Tenure-track professorships are considered to be some of the most desirable science jobs, yet a surplus of research scientists in the U.S. means the odds of landing one of these coveted positions are slim, according to an article from The New York Times. The article notes that fewer than one in six earning a Ph.D. in the more popular fields, like biomedicine, can expect to join the ranks of the tenured.
Biology and chemistry reportedly produce far more Ph.D.s than academic posts, and the number of tenure track jobs is shrinking at most universities. New doctorates face the greatest difficulty gaining jobs in academia. The engineering school at MIT, for instance, can get 400 applicants for every assistant professor job, according to the article.
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