Job Searching in a Still-Hot Market

Despite an overall slowdown in the economy, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are optimistic about the future and are investing heavily in research, particularly in the exploding fields of genomics, proteomics, and nanotechnology. Jobs in academia and government seem to be holding strong as well. Universities are investing in the sciences like never before and in government, the National Institutes of Health is poised to receive a record increase in funding. President George W. Bush's 2002 budget proposes nearly $2.8 billion in new funding for medical research, the largest single-year increase ever requested for NIH.1 "The employment market in the life sciences is in really good shape overall right now," says Ian King, marketing manager for Biospace.com, a Web-based provider of life sciences-related information and services. "I don't see the need for scientists and researchers diminishing any time soon." The State of the Job Market Recruiters nationwide report more postings than they can find scientists to fill. Scientists with doctorate degrees are in demand as are those with bachelor's and master's degrees, perhaps more so than in the past. "With their specialized knowledge base, Ph.D.s will always be needed. But in lieu of a Ph.D., we'll take lots of experience," says Pamela S. Bailey, director for business development at Bioview.com, a biotechnology and pharmaceutical careers website. Courtesy of Bio-Jobs.comDel WalkerAs a way to attract scientists early in their careers, many companies are offering education benefits. In the near future, "it will be a great time for master's level candidates to obtain research jobs and continue their education working toward Ph.D.s while earning an income and also getting significant educational assistance from their employer," explains Del Walker, president of Bio-jobs.com, a biotechnology career website. The trend is still in its infancy, notes Walker, but soon companies will have no choice but to begin hiring candidates with master's degrees for positions that only a few years ago were reserved for Ph.D. candidates. Where the Jobs Are The Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Research Triangle Park, N.C., areas remain the main hotbeds for jobs in life sciences. But now researchers who live elsewhere might find opportunities popping up closer to home. When biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies relocate or open new facilities in a city, it means well-paying jobs for an educated workforce. "Due to the successes of these areas and the resulting increases in employment experienced, several other areas of the country are trying to attract developing pharmaceutical companies to their area," says Walker. Such efforts are paying off, at least to some extent. "Biotech firms are growing in areas where you might not expect them, such as in Texas and the Midwest," explains King. The hot jobs are in emerging fields of research. In particular, scientists with experience in genomics, proteomics, and nanotechnology are in demand. And as always, there are lots of jobs for scientists with a chemistry background, chiefly organic and medicinal chemists. Scientists with experience in genomics and proteomics research--especially biologists and organic chemists who can conduct high-throughput screening to support exploratory drug discovery projects--are in demand at many companies. Cancer research, tissue engineering, and bioinformatics are also major areas where companies are hiring. The various advances in science, mainly the mapping of the human genome, have prompted continued growth in cancer research. Tissue engineering needs cell and molecular biologists to work with biomaterial engineers, computer-assisted designers, microscopic imaging specialists, robotics engineers, and equipment developers. And there is an ever-growing need for scientists with both a deep working knowledge of the biological sciences and experience in computational methods to make sense of growing scientific databases. According to Bailey, the next big wave of jobs will be in nanotechnology, "We're in the early stages now, but the big thing coming is nanotechnology." The study of substances at the atomic level and the fabrication of devices with atomic- or molecular-scale precision, nanotechnology requires the skills of a variety of scientists, including medicinal chemistry, bioengineering, physiology, and biophysics. At pharmaceutical companies, jobs in clinical development abound. The drug approval process incorporates numerous positions--not all traditional in research--that require a scientific background such as clinical research, product development, quality assurance and quality control, and regulatory affairs, comments Bailey. Courtesy of Matt TakahashiMatt TakahashiFor scientists looking for a non-research position in the life sciences, a number of opportunities exist. At Executive BioSearch, a search firm specializing in the scientific, biotechnology and diagnostic industries, recruiters frequently fill management, marketing, sales, corporate development, and operations positions with scientists. But Matt Takahashi, president of Executive BioSearch, warns that not all scientists are able to make the transition from research to management or marketing. "Most of the people I have worked with have a business background primarily, and a science background, as well." Job Search Tips from Recruiters Scientists interested in pursuing a new position in life sciences research may want to consider advice from recruiters involved in working with the needs of today's life sciences employers. Seek out employers that interest you. Scientists should evaluate the applications they like to work with, or the kinds of research they like to do, and then look for companies providing opportunities in those areas, notes Takahashi. For scientists taking nonresearch jobs, he suggests they consider positions that allow them to maintain, even expand, connections to research in their area of expertise. Prepare for the interview. For scientists who have been out of the job market for long, special preparation for interviews may be in order. Some recruitment firms offer one-on-one coaching, training tapes, and interview workshops. Communication skills. It may seem obvious, but effective communication skills are essential as scientists are increasingly required to work in interdisciplinary teams, Bailey explains. And since scientists are frequently called on to explain their research to non-scientists, polished presentation skills are an added plus. If your communication skills need some work, a speech class may be helpful. Be willing to work as part of a team. "Scientists can't work in a vacuum anymore," says Bailey. "They have to be willing to work as part of a team." Particularly in pharmaceutical research, scientists may be called on to work on cross-functional teams with people from the research, management, marketing, development, and sales departments. Leadership is highly valued. "It can be a challenge. But if they can't lead a team, what good are they?" she comments. Follow good manufacturing and laboratory practices. This may be a given, but for many scientists, especially in biotechnology and pharmaceutical positions, it's necessary to know them and follow them. Finally, recruiters encourage scientists to honestly take stock of their strengths and weaknesses. Some weaknesses can be overcome by training and new experiences. But according to Takahashi, who works with scientists interested in crossing over to non-research based position, "with a lot of soft skills, you just either have them, or you don't." Outlook for the Future By all reports, the demand for researchers is likely to continue since the near future looks bright for life science research. And while the rapid advancements in the life sciences make it tricky to predict the future, according to King, "A lot depends on what kind of results the industry achieves in turning today's discoveries into treatments. Scientists and researches play an extraordinary role in moving the process along, and I don't see the need for people with these skills diminishing any time soon. With every new discovery, there comes an opportunity to develop new drugs and therapies." Such unpredictability is part of what makes a career in life science research so exciting. "No one could have seen the explosion in research going on now," comments Walker. "And five years from now, there's no telling what strides will have been made that will open new research avenues." Jennifer Fisher Wilson (jfwilson@snip.net) is a contributing editor for The Scientist. 1. T. Hollon, "NIH budget maintains doubling momentum," The Scientist, 15[2]:1, Jan. 22, 2001. Resources The World Wide Web is full of career resources for life scientists. In addition to job posting on individual biotechnology, pharmaceutical, university, and government sites, various Web sites feature job postings. Here's a list of just a few: Biospace.com Executivebiosearch.com Bioview.com Bio-jobs.com Sciencejobs.com Scijobs.org

Job Searching in a Still-Hot Market

The State of the Job Market

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of