The Australian Health and Medical Research Workforce Audit

Australia's estimated 39,690 health and medical researchers (HMR) are a key source of competitive advantage for the nation

Understanding this workforce is crucial for its future support and development. This report provides insights into the size estimates, relative composition, employment transitions, and challenges facing the HMR workforce in Australia. The purpose of this report is not to conduct a census; rather to provide insights into segments and features of the workforce that have been poorly understood to date. The intent of this research is to supplement work that has occurred to date to support future policy development for the sector.

The HMR sector comprises both traditional and non-traditional researchers, with a small group working across both areas

Of the total workforce, 65% work in traditional research settings such as universities and Medical Research Institutes, while 33% are employed in non-traditional research roles, such as the private sector or clinical space. A small proportion, 2%, work across both sectors. This diversity in research settings contributes to a rich ecosystem of scientific inquiry and innovation.

Additionally, there are approximately 19,700 inactive researchers who previously worked in HMR, representing a pool of experienced talent that have gone on to contribute to diverse sectors across the economy. Thirty-one per cent of inactive researchers move into roles in the public sector. Universities continue to play a substantial role, retaining 21% of inactive researchers, possibly in non-research capacities.

Victoria leads in HMR workforce concentration, whereas there is underrepresentation of researchers in regional and remote areas

Victoria employs 30% of the traditional HMR workforce and 32% of the non-traditional HMR workforce, higher than Victoria's share of the overall national workforce. Thirteen per cent of the HMR workforce is in regional, rural, or remote areas, highlighting the sector's reach beyond major cities and the potential for research impact across diverse Australian communities, however this lags the share of the national working population that resides in regional, rural, or remote populations, suggesting additional barriers exist for regional researchers.

Gender diversity remains a critical issue in the HMR sector, particularly at senior levels

While 52% of the HMR workforce are women, their representation declines significantly with seniority. Women are well-represented in junior roles but account for only 25% of the most senior positions. This 'leaky pipeline' phenomenon is a persistent challenge for the sector.

Career interruptions disproportionately affect women. Fifty-five per cent of women experience an interruption, compared to 27% of men. Seventy-six per cent of interruptions experienced by women are due to parental leave. This highlights the need for policies and support systems that enable researchers, particularly women, to maintain their career progression while managing family responsibilities.

The HMR workforce is highly international, contributing to Australia's global research standing

More than 40% of researchers were born overseas, bringing diverse perspectives and international connections to the Australian research community. Non-traditional researchers are more likely to have trained overseas (30%) compared to traditional researchers (21%), suggesting that the non-traditional sector may be more effective at attracting international talent.

International mobility is particularly common among traditional researchers, with 35% moving to Australia for a research job and 44% having worked overseas at some point in their careers. This high level of international engagement enhances Australia's participation in global scientific networks and collaborations.

Employment characteristics vary significantly between traditional and non-traditional sectors

Universities dominate the traditional research sector, while the non-traditional sector has a mix of public and private employers, including pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology firms. However, job insecurity is a significant issue in the traditional sector, with 55% of researchers on fixed-term or casual contracts, compared to 31% in the non-traditional sector. This disparity in job security may contribute to movement from the traditional academic sector to industry or overseas opportunities.

Funding sources and challenges differ between sectors, but funding instability remains a common concern

Federal government grants are the primary source for traditional researchers, while private sector funding is most common for non-traditional researchers. The lack of funding is cited as the main reason researchers consider leaving the field, followed by job insecurity and work-life balance. This highlights the need for more stable and diverse funding mechanisms to retain talent in the sector.

Inactive researchers go on to work in a range of areas of the Australian economy

Developing an understanding of where researchers go after they leave the health and medical research sector demonstrates the important role that the sector plays in developing talent for the broader economy. More than 60% of individuals have moved from an active research role to inactive roles. Government emerges as the top destination for inactive researchers, employing 31% of inactive researchers. This suggests a substantial migration of research talent into public sector roles. Most inactive researchers remain in healthcare and social assistance (31%) or professional, scientific and technical services (27%). Other common industries are public administration and safety, and education and training. Universities continue to play a substantial role, retaining 21% of inactive researchers, possibly in non-research capacities.

There are opportunities to support Australia’s diverse health and medical research workforce

This audit identifies several opportunities to maintain Australia's competitive edge in health and medical research, and ensure a robust, diverse, and sustainable research workforce:

• Improving job security and offering longer-term contracts, particularly in the traditional research sector.

• Addressing the gender imbalance in senior roles through targeted mentoring, leadership programs, and family-friendly policies.

• Enhancing funding stability and opportunities, including exploring innovative funding models that blend public and private sources.

• Supporting career development and progression, with clear pathways for researchers in both traditional and non-traditional sectors, including communicating and fostering opportunities for researchers to enrich non-research sectors with their skills, or to support research activity, policy, or translation and commercialisation.

As no single dataset can provide a comprehensive overview and answers to the questions this audit seeks to investigate, we take a bespoke approach using three key data sources. Previous reports, including published data, allow us to build a working definition of the workforce and sense check our results. Novel microdata enables us to enrich public sources such as ABS data whilst getting broad estimates of workforce numbers, proportions and most uniquely, movements. A survey allows us to ask more detailed questions about contextual and subjective driving factors and barriers, understanding the sentiments of the workforce.

This audit is based on data collected at a point in time, with noted limitations. Recommendations for future monitoring, which would enable more comprehensive, longitudinal data collection as well as better targeting of specific groups, are provided as part of this report. Briefly, policymakers should consider developing an agreed definition of the workforce, exploring potential adjustments to ANZSCO or avenues for future regular data collection, repeating the microdata analysis (including analysis and comparison to other workforces or countries), and exploring opportunities to conduct a regular HMR workforce survey.

By tackling these challenges, Australia can strengthen its HMR workforce, drive innovation and maintain its position as a global leader in health and medical research. The nation's ability to attract, retain, and nurture diverse research talent will be crucial for addressing future health challenges and contributing to economic growth through scientific discovery and its translation into practical outcomes.

Read and download the full audit.