‘High risk, high reward’: How early-career neuroscientists view their future

The Transmitter and Neuromatch collaborated on a survey that reached over 300 early-career neuroscientists to gain insight into their unique challenges, aspirations, and support requirements. The survey was prompted by previous findings indicating that trainees often felt uncertain after completing Neuromatch's summer courses, highlighting a demand for follow-up career-oriented assistance. This included mentorship, real-world research placements, and aid in securing competitive Ph.D. and postdoctoral positions.

The survey included researchers at various career stages, such as undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and principal investigators (PIs). Approximately half of the participants were postdoctoral researchers or graduate students, while 30% were postdoctoral researchers and 25% were graduate students. The majority of respondents aimed to establish their own labs as PIs, but the priorities varied depending on their career stage.

Undergraduates, master’s, and doctoral students were more open to exploring a wider range of career paths beyond academia, unlike postdoctoral researchers and PIs. Around 16% of students expressed interest in pursuing careers in industry, with data science and computational roles at technology companies being the most desired (35%).

Other popular positions included those in biotech (16%) and clinical research (11%). The primary concern for researchers at all stages was access to funding (36%), with 92% of PIs specifically expressing concern about funding.

While undergraduates and master’s students were more focused on mentorship and access to training or resources, postdocs prioritized job security, with 80% citing it as the top challenge. To address these issues, researchers consistently suggested higher salary raises and improved training aspects of graduate and postdoctoral work. A desire for tailored mentorship based on specific career stages, as well as more direct advocacy from mentors, was also frequently mentioned.

Many early-career researchers felt the need for continued mentorship after summer courses, along with follow-up workshops and seminars to help apply new skills. Ninety-one percent of respondents would be interested in attending post-course meetups at in-person or virtual conferences. The recent U.S. administration's policy changes and funding cuts appeared to impact U.S.-based researchers more directly, as more than half (56.6%) anticipated that federal funding cuts would result in reduced funding for their labs and the elimination of mentorship programs and funding opportunities.