Background. The paper examines the attitude of scientists engaged in research in the field of education to various aspects of professional activity: the features of planning, resources for implementation, and satisfaction with the results. The relevance of the study is due to a number of institutional changes in the national science. Thus, the active reform initiated in 2013 was aimed at optimizing and increasing the efficiency of various research institutes, primarily those within the structure of state academies. In this regard, it seems important to identify the scientists’ attitude to the results of the implemented initiatives within the period of the last four years.

Objective. The paper is to analyze the influence of age and social indicators of professional status (academic degree, academic title, position held, publication activity) on various aspects of the professional activity of the researches. 

Design and sample characteristics. A special questionnaire of 72 questions was developed (closed, open and scale), 721 respondents were interviewed. The sample included employees with different levels of scientific qualifications and length of professional scientific activity. Both employees of scientific research institutes and universities from different regions of the Russian Federation were interviewed. 

Results. The results show the manifestation of negative tendencies concerning the planning of scientific activity related to its authoritarian nature and formal requirements for reporting on the results of scientific activity. The peculiarities of well-being of scientific employees at the stage of completing a professional career are revealed. The features of the manifestation of the professional crisis, which is characteristic for the age cohort of forty-year scientific workers, are considered. The specifics of attracting personal funds and additional financial sources depending on various indicators of the professional status of the scientist are shown.

The impact of psychological and social labor factors on mental and physical health of correctional institutions personnel is analyzed. The results of research reveal the most important causes of job stress and their intensive character in correctional institutions personnel are considered. The connection between psychological and social factors and also job stress with job satisfaction and internal consistency is considered.