--- - |2+ Abstract Background Health care professionals caring for cancer patients have a considerable risk of developing burnout. However, as burnout has been rarely investigated among early‐career oncology professionals. This study aims to investigate the presence of and risk factors linked to burnout in early‐career oncology professionals. Methods A cross‐sectional, hospital‐based survey was conducted. A web link for the survey was sent to all staff of Peking University Cancer Hospital. Measures included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Effort‐Reward Inventory (ERI), and Big Five Personality Scale along with a questionnaire used to collect demographic, occupational, and social variables. Results In total, 862 (71%) clinical health professionals completed the questionnaire, including 290 (35%) early‐career professionals with work experiences as oncology professionals within 5 years. One hundred fourteen (39%) of them reported burnout in at least one domain. Lower scores on agreeableness (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, P = 0.050) and neuroticism (OR = 0.69, P = 0.007) and high ERI ratio (OR = 103.67, P < 0.001) were associated with emotional exhaustion; lower scores on agreeableness (OR = 0.64, P < 0.001) and neuroticism (OR = 0.69, P = 0.007) and high ERI ratio (OR = 103.67, P < 0.001) were associated with depersonalization. Conclusions Chinese early‐career oncology professionals experience a high risk of burnout. The early‐career professionals with lower agreeableness and higher neuroticism in personality may have a higher risk of burnout. Imbalance between work efforts and work rewards is another significant risk factor of burnout. - Psycho-Oncology, Volume 27, Issue 10, Page 2436-2441, October 2018.