Inclusion through part-time science

Over the past year, the science community has been transformed by alternative work arrangements. Building on this foundation to increase flexible job offerings in the post-pandemic future would promote workforce diversity, including people who sometimes struggle to balance work with other life priorities. For instance, pursuing a productive scientific career while raising young children presents a daunting challenge. A disproportionate burden is typically placed on mothers due to unequal housework and child care allocation ([ 1 ][1]). In the United States, insufficient parental leave exacerbates the problem, usually requiring full-time workers to find alternative child care arrangements within 3 months of childbirth, relinquishing valuable bonding time with their infant and often introducing additional financial costs. Even with good parental leave benefits, time off could derail a principal investigator's career by leading to gaps in funding and mentoring, or it could perpetuate inequality if women make use of it and men do not. As a result, many new mothers and, to a lesser degree, new fathers leave the full-time science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce ([ 2 ][2]). The underrepresentation of women with children in the postdoctoral workforce and the dearth of women pursuing principal investigator positions could be improved by offering more part-time options in addition to affordable child care ([ 3 ][3]). Increased availability of part-time early career scientist positions could also make balancing career and other responsibilities more feasible for other caregivers, people with health limitations, and anyone else who requires more flexibility. Currently, tenure-track faculty positions and part-time positions are mutually exclusive at some institutions. Furthermore, many postdoctoral fellowships [such as NIH F32 ([ 4 ][4])] and career development awards [such as NIH K99/R00 ([ 5 ][5])] that can help accelerate junior scientists' careers are only awarded to full-time applicants. Part-time researchers are uncommon and are often perceived to be less dedicated ([ 6 ][6]) than their full-time counterparts, putting them at a disadvantage when judged by their peers for funding and advancement. More part-time opportunities in the scientific workforce would enrich scientific culture, adding valuable new perspectives and enhancing diversity. The next time you are recruiting for an open position, consider explicitly welcoming part-time applicants—the quality of the resulting applicant pool may surprise you. 1. [↵][7]1. L. Schiebinger, 2. S. K. Gilmartin , Academe 96, 39 (2010). [OpenUrl][8] 2. [↵][9]1. E. A. Cech, 2. M. Blair-Loy , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 116, 4182 (2019). [OpenUrl][10][Abstract/FREE Full Text][11] 3. [↵][12]1. E. D. Martinez et al ., EMBO Rep. 8, 977 (2007). [OpenUrl][13][FREE Full Text][14] 4. [↵][15]Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32) (NIH, 2020); . 5. [↵][16]NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (NIH, 2020); . 6. [↵][17]1. L. S. Malisheski , “Part-time science in perspective,” Science 10.1126/science.caredit.a0700177 (2007). 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