Discusión: Structural Bottlenecks and Scientific Workforce Sustainability
The structural retention of early-career researchers within public scientific institutions reveals systemic contradictions between career expectations and institutional absorptive capacities. While public research councils emphasize excellence and output, the broader academic ecosystem frequently relies on commercial prestige economies and precarious contractual pathways that disproportionately strain emerging investigators [6]. This systemic tension is magnified during periods of academic mobility and migration, where junior scholars face the loss and reconstruction of scientific identity, language barriers, and an erosion of institutional belonging [5]. Consequently, structural vulnerabilities extend beyond financial constraints into the organizational architecture of academic mentorship and professional support. Structured mentorship programs serve as vital institutional stabilizers, mitigating isolation and fostering professional skill-building, particularly for vulnerable groups navigating structural inequities [2]. However, when institutions lack formalized support systems, the burden of career stabilization falls entirely upon individual researchers, accelerating attrition rates among talented personnel [2], [6]. A critical gap in current national science policies is the absence of integrated frameworks that align research funding mechanisms with long-term career track security. Without deliberate institutional interventions targeting mentorship networks, equitable evaluation criteria, and stable professional progression, research councils risk diminishing their human capital reserves, ultimately compromising national scientific output and institutional continuity.