Hi guys. I hope you are having a nice day... Does anyone here know if there exist some kind of cooling-off period attached to academic jobs after a contract is signed? I can't see anything about that in the small print but I was wondering if there is an informal understanding or a typical timeframe for canceling a job-contract in academia.

No there isn't and except in some limited circumstances you need to think seriously about the potential career damage you'd cause. Assuming you mean a proper academic job i.e. post PhD the big exceptions are: 1) signed a contract for some hourly paid teaching then got offered a fulltime job elsewhere. EVERYONE will understand that - just don't dump them in it with days to go before the course starts; 2) massive unexpected change in personal circumstances e.g. you or a parent, child, partner is diagnosed with a terminal illness and an international / crosscountry move is no longer viable. If it's not one of those, then from what I've seen you need to be very careful in changing your mind afer you've signed - you can of course tell them youre not starting the job, but academia is a small world, this is something that's viewed as very unprofessional and word gets round. Someone I know said yes to a lectureship and then changed her mind two months later as sh didn't want to move, and three years on is still unemployed - I can't prove it's why she's not getting jobs but it seems weird that she went from getting lots of interviews to deathly silence. I'd really really take advice from an academic you trust about how to do this in the most damage-limiting way and if you do, do it fast. I know some universities can appoint someone else from the shortlist if it's within a few weeks but otherwise they have to advertise again.

Thank you Bewildered for this helpful reply. I see what you mean, it makes a lot of sense indeed. It is for a permanent position which I am very excited about. But was thinking of considering this new chance that's just came about; now looks to me that it might be a bad move considering what you said which is so true. I should be seriuos about it and close my eyes to the other thing I guess.

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I've been thinking about this- I'm applying for academic jobs whilst also waiting for the outcome of a grant application. I won't be informed of the outcome until Jan/Feb and I was thinking I'd just apply for jobs anyway because I'm worried that the grant won't come through and then I'll be kicking myself for not applying for the jobs that are coming up while I've been waiting. But if I did get say a research assistant post and was then offered a 5 year post-doc position (which is what the grant is for) then of course I would want to chuck the 1-2 year RA position and take the 5 yr post. I'm gonna have to be very careful if I get offered another job in the meantime to see how much notice is required and how quickly I could take up another position. It's not something I want to do...but I'm kind of backed into a corner really :(

I can understand you very well Keenbean. Things usually work out for the best though... I hope you'll get the result you want with the leat confusion from other alternatives. Good luck with all...