Talent Connect Draws Scores of Life Science Companies in Massachusetts
April 12, 2016
By Angela Rose for BioSpace.com
Massachusetts is home to the largest concentration of life science researchers in the country as well as 1,895 biotechnology, pharma, medical device and diagnostics employers—many of which are attending BioSpace’s Spring Genetown Talent Connect event to recruit new graduates and experienced professionals for a growing number of available jobs in the Genetown hotbed.
According to JLL, the life science industry in the area has added more than 22,000 such jobs in the last decade. And in 2015 alone, several Boston-area life science employers increased staff by 40 percent or more. With an unemployment rate of only 3.9 percent, competition is fierce.
“The market is very strong for qualified job seekers at the moment,” says Adam Farmer, technical recruiter for Kelly Scientific Resources. “With such a low unemployment rate, there is a shortage of good talent in the area.” This shortage has driven Farmer, and other employers like him, to Talent Connect.
“Attending these events allows us to connect with highly skilled individuals and present them with quality opportunities that help them achieve their career goals,” he explains. “Kelly Scientific Resources has spent over 20 years developing relationships with the best pharmaceutical and biotech companies in the world, and we are trusted in our abilities to match the right candidate with the right job.”
“We need strong new hires who are passionate about bringing new medicines to patients,” says Natalie Griffith, senior manager of university relations at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “Boston/Cambridge is a hub of scientific excellence with some of the top academic, medical and technology institutions in the world. Talent Connect has consistently yielded high quality hires in the past. As we grow and continue to be leaders in biotech innovation and productivity, we feel our value proposition is strong and that we can be a good match for qualified candidates at Talent Connect.”
Job seekers who want to meet and network with representatives from Kelly Scientific Resources, Aerotek, Alkermes , AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP , Clintec International, Commissioning Agents, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company , Integrated Project Management Company, Inc., MedImmune, LLC , Medpace, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc. , NITTO DENKO Avecia Inc. , NYU Langone Medical Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Zipher Medical Affairs and other Genetown life sciences employers can do so at the Boston Marriott Cambridge on April 20 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Each organization will be conducting on-site in-depth private interviews with candidates as they recruit for multiple job openings. Pre-registration for the event is required along with submission of a resume for pre-screening.
Numerous opportunities are available for qualified job seekers. “A growing market for Kelly Scientific Resources in Boston is within the clinical space,” says Farmer. “We have been working with more and more clients who are requesting qualified clinical research associates (CRAs) and clinical research coordinators (CRCs).”
“We are hiring for almost all groups at all locations as Regeneron continues to grow rapidly and strategically,” adds Griffith. “Our company has doubled in size over the past three years due to our success in bringing new medicines to market and innovating to build a robust pipeline of potential drug candidates. We are seeking talented and collaborative people who like to be challenged every day, and who can help progress our mission of turning science into new medicines for patients. Some of our largest hiring needs are in immuno-oncology, bioinformatics, and our award-winning industrial operations and product supply groups.”
Forbes listed Regeneron as number 91 on a list of America’s Best Midsize Employers, and number 4 in Innovative Companies. On the Fortune list, Regeneron ranked number 72, up from last year’s ranking of 99. Regeneron is listed as number 4 on BioSpace's The 5 Best Life Science Companies with Great Perks and Work Culture.
“At Regeneron, we pride ourselves on innovative thinking and constant reinvention,” Angi Calkins, executive director of talent acquisition at Regeneron, told BioSpace. “Our employees ‘follow the science’ in order to turn their ideas into medicines that improve patients’ lives. We have four approved medicines and a dozen entirely homegrown antibody candidates in the clinical pipeline, and we are poised for multiple additional FDA decisions over the next few years.”
Calkins added, “Every day, we are challenged to solve problems and reinvent the status quo, and we get our best ideas and solutions through collaboration. We know our work is not about personal wins but rather the bigger picture of helping people in need, and that’s what keeps us motivated.”
Photo Credit: Regeneron