Labor market

Biotechs developing therapeutics to treat rare diseases include two that received FDA approvals this year for drugs to treat spinal muscular atrophy and Alexander disease.

Big Pharma companies including Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis are among those that made or planned layoffs in Q3. Those cuts could affect over 1,800 employees, with New Jersey the hardest-hit state.

Based on typical fourth quarter hiring activity, biopharma job seekers should apply for open roles sooner than later. Recruiting and career coaching experts offer advice on timing, networking, interviewing and casting a wider net than usual during Q4.

Of the 38 companies receiving incentives, 31 will expand outside of Boston and Cambridge. Still, Boston and Cambridge are each expected to gain over 200 jobs. Tax incentive award recipients include AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb and Insulet.

Biotechs that announced series B financing this year and are expanding their workforces include one that raised $2.1 billion and has partnerships with Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis.

As pharmas reshore manufacturing, they’re squaring off with each other to find the right personnel to staff up their plants. That task is challenging given the limited talent pool, difficulty filling critical roles and, in some cases, competition from data centers.

As biopharma job openings rose this year, opportunities were greatest in Massachusetts and California and in the science/R&D and clinical disciplines, according to BioSpace data. Several other locations and functions have also been going strong.

As AI becomes more embedded in biotech R&D, companies are competing for professionals who can bridge biology, machine learning, data and engineering. Recruiting expert Darren Nelson explains which capabilities are becoming hardest to find—and why.

Applying artificial intelligence and automation tactics has played a large role in talent strategy conversations in the past few years. While many organizations initially focused on experimenting with tools and driving adoption to create efficiencies, leading employers are now asking deeper questions.

Limited opportunities and burnout are just two reasons biopharma professionals stop looking for work, with some pivoting away from the industry or turning to consulting. Two career coaches discuss why ending a job hunt is harmful and what to do instead.