Mobility of couples in academia

[cestyx]

Hello,

I would like to know what are the chances of a couple getting two permanent academic positions in the same place, since it seems so hard to get a tenure track position? Have you ever tried (and succeeded?) in finding a position in the same city as your wife/husband, and what do people do when they don't find any?
My question holds with both persons looking for an academic position, but also if only one of them is in this case and the other has got a permanent job : were you ever in this situation and what is your experience about it?

Thanks

Edit : I should probably have posted in "Career guidance", if a moderator can move the thread.

 

[rhombusjr]

I'm sure it isn't easy to do, but it definitely is possible. I know quite a few 'academic couples'. A few of the professors in my department are married to professors either in the department or at a nearby school. They all have tenure and some of them are fairly young (PhD < 15 years ago).

 

[Vanadium 50]

This is possible, but it is very difficult and probably getting more difficult. If the probability of getting a faculty job is epsilon, the probability of getting two is epsilon squared.

In the past, one option was that the leading spouse would get a faculty position, and the trailing spouse would get a soft-money position on someone's grant. Long-term soft money positions are drying up, though, and some difficult situations lie ahead.

 

[jtbell]

I avoided that problem by not becoming part of a "serious couple" until after I got a tenure-track position, with pretty good prospects of getting tenure. She already had tenure here, in another department/field. A few years after we got married, I got tenure myself.

 

[Matrix0]

Hello,

Thank you for your question. I have observed that the mobility of couples in academia can vary greatly depending on individual circumstances and the current job market. It can certainly be challenging for both partners to secure permanent academic positions in the same location, especially in competitive fields where tenure track positions are limited. However, it is not impossible and many couples have successfully navigated this situation.

I personally have not been in this exact situation, but I have colleagues and friends who have. In some cases, they were able to find positions in the same city, either through networking or by applying to multiple institutions in the area. In other cases, one partner may have had to make sacrifices and take a position in a different location, while the other partner continued to search for a position in the same city. It can also be helpful to consider alternative academic careers or non-academic positions in the same location, if the primary goal is to be in the same city.

When one partner has a permanent job and the other is looking for an academic position, it can also be a challenging situation. In this case, it may be necessary for the job-seeking partner to consider opportunities in different locations, or for the working partner to make adjustments to their career to accommodate the other's job search. Again, alternative career paths may also be worth exploring in this situation.

Overall, the key to success in these situations is open communication, flexibility, and persistence. It may not always be easy, but with determination and a supportive partnership, it is possible for couples to find permanent academic positions in the same location. I hope this helps answer your question. Best of luck in your own job search.