CPL LIFE SCIENCES
Syneos Health experienced the biggest year on year fall in vacancies, dropping by nearly 70%, with the move from being publicly listed to privately owned resulting in a likely recruitment freeze. This is one to watch in 2024, as we wait to see if new ownership and management structure leads to increased hiring in the year ahead.
U.K.
TOP 10 Organisations for scientific vacancies Life Sciences, UK, 2022-2023
2023: In Review Life Sciences is one of the UK’s most successful sectors, employing over 280,000 people and adding £94 billion to the economy annually. Following a buoyant few years, the UK life sciences job market was more subdued in 2023, with inflation, skills shortages, and global tension all contributing. Economic uncertainty undoubtedly played a part in the slow down, not just from a staffing perspective but also from the drop in investment coming into the UK. The knock on effect of talent disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic continued to be felt in 2023, taking its toll across the industry in varying degrees. The ongoing skills deficit remained high on the agenda for life sciences companies across the UK, leading many to recognise the value of growing in-house talent, to shape future organisational leadership. With as many as two out of three employees having considered leaving a job due to a lack of career growth, there has been a keen focus on enhancing the skills of mid-level managers through targeted learning and development programs, including secondments and advanced courses. This shift to growing talent internally is in direct response to the competitive nature and investment of hiring top talent from outside the organisation. In a recent survey by LinkedIn, 89% of learning and development professionals agreed that proactively building employee skills for today and tomorrow will help navigate the evolving future of work. Top Life Sciences Organisations for Vacancies in 2023 AstraZeneca and GSK led the way in annual vacancy totals last year, with 676 and 504 vacancies respectively, however, this was a drop for both organisations compared to 2022. Pfizer was the only company in the top 10 to show an increase in vacancies, up by nearly 40% compared to the previous year. Although, it is important that this is taken in context with their recent profit warning and related plans to cut 500 jobs at its Sandwich, Kent site in the U.K. as part of a $3.5 billion cost-cutting programme. LIFE SCIENCES STAFFING INSIGHTS AND TRENDS DEVELOPING IN-HOUSE TALENT WILL REMAIN A PRIORITY IN 2024, ALONGSIDE ATTRACTING NEW TALENT TO BOOST INNOVATION.
Organisation
2022
2023
YoY%
AstraZeneca
1093
676
-38.2%
GSK
651
504
-22.6%
IQVIA
550
328
-40.4%
Syneos Health
760
299
-60.7%
ICON
317
246
-22.4%
Labcorp Drug Development
444
220
-50.5%
Almac
218
195
-10.6%
Pfizer
126
176
39.7%
Parexel
214
169
-21%
Lonza
154
133
-13.6%
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Data source: Vacancy Soft
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