The article deals with the problem of rejuvenation of the staff potential in scientific organizations and
higher educational institutions through the selection and motivation of talented young specialists
to build their career trajectory in the field of science, high technology and higher education. The
authors provide a detailed description of the target characteristics necessary for successful work
in a creative environment. Based on original methods and building on the basic provisions of the
theory of motivational complex work activities and use of the MMPI diagnostic test, they define the
reference variant personality, and motivational profile of the scientist and compare it with the real
profiles of undergraduate and graduate students wishing or not wishing to continue their graduate
education with subsequent employment in a higher school or scientific organization. By logical
comparison of the reference and real profiles, the article came to the paradoxical conclusion that
people who are predisposed to scientific activity do not have aspirations to enter graduate school.
Those who are professionally unfit for scientific activity, on the contrary, tend towards graduate
school. Based on the analysis of the causes of this situation, a number of proposals for improving
the system of professional selection and motivation of talented young professionals are formulated
and justified. They are mainly related to the development of diagnostic tests for career guidance and
the use of the postdoctoral institute. The authors suggest that the implementation of these proposals
will contribute to the rejuvenation and strengthening of the human resources of higher educational
institutions and scientific organizations in the Russian Federation.