Good Jobs in Public Research Organizations: Job Characteristics and Rewards of Research Work

Abstract

Following recent work that has focused on distinctions between good and bad jobs in the labor force, this paper examines determinants of job satisfaction among STEM workers. We propose that STEM workers represent a previously unconsidered type of logic in employment, sharing some (e.g., relatively high pay and job security) but not all (e.g., high levels of job autonomy) characteristics of other good jobs. We developed and administered to STEM workers in a public research center a research environment survey which replicated many of the items assessed in Kalleberg’s (2011) analysis of distinctions between good and bad jobs while also adding new items. Results show that as with workers in the general labor force, authority to make decisions, freedom to pursue new ideas, and promotional opportunities are important determinants of job satisfaction among the STEM workers we studied. Combining various indicators shows that intrinsic rewards emerge as particularly important in affecting satisfaction of STEM wor...