| Lost in translation: 英文職位翻成中文時的誤解 |
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ResearchScientist 應該譯成 研究員 還是助理研究員? 在我們單位應該是助理研究員, 但在有的學校或研究所, ResearchScientist 是研究員, Research Scientist 可以寫grants, supervise post-docs, RAand student. 有博士的研究人員在我們單位分為五級: 1. CSO or CTO, 科學/技術總監; 2. PrincipleScientist, 翻不準, 可譯成 首席科學家? 3. Senior Scientist, 高級 或資深 研究員; 4.StaffScientist, 研究員; 5. Research Scientist, 助理研究員. 1-4 級別的都是 principleinvestigator (PI), 有 Research scientist (Ph.D level), researchassociate (MS level), and research assistant (B.S level) 幫著幹活. 以前開會時碰到一位老中, 送上來的business card上印著 CEO, CSO, Chairman 的位置, 問他單位幾號人,他說還沒hire employees. 原來是光杆司令, 正在創業初始. 拿著這卡可能回國能混個高位置. 還有一個位置特別能忽悠人:就是Group leader 可以譯成"小組長". 但是小組可以三個人, 也可能是三十個人. 這Group leader要是管30人,那權力和責任就大得多了. 美國大學裏的職位比較一致: Dept. chairman, professor, associateprofessor, assistant professor, research professor (non-tenture track)or research scientist, research associate, research fellow, post-doc,research assistant, research technician. 但在Harvard, MIT 這些名校, Researchassociate, research scientist 都有Ph.D. 而且寫grant, 手下也有RA或學生. 我另外詢問一位從英國來的Ph.D.有關英國大學職位, 基本上是 Professor, Senior lecturer, Lecturer,research fellow, post-doc, RA. 但還有一個位置叫Reader, 比Professor 位置稍低. 另外我認識一位在Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center工作的Ph.D. 此研究所隻有Member andAssociate member 兩種. 其餘都是Non-tenured 的. 聽藥廠研究所的同學說, 他們單位Ph.D level是:Principle investigator, senior investigator, investigator. MS 和B.S.levels 的: Research scientist, research associate, research assistant.所以總的來說, 英文職位翻成中文時要看這個單位的位置分類, 不可直譯. 不然會出笑話. 就象前陣子有人把 Staff Scientist自譯成首席科學家. 附件： Appendix: Below is a description of the UK academic system from a friend: In the UK…..and most of Europe……Professor is different to in the US. It is a senior academic position that you get promoted to, usually after passing through the stages of Lecturer and Senior Lecturer. Reader is a less common status which is similar in rank to Professor but not quite as high.
Traditionally, the tenure process took place at the Lecturer stage so if you start off as a Lecturer and you are eligible for tenure after between 3 and 5 years…….assuming you pass. That is what I did. Hence a Lecturer could be tenured or non-tenured depending on their stage in the process. All of the higher ranks are by definition tenured. Once you have tenure at one institution it is essentially transferable to another, simply because nobody would accept a position at a new University if the job offer required them to re-start the tenure process.
However, in principal, people can be appointed to academic positions at any level if they have the necessary experience……..and the University is prepared to pay. So a Senior Lecturer or Reader might seek a Professor position in another University if their current institution refuses to promote them. This results in a lot of mobility between Universities especially as pay scales only rise as you move up in job status.
Instructor/Teaching Assistant positions don’t really exist in the UK. I do not know about elsewhere in Europe. Research Fellows and Post-Docs are obviously non-tenured.
