If you’re a recent life sciences graduate or you have experience in recruitment and you are reading this, then you are probably interested to know what a life sciences recruiter does. Here’s an overview of the various routes into this career and what to expect.

While there are generalist recruitment firms that can fill a variety of different roles, the highly specialised, often technical knowledge required in the life sciences sector means focusing on particular industry sectors and skill sets.

If you find yourself working as a life sciences recruitment consultant, you are unlikely to be a ‘generalist’. You may specialise in senior sales roles, for example, or lab-based roles. The talent pool a life sciences recruiter has at their disposal is likely to be small and more specialised which means they become an expert in a particular area. Candidates will often have a high level of qualifications both on a technical level and in their ability to fit into the culture of organisations.

Life sciences companies value the specialist knowledge a third party recruitment company can offer with the best recruiters able to not only ask the right questions of candidates but also the people within organisations making the hiring decisions.  The recruiter will be fully committed to working within their talent pool of candidates which will increase the speed with which candidates are matched to roles. This of course saves a lot of time for both businesses and the candidates.

Industry specialisms in the life sciences recruitment sector can include:

• Biopharma
• Biotech
• Clinical
• Medical technology
• Pharma

One particular are of expertise in life sciences recruitment is in sales and business development. Business development is just as important in the life sciences and pharma industry as it is in any other business. Hiring experienced senior sales executives can be critical to the success of organisations.

Life Sciences roles in this area include:

• Commercial Executives
• Sales Leaders
• Chief Commercial Officers / CCO’s
• Business Unit Directors
• Business Development Directors
• Account Directors
• Sales VP’s
• Sales Directors

Work with a life sciences recruitment consultant

The right sciences recruitment consultant can become invaluable life sciences businesses helping them to source and hire full time talent. Recruitment is far more efficient and saves the valuable time life science businesses need to grow and develop.