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Roadblocks to Resilience: Top 5 Workforce Development Challenges in Translational Science

Written by Tyren Lucas - June 20, 2025
The translational research workforce exists in an environment that is continuously evolving by the month and even by the day. Research and clinical professionals are all facing various challenges that can impede their career development and build roadblocks that tests their resilience. These challenges can also be the logjam for establishing efficient and effective translation of research into clinical practice.

Recognizing these challenges and having resources and support to overcome them are critical for cultivating an adaptable, resilient, and well-equipped translational research workforce. Here are 5 challenges that the translational research workforce faces and resources that can help to overcome them:

1. Limited Career Pathways

The current job market is murkier than ever. Job boards, recruiting agencies, and career finder websites are posting jobs that go nowhere. Many of the jobs are filled already, posted with an internal candidate already selected, or the companies are farming information for future use. In addition, there is already a lack of clearly defined career trajectories within translational research where the ambiguity can create uncertainty in the field. This applies to both careers in academia and industry. This is frustrating for any candidate on a job search. Building a network of trusted mentors, peers, and collaborators is an essential tool that can help break the virtual job search barrier while carving out your career pathway. Set the stage for your future by forming meaningful professional relationships now.

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2. Work-Life Balance, Personal Wellness, and Burnout

Being in a fast-paced and demanding industry such as research can lead professionals to experience burnout. Balancing work, family, school, and other life duties can be a tremendous juggling act. The pressure they feel in their field can also affect their psyche and overall work production. Research professionals have to be proactive and prioritize their overall personal wellness by utilizing work-life balance and time management resources that can alleviate the burnout. Many employers and institutions offer mental/physical wellness resources and time management training for their employees and students to sustain a healthy work-life balance. When you prioritize your well-being, you bring out the best version of yourself and boost the morale and energy of the colleagues you work with every day.

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3. Insufficient Mentorship, Training, and Development

Translational research inherently requires collaboration across various disciplines. Research professionals often make essential connections on their career journey that builds their professional network. The challenges that many research professionals face are insufficient workforce development resources, which hinder their ability to receive proper mentorship, to form a solid development plan, and to support their career journey. Impactful mentoring and institutional/organizational commitment through dedicated resources and supportive learning environments are necessary for advancing workforce development efforts. Even though effective mentorship is vital for career development in translational research, unfortunately, many institutions do not offer structured mentorship programs, leaving research professionals to figure things out on their own. Bridging the intergenerational gap between seasoned and early career researchers is a new frontier that has evolved in today’s mentor/mentee relationships, which makes mentor training more important than ever.

Interdisciplinary training programs, whether experiential, didactic, or blended, that are offered in consideration of an evolving translational workforce are crucial for today’s workforce development. Training and development programs should not operate in silos. The top areas of career development focus for many institutions centers on team science, mentoring, grantsmanship, and leadership. In order to build a collaborative and formidable translational workforce, researchers need to invest in mentorship, training, and supportive work environments with support from their institutions. This bidirectional commitment is essential for career development.

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4. Regulatory Changes and Competitive Funding Opportunities

Securing funding for career advancement and research development can face significant hurdles that can make or break a research project. Many early career scholars struggle to obtain grants or institutional support for training and development, which may preclude the translation of innovative scientific discoveries into real-world solutions in public health. In addition, many research professionals lack adequate training in regulatory knowledge and ethics, which can lead to obstacles in the research-to-practice pipeline. Without this support, it becomes difficult for researchers to move forward in their careers or make meaningful contributions to improving public health. Understanding regulatory policies and ethical practices while staying current on them through enrichment training and retaining literary resources that you can access for review can alleviate regulatory issues. In addition, research professionals have to be proactive in a competitive funding environment. They should have a mindset to “play matchmaker” for funding where they pursue funding opportunities that aligns with their research and career goals.

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5. Rapid Technological Advancements and Data Sharing and Management

Keeping pace with technological innovations is a major challenge in the current translational workforce environment. The ability to manage and integrate multiple or specific data sets is also a challenge faced by many. Unfortunately, many professionals lack the necessary skills and tools to keep up or stay ahead of all of these advancements, which can result in inefficiencies or critical mistakes in their research. New tools, software, and methodologies are constantly being introduced, and researchers need regular training to learn how to use them effectively. A major area of concern in today’s research environment is how artificial intelligence (AI) has become integrated in every facet of scientific research, including data sharing, writing, and dissemination of information. AI, along with many other advancements in technology, are moving at the speed of light. Today’s research professionals have to utilize their cognitive flexibility which enables them to be equipped with the awareness and ability to pivot and adjust when advancements in technology are introduced into their ecosystem. To ensure responsible and effective use of emerging technologies, it is critical to establish robust data sharing and management practices that prioritize security, accessibility, and reproducibility. As institutions are investing in essential training and technological infrastructure, researchers need to stay ahead of the curve and utilize those resources to navigate a fast-paced and innovative research environment with confidence.

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In conclusion, building a resilient translational science workforce requires a strategic, multi-pronged approach that addresses the challenges research professionals are facing today. Each challenge presents Asan opportunity to bolster training efforts, to strengthen infrastructure, and to foster professional collaborations and relationships. Research professionals who invest in their career development by leveraging key resources and tools will be best prepared to make a real-world impact in accelerating scientific discoveries into meaningful clinical impact. By equipping research professional with the tools, training, and resources they need to adapt and thrive, institutions and organizations can be key players in building an influential, innovative, and resilient translational workforce.

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