From Recruitment to Retirement: Research Infrastructure Staff Views on the Diversification of Scientific Career Paths at Universities in Sweden in 2024.

BACKGROUND

There is an ongoing need to develop diverse career paths that support the vital contributions of staff scientists, research engineers, scientific officers, and other knowledge professionals in scientific discovery. Research infrastructures and core facilities have a particular need to support sustainable and diverse careers, as they either employ - if being a legal entity - or daily manage research professionals in a broad variety of roles to enable resources, services, and innovation.

METHODS

In 2019, a survey of the facility staff at SciLifeLab, a large national research infrastructure in Sweden, led to a recommendation for universities to develop career paths for their staff scientists. Five years later, we have conducted a survey and workshop to determine current views of infrastructure staff on career path diversity in Sweden.

RESULTS

Our results indicate there is a strong need for clarity and communication about planning and implementation of career path structures at Swedish universities, as well as opportunities to foster excellence in infrastructure staff. While the workshop participants ranked Sweden as a stable and attractive place to work and reported continuous development of their technical and service skills, the lack of recognition of this expertise presents a barrier to a sustainable career.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that there is a need to continue advocating for increased clarity and diversity in career paths for staff scientists in Sweden, and raise the views presented by infrastructure staff on the challenges and opportunities unique to their roles.