

Trainee Teacher (Former Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 21 March 2017

A useful and insightful training experience. Training with one of the leading Universities in the world has been enjoyable as well as challenging. I look forward to completing the course.

Pros

Good standard of training

Cons

Long hours

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Productive

Student practical demonstrator (Former Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 14 March 2017

I was at working as an intern for Anglia Ruskin University-Faculty of Science and Technology in order to set-up virtual learning environment page for the students from science course. I really enjoyed doing this work as I acquired intellectual, practical and transferrable skills. I also learned how to manage your time and work with colleagues you never met before in your life and interacting with them was the key point. No job is simple, as everything you do in this world is challenging if you want to do it perfectly as per my experience in my life till now. I mostly enjoyed working with my faculty staff members and it was quite a good experience when I was marking all the lecturers slide following a guideline if it meets the standards or not, being a student, which was quite challenging and fun as well.

Pros

Free lunch

Cons

flexible long or short shifts

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Doctorate researcher

Researcher (Current Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 13 February 2017

Great place to work and study. I had the chance to conduct work in very interesting projects and conduct leading-edge research.

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Prestigious, high performing and inspiring

Behavioural Scientist (Current Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 25 January 2017

This is the best environment for ambitious academics to thrive, and keep all opportunities open. I have had the opportunity to grow all my centres of interests through various research projects. I learnt skills ranging from data analysis, scientific paper writing, public relations and communications, to teaching.

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Flexible working and good benefits

Research Assistant (Current Employee) - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire - 22 January 2017

Able to attend numerous courses to help with career development. Flexible working allows for a good/work balance. Working alongside varing professionals gives a more dynamic team.

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Fascinating collections but obtuse management

Junior Library Assistant (Grade 1) (Former Employee) - Cambridge University Library - 11 January 2017

This was an interesting building to work in and I really appreciated the opportunity to work with such amazing collections. I loved that aspect of my job. I was very motivated but ended up feeling completely demoralised. There was considerable disdain for junior members of staff. Management decisions were otiose and opaque. I loved the specific role I eventually moved into in the library and felt that I had found my niche. This role was very varied and interesting given the collections we were dealing with and I enjoyed helping the readers who were usually very appreciative. If I had been allowed to continue in this role I probably would still be working in the library.