The U.S. faculty job market survives the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic

Abstract

Many speculated that the faculty job market would be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially for years. Our examination of faculty job postings from 2018 to 2021 found that while they decreased in 2020, the market recovered in 2021. We also surveyed how the pandemic affected the perceptions, behaviors, and outcomes of individuals on the faculty job market in 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 21. Approximately 10% of the faculty job offers made to 2019 through 2020 survey respondents were reported as rescinded. Respondents also reported altering their application documents in response to the pandemic as well as delaying or even abandoning their faculty job search. Thus, while the faculty job market may have recovered, the effect of the pandemic on postdoctoral career choices may have future implications.

An updated and expanded characterization of the biological sciences academic job market

“…Through our survey we collected several academic metrics that we have previously examined in order to generate a longitudinal data set, which has facilitated the creation of our data dashboard (2,10,11) .…”

“…Landing a faculty position in the biomedical fields is competitive and full of challenges due to the job market dynamics, personal characteristics, and the negative effects of the pandemic (1)(2)(3). In biomedical fields, the number of PhD holders increases each year, but faculty positions have remained stagnant (4).…”

“…Additionally, there has been a decrease in the number of PhD holders with an interest in completing a postdoc altogether, due to specific job attributes, economic stressors, and the PhD holder's perceptions of their own research (9). Our research on the faculty job market is interested in determining factors that lead to success on the faculty job market given this climate (2,10,11).…”

“…Our research is interested in determining factors that lead to success on the faculty job market (2,10,11).…”