The PhD is the last and most important academic degree conferred by a university or other institution authorized to do so. These third-cycle studies of the European Higher Education Area give doctoral candidates the skills and abilities related to quality scientific research, which will end with the preparation and defence of a doctoral thesis that incorporates the original results that are the object of their research.
Once you have completed your PhD, you will be able to work both in teaching and in research in the university environment, although it will also give you access to work in public bodies and private companies, as there is increasing interest in professional profiles specialising in innovation and research.
With this in mind, let's analyse the different employment options once you have completed your doctoral studies:
- Teaching and research careers at the university: once you have obtained your PhD, your teaching career begins with the figure of the assistant doctor. In order to apply for this position it is necessary to obtain a positive evaluation from ANECA or AVAP. Universities also have research positions that do not require this evaluation in the categories of research technicians.
- Research centres: there are many research centres in our country, as well as in the European environment. Therefore, in order to select them, the first thing to do is to choose the branch of knowledge of the doctorate; subsequently, we must begin the search at the regional, national, European or international level:
- Public Research Organisations
- Research organisations in the Valencian Community
- Organisms in the rest of Spain
- Bodies at European level
- International organizations
- Private companies: the trend of the majority employment presence of PhDs holders in universities and research centres has been altered since 2014. In the last three years, the distribution of doctoral staff is 46% in companies, 34% in universities and 20% in research centres or institutes. Besides the usual ways of seeking employment in private companies, through social networks, meta-seekers, public employment services, human resources consultants or employment services of universities such as UVempleo, for a couple of years in the Valencian Community has facilitated the recruitment of doctoral staff through the Plan GenT programme, in force this year.
If a PhD is your option, you already have the tools. It's time to take action and choose your best job opportunity.
