Scientists preparing for the faculty job market often face questions that aren't always addressed in the lab: How do you know when you're ready? What should you negotiate? And what does life as a faculty member actually look like?

The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center created its Future Faculty Conference to help emerging researchers navigate that transition. Participants in the inaugural conference said they came away with candid advice from faculty who had made the move themselves and a new network of peers preparing to do the same.

The first conference brought 25 graduate students, fellows and residents from across the country to Cincinnati for two days of professional development focused on careers in academic medicine and research. Led by Stephen Kniffley, PsyD, associate director for Cancer Research Development and Faculty Affairs at the Cancer Center, the event included faculty discussions, networking and sessions on negotiation and mentorship.

Steven Kniffley, PsyD, MPA, MBA Associate Director for Cancer Research Development & Faculty Affairs University of Cincinnati Cancer Center

Learning What the Faculty Job Market is Really Like

Participants heard directly from faculty about topics that can be difficult to learn through traditional scientific training, from evaluating and negotiating offers to deciding when to begin a job search and developing a grant portfolio.

Faculty also challenged assumptions about what it takes to become a competitive candidate. Grant-writing and publishing experience matter, they said, but departments are also looking for colleagues whose expertise fills a scientific need and who can contribute to the broader academic community.

The conversations gave participants a chance to ask candid questions about parts of academic careers that don't always appear on a CV.

Finding Community Beyond the Lab

For Courtnee Clough, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Starczynowski lab at Cincinnati Children’s, one of the conference's most valuable outcomes was connecting with researchers at similar stages of their careers.

"I think for me, because I am local, the nicest thing was actually just making national connections with a peer network,” Clough said. “Sometimes it feels like you're a little bit of an island… [but] we're all on this journey together, thinking about things together. And it was also nice to get reassurance from the faculty members that none of us have fully figured this out."

Fabian Montecino Morales, a research fellow in the Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology in the Millay Research Lab at Cincinnati Children's, came to the conference considering whether his future was in academia or industry. Hearing from junior faculty who had recently faced similar decisions helped him better understand the academic path.

"I always had this doubt of what would be better for me, to continue in academia or move to industry," Montecino Morales said. "Having feedback from people who have already been through this same pathway, junior faculty who give a different perspective, is pretty helpful."

Building the Next Generation of Researchers

The Future Faculty Conference is part of the Cancer Center’s broader effort to strengthen the pipeline of researchers prepared for careers in cancer science and academic medicine.

The second annual Future Faculty Conference will take place April 26-27, 2027, giving another cohort of emerging researchers the opportunity to build connections and gain practical guidance as they consider the next stage of their careers.

Applications for the next Future Faculty Conference are now open at https://redcap.link/futurefacultyconf.