alreadylost

Thanks for the reply. I checked and there is no policy against it. I'm not working on my dissertation yet. I came in straight from my undergraduate degree. Typically students start thinking about their thesis in the summer after the first year, but I think a lot of students put it off until fall starts. So, as far as I am aware, we can do whatever we want the first summer. Obviously its a little different since I'm funded through the summer, so I completely understand why he would be angry. Luckily, he replied and it was not as bad as I expected. I just need to be sure I am available to meet whenever need be.

Hi Eigen, I am in a social science. I'm funded for 20 hours, and unlike during the normal semester, I track my hours. It's an RAship with my professor, and so it is funding through his project. As I'm in a social science, I don't need to be in a lab or anything. During the semester, I typically work from home anyway since I have access to everything I need. I don't think it affects my RAship or anything else that I need to be doing right now. I took it because I thought I could handle it (and I still do). Like I said, I track my hours, so it doesn't affect the time or effort I put into it. I just may do my work at odd times or on the weekend. When I need to get out early for a meeting, I do.

I recently finished up my first year at a PhD program. Everything seemed to be going really smoothly. I chose a program that I absolutely love, I work with the professor I want to doing something that I really enjoy, and I managed to get summer funding. Despite this, it seems like I really screwed up and I'm not sure how to fix it. Before getting summer funding, I briefly talked to my PI about applying for summer jobs. I applied to a few and then forgot about it once I found out I would be funded for 20 hours over the summer. Right after the semester finished up, I ended up getting a position with a company. It was a research position and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain new skills and earn extra money (as it is impossible to live off of working 20 hours a week). I knew it would be a lot, but I didn't think much of it as people work multiple jobs all the time and I was assured that my schedule would be flexible (and it is very flexible for both jobs). I mentioned it in passing that I would be working with this company over the summer (and he even provided a recommendation). I have been working both jobs for over three weeks now. Today, my hours with the company came up with my PI somehow, so I told him, thinking nothing of it. When he found out that it was full time, he was clearly very angry. I obviously screwed up by taking a full time position on top of my work with him without discussing it with him first. I really didn't mean to be deceitful. I wanted to do well and take as many opportunities as possible. I replied and apologized profusely. I said that I would remove myself from he company if I need to as well. I haven't heard back yet. I don't think anyone can give me some magic solution on how to fix this, but right now I am terrified that he is going to dismiss me from my position.