Science and gender indicators for Research Support Staff of CONICET-Argentina

In this work, Science and Gender indicators are proposed, from the perspective of a particular group of actors: Research Support Staff of CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina).

Due to the Taylorist model of human resources organization in CONICET, it is considered that everyone plays a role in the production and transfer of scientific knowledge to society. This makes it necessary to deepen the understanding of the relationships between different actors, expanding the linear analysis scheme: Doctoral Scholar - Researcher's Career, to propose organizational improvements that not only enhance productivity, but also to generate fair, healthy and equitable work environments.

Through secondary sources, the population of support personnel in the CCT Mar del Plata (CONICET Scientific and Technological Regional Center of Mar del Plata) was characterized, showing that 68.7% of the personnel are male. It can also be seen that the staff is concentrated in institutions in STEM knowledge areas (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). It is necessary to extend this analysis of segregation by area of ​​knowledge to the rest of the country.

Although the hierarchical relationships between actors are complex. By the way, we know that these personnel have their activities directed by the Director of the institute where they work. Some may optionally have a designated co-director, who must be a member of the research career of CONICET. And they may (or may not) perform their functions under a support staff who is the leader of the area or laboratory. The aforementioned description is based on the human resources organizational chart. The hierarchical scheme proposed by the career ladders of support personnel based on salaries was also analyzed, demonstrating that it does not describe the hierarchical relationships between actors.

Regarding the scissors effect: career promotion, the data obtained through a request for public data on this personnel in 2021, at first appearance show that there is no stagnation of women in the technical category. However, considering that the regulations say that there is no correlation between the career ladders and the level of academic studies, consequently some people with doctoral study (or other titles of high level of studies) are in the Technical ladder, and people with secondary degrees are in the Professional ladder. This situation affects more women than men, so this means that there is greater academic pressure for women to access the professional category.

Based on everything stated above, a proposal for science and gender indicators is made for members of the Research Support Staff of CONICET, which aims to be more representative of the working conditions of these actors. Likewise, these results motivate the author to continue this research to obtain a PhD in Social Sciences.