[vintermann]

This was my impression also, that there is a lot of difference how academia works across Europe. I'm not really an academic, but I went to a small international machine learning conference some years ago. The Norwegian postdocs got paid better than the French professor, apparently.

[j7ake]

A French professor (eg CNRS researcher) is a civil servant, appointed for life, with substantial benefits such as pensions and absolute academic freedom. A postdoc in Norway has salary contingent on grants, limited to a few years, and is at the mercy of an advisor (a bad boss will destroy your career).

Making a few thousand euros more per month as a postdoc in Norway is nothing in comparison with a lifetime appointment at CNRS.

Competition for CNRS positions is as difficult as getting into a top tier faculty position in United States.

[aleph_minus_one]

> The Norwegian postdocs got paid better than the French professor, apparently.

Norway is a more expensive country to live in than France.