Some background first. I am doing a PhD in wind engineering and have to fund myself and my project due to a series of unfortunate mess at the university. I have been working as a massage therapist since my funds were low and has become one of the top therapists and earn a decent income (around 10x the local minimum wage), so I do not really need to go for another job.
So one day a professor asked me if I need a job from an engineering firm, and I agreed to give it a try because it wouldn't hurt to gain some experience before graduation. It was a position in the wind engineering specialist team of the firm. My to-be direct supervisor and I exchanged some informal conversations before asking me to go through the formalities of the engineering firm. During the interview he offered to ask the HR team for a salary on par with the rest of his team.
A few weeks later a got a call from their HR, outlining their offer – which is exactly the local minimum wage. BTW fast food chain workers are already making 2x the minimum wage due to staff shortages. I was shocked, and reconfirmed their offer several times. They said that's the fixed rate for students, even after I had told them I already got a relevant degree, am applying a specialist position, and are at least as qualified as their assistant engineers if not more. The HR guy insisted on the number and I politely declined their offer.
TL;DR: I got a decent job but want to get some relevant experience in my engineering descipline while doing a PhD. Had a great interview but the HR messed things up.