Pregnant and worried about a future job

Firstly, many congratulations on your pregnancy and for the near completion of your PhD, two fantastic milestones!. As you know these types of life events can also result in a real mix of emotions, including excitement and elation, but also trepidation around the future which is completely understandable.

You mention your initial desire to continue your career in academia and it is really disappointing to hear that you have not found your supervisors supportive. However, if this is something you really wish to pursue you need not restrict your search for an academic/ research post to your current institution. Your geographical location is such that it is well served by many other institutions that you could approach proactively for opportunities?

Advice from one of our own female academics here at the OU is that whilst it is still challenging, the outlook for women researchers is now far more positive than it was fifteen years ago. There are more part-time research positions advertised and there is active campaigning to get women returners back into academia. In fact, in many ways the flexible nature of the work may lend itself to balancing work and life.

Have a look at the following article from The Guardian, whilst a few years old, the advice remains sound. It’s great to hear that you have a supportive partner and interestingly Melissa Terras cites this as one of the most important contributing factors to her success.

https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/aug/17/academic-careers-work-life-balance

Finally, it isn’t clear from your email what else you may consider doing? Whilst your CV focuses on your academic achievements it also demonstrates some great experience and very valuable transferable skills which can be utilised outside the teaching and education sector. Recent findings suggest that more that 25% of PhD graduates work in the science and pharmaceuticals industry alone. A fact that has probably been prompted by the private sector becoming more research-orientated in the past few years. Getting support from your own University Careers Service to explore opportunities, look at your CV and identify your skills will certainly help here.

I hope that this begins to help and I would encourage you to make contact with your own Careers Service to continue to explore your options. In the meantime best wishes for your pregnancy and the completion of your PhD! Both fantastic and life changing in their own ways!