Biotech firms have taken a beating in the last year, but some companies are finding ways to survive— and thrive—despite the downturn. In this year's Best Places to Work in Industry survey, the highest rated companies bucked the general downward trend in the industry, instead maintaining steady growth and expanding into new areas. Room for intellectual and career development, a family-friendly environment, and less hierarchy also topped scientists' list of priorities in this year's survey.
With the risk of layoffs and reorganizations, scientists are most content in companies that offer solid job security and that continue to fulfill and expand their research goals. "That's a real luxury for us," says Akin Akinc, associate director of research at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, the seventh-ranked small company. To maintain their growth, smaller companies such as Alnylam and Infinity Pharmaceuticals forged partnerships, while others like GeneDX secured stable funding from the big ...
