For years, STEM careers — especially in chemical engineering — were seen as a safe bet, even in tough times. But 2025 has been a much different story: layoffs, funding freezes, and a sharp pullback in R&D investments are leaving intelligent, hard-working professionals in limbo.
We are seeing real consequences across the scientific landscape. National labs are scaling back new research programs. Federally funded institutions are putting projects on hold. Many universities have frozen or severely limited faculty hiring in response to the mounting uncertainty around federal research budgets and the looming possibility of cuts to the overhead funding that keeps labs and research facilities running. In some cases, researchers, especially those on soft money, are already losing their positions as grant renewals stall or disappear altogether. Even the private sector is seeing a ripple effect, with industries like biotech, pharma, semiconductors, and renewable energy stalling projects or cutting staff. Many of these sectors depend on stable science and technology investments and long-term policy planning. Even the “safe” sectors are not so safe anymore.
So what now? If you are feeling untethered or disoriented, you are not imagining things. In times like these, being prepared is a form of resilience. Whether you are actively job hunting or just quietly keeping an eye on the landscape, we are going to cover four ways you can...
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