Most of the respondents to a survey conducted by Nature said they were happy with their careers. In particular, Nature writes that 68 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their careers. While it notes that figure is largely similar to what their 2016 survey found, it might not last as more than a third also said their satisfaction had decreased within the last year.
There was, it notes, variation in career satisfaction, with those working at nonprofits being the most satisfied at 73 percent, followed by industry at 71 percent and government and academia at 68 percent and 67 percent, respectively. According to Nature, this is a slight change from their 2016 survey as scientists in academia then reported being more satisfied at 65 percent with their careers than industry scientists at 63 percent.
However, Janet Metcalfe from Vitae tells it that high job satisfaction doesn't mean a lack of stress and a good work environment. Indeed, Nature reports that more than a quarter of respondents reported observing harassment or discrimination at work, and 21 percent said they experienced it themselves.
Still, the respondents also said they thought their future job prospects were bright, and 75 percent said they'd recommend science research as a career to students.