PhD holders at the boundaries and knowledge brokering

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of PhDs pursuing careers at the boundaries between academic and non-academic sectors, particularly with multiple transitions and dual appointments. However, the professional links that PhD holders pursuing non-academic careers maintain with academia and how these relate to different knowledge brokering activities across sectors remain unexplored. To fill this gap, 39 PhD holders working beyond academia in Spain in the fields of Social Sciences, Humanities, and STEM were interviewed. The results revealed that PhD holders navigate diverse professional links with academia, including both organisational and individual-based links, and are involved in a variety of knowledge brokering activities gathered in four distinct qualitative profiles: the professional co-creator, the valuable knowledge holder, the bridge builder, and the knowledgeable associate lecturer. The profiles highlighted a complex relationship with academia, suggesting that in some cases deploying academic links does not secure or explain brokering activities. Moreover, results underscore the influence of career factors such as the organisational culture and support, the research performance in their primary job position, and the disciplinary background. Several research and practical implications of the study are discussed.