Share the highs and lows of your career in science: take Nature's global survey

A global survey invites researchers to share how they feel about working in science today, including burnout, excitement about artificial intelligence, and optimism about future careers. The 15-minute questionnaire collects views on salaries and benefits, workplace culture, experiences of discrimination and harassment, attitudes toward AI, and perceptions of public trust in science. The survey is open to scientists across academia, industry, government, and non-governmental organizations. Previous results from 2021 showed declining optimism about career futures, with 47% of respondents feeling optimistic compared with 59% in 2018. This year emphasizes public trust in science and whether researchers feel equipped and supported to engage with society as trust and research budgets shrink in many nations.

"Nature wants to hear from researchers around the world about what it feels like to work in science today. Are you burnt out? Excited about artificial intelligence? Optimistic about your future in science - or not? Take Nature's 2026 Science Job Satisfaction Survey until 26 June."

"Created in partnership with Thinks Insight & Strategy, a London-based research consultancy, its questions cover salaries and benefits, workplace culture, experiences of discrimination and harassment, attitudes towards AI and perceptions of public trust in science."

"Nature last asked the global scientific workforce about salary and satisfaction in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the results revealed growing disillusionment. Just 47% of the more than 3,200 working scientists who responded felt optimistic about their future careers - a big drop from the 59% who said the same in 2018."

"A focus this year is on public trust in science - and who bears responsibility for strengthening it. "Researchers are increasingly being asked to engage with society in new ways, while trust in science and research budgets are shrinking in many nations," Powell says. "We're interested in whether scientists feel equipped and supported to do that.""

Read at Nature