Zur Situation der Jungwissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler in der Psychologie in Österreich

Uncertainty with respect to professional prospects, a challenging work–life balance, and health problems, as well as moderate to high work satisfaction are all associated with being a young scientist. This study aimed to investigate the working conditions, job satisfaction, and strain of early-stage researchers working in the field of psychology in Austria. To date, no systematic investigation has examined the working situations of these individuals. A total of 97 early-stage researchers – 64 PhD students (66 % female, MAge = 29.84 years, SDAge = 4.00 years), and 33 postdocs (55 % female, MAge = 33.39 years, SDAge = 3.41 years) – participated in an online survey. The results revealed that both groups reported highly demanding working conditions (e. g., uncertain career paths due to temporary work contracts, high number of additional hours of work done outside the contractual work hours), moderate to high levels of work satisfaction, and moderate to low levels of strain. A considerable number of potential areas for improvement were apparent. However, due to the small sample size, the representativeness as well as generalizability of the results is limited. Based on the results of this survey, possible measures to improve the current situation are presented. This article provides guidance for potential future early-stage researchers.