Who are the researchers working in companies?

When detailing its method, the ministry of higher education and research explains that data used come from the annual study (2021) about means dedicated to research and experimental development (R&D) of companies. Every two years, a specific section dedicated to researchers is included in the study.

Researchers and engineers in R&D, designated by the general term of “researcher”, are scientists “who work for the design or creation of knowledge, products, processes, methods or new systems, also including scholarship holders in thesis paid by companies, such as recipients of a Cifre agreement, and high-level staff in charge of leading teams of researchers”.

A 37% increase in ten years

Based on these details, the Keynote shows that in 2021, a total of 413,700 people worked on Research and Development (R&D) activities in companies implemented on the French territory. And in this R&D staff, only 291,100 people have a position of researcher or engineer in R&D, including PhD holders.

From 2012 to 2021, the total staff of researchers increased by 37% in terms of individuals. To be noted that the group of women increases faster (+58%) than men’s (+31%). The share of women researchers jumped from 20% in 2012 to 23% in 2021.

In addition, in France, the research field is a young generation: the median age of researchers in companies is 39, and only 20% are over 50. Women’s median age (37) is even three years younger than men’s. Women researchers, says the ministry, “are relatively better represented in younger age groups”.

Women researchers have more degrees than men

In terms of training, more than half of researchers in companies went to schools of engineering, and a large majority have a degree at least equivalent to five years of studies after the “baccalauréat” (88%). More precisely, 64% of them are graduates from a French school of engineering, 23% hold a Master’s degree (or foreign equivalent) and 13% are doctors/PhD graduates. These figures are higher for women: 36% hold a doctorate/PhD and 28% hold a Master’s degree. And the share of researchers having a foreign degree as highest degree is 2%, including 28% of women.

However, “the main research disciplines in companies are also the least feminine”. The largest groups of researchers in companies are in engineering science, mathematics, and software design. In 2021, 75% of researchers worked in these disciplines, but it’s in these disciplines that the share of women is the weakest (16%), since women are more present in medical sciences (58%) and biological science (56%).

7% of foreign researchers in companies

Among researchers in companies, the ministry in charge of research reveals that 7% have a foreign nationality. The ministry details that in 2021 “19,300 researchers with a foreign nationality work in R&D in a company implemented in France, i.e. 7% of researchers in company”. This share is 9% for women and 6% for men. In terms of origin, 36% come from Europe, 38% from Africa and 12% from Asia.

And the ministry adds that “the share of researchers with a foreign nationality is greater in services (8%)”. It is weaker in manufacturing industries (5%) and closer to primary sectors, energy and construction (6%).

R&D spending in companies increase

In addition to the keynote about the profile of researchers, the ministry of higher education and research published another one about R&D spending in companies in 2022 providing more information about staff.

According to this keynote, R&D domestic expenditures from companies implemented in France rose by 3.4% in volume in 2022. As main teaching of this note: these companies employ 307,000 people in full time equivalent in their R&D work, a 1.5% increase compared with 2021. The first three regions in terms of domestic spending in R&D are the Île-de-France region, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and the Occitanie region, three regions that make up 69% of the total and employ 67% of staff in R&D.

Explore more: 

- Keynote about the profile of researchers in 2021

- Keynote about R&D spending in companies in 2022