The job market for researchers took a huge hit last year – but there’s been a lift 

An analysis of job advertisements for academic roles reveals the market hit bottom in April 2020, with ads down 70 per cent on YTD 2019.

But by June this year advertisements were at 90 per cent of June ’19.

While the rebound does nearly nothing to restore university jobs lost during COVID-19 it does indicate a recovery of sorts.

The finding is in new research from ANU’s PostAc team, which analyses labour markets to find a, “better fit between the higher education sector and Australia’s other users of highly skilled researchers.”

PostAc also identifies a recovery in ex-university demand for positions requiring high research skills. Demand fell from 15 000 advertisements a month in 2019 to 6 400 in April 2020 Employment demand for research graduates outside universities was back at the 2019 average this February and June was 45 per cent up on the all-2019 number.

PostAc has a searchable database for researchers looking for expertise-relevant work outside universities.