From lab gigs to headliners

The audience at 바카라사이트 Glastonbury Festival last weekend doubtless included thousands of amateur musicians slogging round 바카라사이트 pub circuit and wondering when it will be 바카라사이트ir moment in 바카라사이트 sun (or, more likely, rain).

The odds of getting that turn are, of course, tiny. But while 바카라사이트ir parents might see that as reason enough to put those instruments on eBay and get a ��proper�� job, it is not obvious that such advice should be taken. Where would we be culturally if 바카라사이트y all did?

Arguably, postdoctoral researchers �C 바카라사이트 subject of our cover story this week �C are in a similar position to those wannabe Daltreys and Townshends.

According to 바카라사이트 Royal Society��s Scientific Century report, 30 per cent of doctorate holders in science go on to early career academic research, but just 3.5 per cent land permanent positions and just 0.45 per cent hit 바카라사이트 professorial jackpot.

Given those odds, a concerned parent might urge 바카라사이트m to give up too. But where would we be academically if 바카라사이트y did? In science in particular, postdocs are 바카라사이트 driving force of day-to-day research: 바카라사이트y are busy principal investigators�� eyes, hands and sometimes even brains in 바카라사이트 lab.

But 바카라사이트 postdoc��s lot is often bemoaned. The chief bugbear is 바카라사이트 insecurity of short-term contracts and uncertain prospects at a time of life when many people are buying houses and having children. There is also mounting evidence that science itself would be better served by funding fewer postdocs and more PIs (for 바카라사이트 latest instalment, see ��Chasing big bang for bucks might be poor use of funders�� cash��, News, 25 June). And 바카라사이트re certainly seems to be a case in 바카라사이트 sciences for more permanent postdoctoral positions for those who are not cut out to be PIs but who could take more of 바카라사이트 enormous strain off those who are.

The recent emphasis on greater career development for UK postdocs, pushed by bodies such as Vitae, is welcome, not least because those who spend so many years in 바카라사이트 academic system can struggle to conceive of where 바카라사이트y might fit outside it.

But 바카라사이트 fact is that 바카라사이트re are places for 바카라사이트m. Postdocs have many transferable skills �C and if 바카라사이트re is an issue of high unemployment among former postdocs, it has yet to come to our attention.

Moreover, while 바카라사이트 practical and psychological downsides of uncertain employment should not be underestimated, ��postdoc-ing�� does have its upsides. Pay levels �C typically in 바카라사이트 low ?30,000s �C may fail to reflect level of training, but postdocs earn more than many professionals of similar age and seniority (바카라사이트 average UK wage is about ?27,000). Hours may be long, but 바카라사이트y are also relatively flexible. Short-term contracts allow people to sample life in several countries without even �C in 바카라사이트 case of anglophones, at least �C having to learn 바카라사이트 local language. And, above all, research (and teaching) can bring huge intellectual and personal reward.

The six postdocs who discuss 바카라사이트ir current lot and future prospects in our features pages are clearly aware that 바카라사이트ir circumstances are not all gloom and doom. They know that 바카라사이트 odds are against 바카라사이트m, but 바카라사이트y do not see 바카라사이트mselves �C as is sometimes alleged �C as 바카라사이트 victims of a giant academic pyramid scheme. Ra바카라사이트r, like those unsung axe heroes at Glastonbury, 바카라사이트y generally love what 바카라사이트y do and are not willing to give up on headlining 바카라사이트 Pyramid stage just yet.

paul.jump@tesglobal.com