The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Women Scientists and Engineers Foundation (WISET) are supporting the career reentry of women in science and technology.
On July 20, the Ministry announced the establishment of a new 'research support position' type within its existing career reentry support program to create pathways for women scientists with prior experience to return to research environments. The ministry is also recruiting universities and hiring personnel for this initiative.
A research support position is defined as a specialized role for individuals with a master's degree in a science or engineering field and at least three years of research experience, who will assist research leaders in their activities while performing various research-related tasks based on their expertise.
Eligible institutions include research organizations within universities. The target candidates are women scientists with a master's degree in a science or engineering field and at least three years of research experience. Selected candidates will receive support for up to three years, with continued funding contingent on annual evaluations. Applications can be submitted through the 'W Bridge' platform for supporting women scientists' career stages until August 21.
Lee Jun-bae, Director of the Future Talent Policy Bureau at the Ministry, stated, "We will strive to diversify the career paths for women scientists through the research support position system and contribute to enhancing research capabilities in the field."
Meanwhile, according to a survey on the utilization of women scientists and engineers released by the Ministry and WISET in March, the proportion of women in research and development roles in the science and technology sector reached 23.7% in 2024, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the previous year. By institution type, the highest percentage was found in science and engineering universities at 30%, followed by public research institutions at 26.5% and private research institutions at 19.5%.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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