The authorities will support analysis institutes in hiring replacement and extra analysis staff to stop analysis gaps and profession breaks for researchers throughout childbirth and childcare.
The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Foundation for the Promotion of Women in Science and Technology mentioned on Sunday they are going to recruit collaborating establishments for the second half of the 2026 Support Programme for the Use of Replacement Staff in Science and Technology Research and Development (R&D) till July 13.
The programme helps labour prices for replacement staff and extra analysis staff at affiliated analysis institutes so researchers throughout childbirth and childcare can proceed analysis actions whereas taking depart, decreasing working hours or utilizing versatile work preparations. The programme, launched in 2018, has supported a complete of 987 replacement staff to date.
The complete support scale this yr is 233 folks, and about 100 will likely be chosen within the second half. The programme will function in two varieties: support for replacement staff for researchers on depart or diminished hours, and support for extra analysis staff for researchers throughout childcare.
Under the support sort for researchers on depart or diminished hours, the programme offers labour prices to analysis institutes that newly rent staff to take over the duties of researchers on maternity or childcare depart or researchers working diminished hours. It helps up to 21 million gained a yr for bachelor’s and grasp’s stage staff and up to 23 million gained a yr for doctoral-level staff. Depending on the depart or reduced-hours interval, support may be offered for up to 15 months.
Under the support sort for researchers throughout childcare, the programme helps the price of hiring extra analysis staff so researchers with youngsters below 12 can proceed analysis whereas utilizing versatile work preparations. For bachelor’s and grasp’s stage staff serving as intern researchers, it offers up to 10 million gained a yr for up to 1 yr. For doctoral researchers, it offers up to 30 million gained a yr for up to 2 years.
Institutions in search of to take part ought to apply by 6 p.m. on July 13 to the regional utility workplace relying on the world the place the supported staff will work. Institutions that don’t end hiring throughout the discover interval may apply as establishments planning to rent. The ministry plans a further recruitment in September.
Lee Jun-bae (이준배), director basic for future expertise coverage on the ministry, mentioned profession breaks for researchers throughout childcare don’t cease at particular person losses and lead to a weakening of nationwide science and expertise capabilities. He mentioned the ministry will proceed to increase field-focused support so gifted science and expertise personnel don’t cease analysis due to childbirth and childcare.