Introduction of Staff Scientist Role for the First Time... Supporting Women Scientists and Engineers with Career Breaks to Return to Research Fields

Ministry of Science and ICT Recruits Participating Universities and Staff Scientists

Up to Three Years of Support Provided

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on July 20 that it has launched, for the first time this year, a new “Staff Scientist” research support role in collaboration with the Center for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (WISET) to help women scientists and engineers with career breaks return to research positions. The ministry also announced it is recruiting universities to run the program and candidates to fill these positions.

The Staff Scientist role is designed for professional personnel with a master’s degree or higher in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) field and at least three years of research experience. These specialists will support the full spectrum of research activities, including research planning, research data management, operation of research equipment, and technology commercialization.

As research projects have become larger in scale and more sophisticated, demand for specialized research support staff has increased. However, such roles have often been filled by student researchers or employees on short-term contracts, leading to criticism that a stable career structure for accumulating professional expertise in research support has been lacking.

The Ministry of Science and ICT explained that the new system was established to address both the need for specialist research support staff in the field and the desire of women scientists and engineers who left research due to childbirth or childcare to return to their careers.

The program is open to research institutes, research centers, and shared laboratories within universities. Eligible applicants are women scientists and engineers with a master’s or higher degree in a STEM field and at least three years of research experience. Selected participants will receive support for up to three years, with continued support determined by annual evaluations.

Applications are being accepted from July 20, 2026, until 6:00 p.m. on August 21, 2026, through the “W-Bridge” platform, which supports the life cycle of women in science and technology. In principle, universities should apply together with candidates they wish to hire, but institutions planning to recruit may also submit applications.

Lee Junbae, Director-General for Future Talent Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “As the demand for professional research support staff continues to grow, we hope the Staff Scientist program will diversify career pathways for women in science and technology, while also strengthening the research capabilities at the front lines of research.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.