PostDoc in NZ?

[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 !!

Any advice very welcome,
Thanks

Cherieb

[Leanne]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

[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.