I'll be staying put

As I wrote in several earlier posts (top 5, possible change), I have (had) been seriously considering a job change and had applied for a faculty position at a regional university. While I had made it into the top 10 of over 200 candidates, I was informally informed this week that I didn't make it into the top five. I'm frankly not surprised. The department in question is apparently going to go with selection of a younger, assistant professor (pre-tenure), and I wouldn't have accepted less than a full professor with tenure. I don't think for a minute this constitutes some form of age discrimination. Any basic science department is going to want a mix of early, mid, and late career faculty. A perusal of this department's web site shows a predominance in the latter two categories, and I would imagine there would be a strong desire to bring in a senior scientist only if that person is a superstar. I think I'm good, but not in that category. Otherwise, a junior faculty member is less of a financial risk; the starting salary is lower, and they are tenure-track, not tenured...a big difference. However, I did have my ego stroked a bit when my contact told me that I was the only senior/tenure applicant that made it into that top 10, so I have to feel a little good about that.

So what's next? I do have some things to think about. I'm going to have to work hard to turn things around to the point I don't feel as much frustration as I have been. It's starting to paralyze me in the sense I'm having trouble focusing on some key things I need to be doing, specifically writing some grant proposals!