Yours, Mine, Sometimes Ours: Uncovering the Experiences of Biologists Searching for Academic Jobs Together

Biologists pursuing faculty jobs are often married to other biologists who may also desire faculty positions. This increases the complexity of the job search, with little guidance for early career researchers about doing this successfully. Couples have been surveyed, but less research qualitatively investigates the lived experiences of couples seeking jobs together. These stories may inform professional development about navigating joint job searches. This study interviewed 18 biologists who were part of a couple who were currently or had sought jobs together. Interviews asked about the strategies and supports guiding their job search, their decisions and compromises, and the emotions they experienced. The transcripts underwent thematic analysis to identify six themes related to strategies (advice, hiding their partner, and searching for jobs), negotiations, compromises (types and tensions), apprehensions, reconciliations, and reflections. Communication to identify joint priorities informed the couple's choices and compromises during the search. There were many emotional burdens related to navigating together. The participants expressed their struggles to understand institutional practices on dual career hires, suggesting a need to provide professional development to early career researchers, particularly in the areas of discussions about job search expectations and potential outcomes, and anticipation of emotional reactions.