The Selection of Tenured Astronomers in France

Abstract

The organization of the recruitment of tenured astronomers and astrophysicists in France is presented and compared with the setup in other countries. The ages for getting tenure have increased from 27-28 in 1980 to 31 today. Foreign scientists constitute at least 11% of the recruits and the delay in their hiring is quantified. The large reliance on national tenure committees is justified, while the increased targeting of positions is questioned and a compromise proposed.Comment: Final refereed version. One sentence added plus several other modifications. 20 page