2011 Employment Satisfaction & Salary Survey

From the editors of Photonics Spectra

One of the more notable changes from the 2008 Photonics Salary Survey is the percentage of you who are satisfied with your job. Then, 75% of you said you were content, while 21% percent said you were not. This year, however, only 65% of you reported job satisfaction, while 31% – not so much. There was a change in the ratio of males to females from the last survey, too. In 2011, 5% fewer women answered the survey, while men’s responses were up 9%.

	*Salary by primary focus of work**

4%	Aerospace, aviation	$134,077
1%	Agriculture, food, forestry, mining	$176,000
2%	Automotive, transportation	$94,375
2%	Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, environment	$86,400
2%	Communications (telco, cable, video, etc)	$113,857
3%	Consumer goods (computers, electronics, etc.)	$98,250
4%	Electronics, semiconductors and ICs	$85,808
5%	Laboratory (private, government or industrial)	$94,988
6%	Manufacturing Equipment	$84,875
9%	Medical/biotechnology	$101,731
5%	Military	$98,236
30%	Photonics (lasers, cameras, fiber optics, imaging, electro-optics, detectors)	$98,406
1%	Printing, publishing, graphic arts	$135,500
7%	Test & measurement equipment	$86,436
10%	University, institution, college	$79,144
1%	Utilities, energy development	$122,333
8%	Other
3%	Unspecified
	*Average salary in US dollars.

Are you job hunting?

30% Yes

67% No

Are you satisfied with your job?

65% Yes

31% No

Top Vocation Vexations*

1. Compensation

2. Management issues

3. Lack of advancement

4. Overwork

5. Stress

6. Fear of layoff

7. Desire for change

8. Lack of resources

9. Unsatisfying corporate culture

10. And this: Chaos

*from the Survey

How many years with current employer?

12

Would you relocate for a better job?

21% Yes

32% No

43% Depends on location

What do you consider criteria for a better job?

29% More money

25% Corporate culture

6% Better benefits

7% More authority

8% Different technology focus

12% More responsibility

3% Better hours

How many years in workforce?

21

How many years in photonics?

15

Compensation by current position

Senior Management	$131,552
Project/Product Manager	$113,150
Principal/Senior Engineer	$112,186
Principal/Senior Scientist	$110,305
Educator	$86,600
Researcher/Scientist	$77,724
Engineer	$75,051
Consultant	$65,375
Technician	$60,300

Hours worked in a typical week

45

Hiring

Is your company hiring?

59% Yes

27% No

Is your company hiring for positions that involve photonics?

43% Yes

36% No

What country do you live in?

34% Europe

52% North America

0.6% Israel

9% Pacific Rim

0.6% South America

Gender

92% Male

7% Female

Primary focus by gender

	Male	Female
Photonics	28%	52%
University	10%	8%
Medical/Biotech/Pharmaceuticals	10%	4%
Test & Measurement	7%	4%
Manufacturing	6%	0%
Military	5%	12%
Laboratory	4%	8%
Electronics	4%	4%
Aerospace/Aviation	4%	0%

In which general category would you place your job?

51% Research & Development

   9% Marketing/sales

   8% Production/manufacturing

   7% Design

   7% Education

   5% Application

   4% Measurement/testing

   3% Other engineering

   3% Management

   3% Unspecified

   2% Other

0.6% Clinical