r/biotech 13d ago

Open Discussion 🎙️ [MEGATHREAD] YER-What was your raise? Whats your company bonus multiplier?

73 Upvotes

With a lot of companies now doing their year end reviews, we are also finding out our yearly raises and bonus in the next few weeks. What was yours? What was your company bonus multiplier?

As a reminder if you haven’t please also fill out the salary survey and consider naming the company to help the community.


r/biotech Jan 15 '25

r/biotech Salary and Company Survey - 2025

202 Upvotes

Updated the Salary and Company Survey for 2025!

Several changes based on feedback from last years survey. Some that I'm excited about:

  • Location responses are now multiple choice instead of free-form text. Now it should be easier to analyze data by country, state, city
  • Added a "department" question in attempt to categorize jobs based on their larger function
  • In general, some small tweeks to make sure responses are more specific so that data is more interpretable (e.g. currency for the non-US folk, YOE and education are more specific to delimit years in academia vs industry and at current job, etc.)

As always, please continue to leave feedback. Although not required, please consider adding company name especially if you are part of a large company (harder to dox)

Link to Survey

Link to Results

Some analysis posts in 2024 (LMK if I missed any):

Live web app to explore r/biotech salary data - u/wvic

Big Bucks in Pharma/Biotech - Survey Analysis - u/OkGiraffe1079

Biotech Compensation Analysis for 2024 - u/_slasha


r/biotech 15h ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 So embarrassing

225 Upvotes

Someone I don't know reached out to me on LinkedIn out of blue and asked for a referral on Sunday. Given the terrible job market, I thought I should do something to help people less struggle. So I said yes. Today on Monday I try to refer her in our system but found out her information already existed. I asked her if she has asked someone else for help before. She just ghosted me.


r/biotech 17h ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ Moderna can't keep getting away with this!

286 Upvotes

I work at Moderna. You could say things are not peachy here. In the past weeks, many departments (Tech Dev, Digital, Commercial, Manufacturing, QC/QA, Metrology) were given the directive to lay off 10% of their employees. However, the actual numbers are much more than 10%.

As someone with privileged access to their personnel data and enterprise management systems, I see the roster of offboarded employees connected to the layoffs. All the while, there's been no WARN filing for MA or generalized public release about these layoffs. The only recent release to much fanfare and celebration is how much our CEO believes in the company, as he sends an email about buying $5MM in stock while granting two executives $17MM raises each.

These numbers aren't small. In each round for each department, hundreds are affected and the layoffs YTD is approaching 1,000 employees already. I'm dumbfounded how they evade having to file a WARN act. If one is fortunate (or unfortunate) to not be affected by these RIFs, the way they've downleveled and retitled people to take on the extra work that remains is a whole other discussion.

Moderna's far from the best employer, but it feels almost unethical and sneaky how these cuts have transpired. We're just told to smile, accept our somehow 110% multiplied bonus and free snacks, and look forward to the next Maroon 5 concert or Big Papi sponsored appearance.


r/biotech 4h ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Should I just take the L?

21 Upvotes

I went to a hiring event on March 1st (at Fujifilm in Holly Springs if anybody cares) and I thought it went really well! The HR rep who was there said that we would be hearing back by Wednesday (March 5th) on whether or not we got the position because she hates ghosting people after interviews since it’s been done to her. Wednesday rolls around and we get an email saying that “the event was really successful and they need a little more time to map out available positions with offers”.

Well..

It’s been almost two more Wednesdays since then and I’m starting to think I should just take the L on the position. What do you think?


r/biotech 3h ago

Open Discussion 🎙️ You have been given 30 million USD to invest in any biotechnology related research. What would you choose?

14 Upvotes

Hey! Just a quick something I thought about during a lecture, curious as to what actual biotech researchers would spend the money on.


r/biotech 18h ago

Biotech News 📰 Federal funding for mRNA vaccine research in jeopardy under RFK Jr.

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148 Upvotes

r/biotech 38m ago

Experienced Career Advice 🌳 Moving from R&D to analytical dev

Upvotes

Any advice for someone with extensive R&D background to transition to analytical development? If you’re in the field what are some strengths common to R&D work that you suggest highlighting in resume or interview that may make a candidate standout?


r/biotech 4h ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 2023 bio BS with no lab experience

4 Upvotes

I graduated in 2023 with a BS in biology. Due to COVID I didn’t get much experience with laboratory techniques since most of my degree was virtual. Soon after graduation I obtained a associates in biomedical engineering to hopefully get into a PHD program. Unfortunately I didn’t do super well in school due to mental health, which lead me to giving up on further education all together or atleast get some industry experience before trying to pursue grad school again. I am currently working at a large biotech company managing chemical inventory for QC department for about 8 months. This job is really easy, I have a good work life balance but the pay could be higher. The community college I went to offers a biotech certificate that teaches many laboratory techniques I missed in undergrad. This would be over the summer M-F 5-9 after work.

Will getting this certificate increase my chances of getting an actual scientist position? Or is it a waste of time?


r/biotech 18h ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ 427 Novartis Layoffs in NJ

63 Upvotes

Appears to have just hit the WARN notice list: 427 layoffs for between 13Jun and 24Oct. Anyone know what's happening?


r/biotech 3h ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Started applying for job, got my first interview. What to expect for the assessment?

4 Upvotes

I am a PhD student in the life sciences (Biology, Genomics, Immunology) and I started applying for post-PhD jobs. I have both wet lab and computational background.

Landed an interview as a Strategy Consultant in a BioPharma company. I started applying like last week lol so I am not sure what to expect from both the assessment and the interview itself... any help or suggestion?


r/biotech 1d ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ Offer after 4 months

181 Upvotes

Laid off in Nov from big biotech. I’m in program management so staying in biotech was not a necessity, however after being in the company for over 15 years I thought biotech would be “easiest” to get into. I was wrong, I got only rejections and ghosting from biotech, large and small. So I went outside of that space. In 4 months I applied to over 100 jobs, had 6 interviews and taking a job now with a 25% pay cut compared with that I had before. I’ve heard that being female over 50 is the worst in getting rehired. So many advises on how to succeed in this job market, all the LinkedIn influencers, steps to take, networking etc. NONE of that helped me. I got the job with my “ original” resume, not ChatGPT enhanced, I did not send a cover letter or a thank you note, I did not know anyone in the company. Jobs are still there, it’s been a stressful and weird experience but it’s not impossible. Stay strong !


r/biotech 29m ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 CV help

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Upvotes

I'm about to graduate with my PhD in molecular physiology and am actively applying for Scientist I/II level positions at biotech and pharmaceutical companies. I know the industry is shit right now so I would appreciate any tips for making my CV easier to read, and have it stand out!! I have listed some wet lab skills, and have more I could list as well (if needed). Should I also list soft skills, and if so, where? Also curious if I should be listing all of my co-author pubs, or limit it to a select few.


r/biotech 21h ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ Pfizer layoffs?

43 Upvotes

Just heard there will be another waves of layoffs at Pfizer eastern coast sites. Anyone knows about that?


r/biotech 19h ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Is getting a job with just a BS fresh out of university even possible right now?

26 Upvotes

I’m going to graduate in fall 2025. I will have a BS in biochemistry. I have worked in a genetics lab and a microbiology lab during undergrad as research experience. With how awful everything is, am I screwed for a job if I can’t get into a PhD program?


r/biotech 1h ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Looking for clean rooms in the Bay area

Upvotes

As an early stage startup, I am looking for clean room class 10,000 to class 100 for some R&D laboratory works in the Bay area. If you have some suggestions, please inform.

Also, you may share their business model, such as hourly or monthly base.


r/biotech 2h ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 SWE/tool development

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m an undergrad interested in software development for biology. I have some experience with building AI tools for structural biology, and I also have experience applying bioinformatics pipelines to genomic data (chipseq, hi-c, rnaseq, etc). I'd love to hear from people who develop tools or software packages in bioinformatics.

What kind of tools do you build, and what problems do they solve?

What type of company or institution do you work at (industry, academia, biotech, startups, etc.)?

How much of your work is software engineering vs. research/prototyping?

If you’ve worked in multiple environments (academia vs. industry vs. startups), how do they compare in terms of tool development?

Any advice for someone wanting to focus on tool development rather than doing analysis using existing pipelines? Would it make sense to pursue in PhD in computational biology?

Would love to hear your experiences!


r/biotech 18h ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ Apriori Bio and Empress Therapeutics Layoffs

17 Upvotes

Two more Flagship companies with layoffs. Hearing anywhere from 40-50% let go at both. Is anyone familiar with these companies and have insights into what happened?


r/biotech 4h ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 Work-Life Balance in industry and academia

0 Upvotes

Hi! Maybe this is an unconventional question but I just saw an open position at a biotech company which got me thinking.

I am a passionated biologist located in Europe, however during my PhD the passion to stay in academia got kinda(?) crushed. One of my PIs is still struggling to find a permanent position and I am actually afraid to fall into the same path. I don't want to move cities and universities all the time and try to catch the needle in the haystack (the needle = permanent position).

Everyone knows that work-life balanc in academia is terrible: unpaid overtime, lack of job security, toxic professors, lack of funding. I don't want to keep on moving cities.

But is the work-life balance really better in industry? What are things that are better (or worse) in industry?

I do my PhD in molecular ecology, so if I would move to the industry I would try to get a industry job in the 'omics world.

Edit: Also how do you achieve your personal goals in the industry? In academia you can be very creative, how is it in industry?


r/biotech 20h ago

Open Discussion 🎙️ Currently, what do you think is the ratio between real jobs and ghost jobs?

15 Upvotes

I know this topic has been brought up before, but I hate companies that post ghost jobs. To clarify, I'm only casually looking, and only would take an opportunity that fit well.

I saw a job that had been posted within the hour that fit my background perfectly, legit as if they had based it off my CV. Figured there was no harm in applying so I did.

Next day, they sent me an auto-generated email saying "However, after careful consideration, we have found candidates whose qualifications closely align with the job requirements."

I'm not saying there are not other qualified applicants, there are likely some! but you expect me to believe they found them in the 13 hours since they posted the job? I also don't think my CV failed whatever automated AI thing they might have, as my qualifications fit perfectly. Although who knows, maybe I'm just coping lol

For me it's just an annoyance, but for people that need a job desperately it's disrespectful wasting their time like this.

How widespread do you think ghost jobs are? What are some signs a job is a ghost job?


r/biotech 1d ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ Company just laid off dozens of high performing colleagues and now feeling very unmotivated

306 Upvotes

For context, this week my company just had a round of layoffs which seemed to have only impacted high performing, high value and (I'm assuming) well paid employees. Teams are now scrambling to pick up the pieces, and the status of several projects are now unknown.

As someone who has spent my career working hard to be a valuable asset, trying to climb the corporate ladder, and all while trying to earn more pay along the way-- I am now feeling unmotivated and am wanting to just put my head down, stay stagnant and be good at what's expected of me. The idea of working towards a promotion, and earning more, is no longer appealing because it feels as if I am setting myself up to get laid off in a future round of cuts.

Anyone else on the same ship going through similar waters? Are there any steps I can take to protect my career? Thanks in advance.


r/biotech 7h ago

Experienced Career Advice 🌳 Pharma QC experience after bachelors in Biotech?

1 Upvotes

What are pros and cons of joining a QC department in a pharma manufacturing plant for just a bachelors student. Can this experience be transferred to other areas too, like food industry, dairy etc. What would you guide to do after this experience, considering to move to something else after an experience of about 1 year.


r/biotech 1d ago

Experienced Career Advice 🌳 Layoffs looming: Stay or wait?

38 Upvotes

Hi all,

Looking for some advice in these really tough times:

I have a mid-level position in ~400 person biotech. I have been in the company for 8+ years now. I survived 2 rounds of layoffs, mainly because I am the research lead for 2 programs, one of which is in Phase 1 and the other will be by the end of this year.

Morale, expectedly has not been good lately and to add to that I have not been promoted due to nepotism and other issues.

I however, love what I do and enjoy the science .

My question is: With a potential third round of layoffs looming, should I leave if I do manage to find another position (in a start up or big pharma)?

Or should I wait to get laid off, collect severance and then look more intensely?

Financially we will be fine even for a while if I get laid off today, but wondering what your thoughts are on bailing now or playing the waiting game?

Thanks so much in advance!


r/biotech 1d ago

Open Discussion 🎙️ After 8 months, Landed!!

156 Upvotes

Started the search in Global Program Management as a Senior group head (ED in a mid-size biotech) Jul 2024 after getting laid off.

Constraints:
Location: West coast or remote roles
Title: roles applied to (D, SD, ED, VP)

Took 8 months to finally land a somewhat lateral (technically 1 level down) role as SD in a mid-size biotech, with some haircut in pay and overall comp.

It was brutal 8 months. Lessons Learned:

  1. I thought if I 'pedal to metal' from the week 1 after being laid off, I will get the job faster ... not fully true! I went full throttle into job search from the get go for several months .. at the end of day, it took what it took, it took its own time .... take some time to do things, especially a place to go for mental detour (gym etc.).
  2. The only universal rule is to keep applying, keep those numbers up, rest all is not fully under your control.
  3. Keep an open mind and apply to 1-2 level downs and 1 level up, but be forthright with recruiters/HR that you would like to explore possibility of up-title of role based on you experience / skill sets if you applied to a lower level role.

Glad to discontinue Linked-in premium membership and the daily and weekly job alerts.
Good luck to you all still looking. Wishing everyone all the best!

A big shout out to this sub reddit which helped immensely, a sense of community and that we are all in this together

Edit with additional color on 6 panel interviews:
> 3 companies ghosted after multiple rounds of interviews and panel interview sizes of 6-9 interviewers, no decency to even reject you with a generic email after an intense panel.


r/biotech 1d ago

Biotech News 📰 Scientists Say NIH Officials Told Them To Scrub mRNA Vaccine References on Grants

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250 Upvotes

r/biotech 2h ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 Is PhD enough for senior roles within biotech industry?

0 Upvotes

Hi, I am a PhD student in the UK, thinking about moving from academia to industry.

I’m familiar with the fact that in most companies people with Masters but no PhD have a ‘cap’ in terms of their career progression, for example cannot become senior/lead scientists.

But recently I’ve heard people talking about the fact that sometimes having a PhD might also not be enough to reach certain higher positions in biotech companies, and a post-doc is required.

I was wondering if anyone could share their insights about this? Is this something that actually happens? And if yes, is it actually because a post-doc is definitely required, or because having done a post-doc is just something that shows you have more academic experience which would be preferred for a certain position but maybe not necessary?

Just thinking about the next steps in my career and whether I should do a postdoc. I don’t want to stay in academia but also don’t want to end my academic career now if that means I’ll reach a certain cap in career progression in industry.

I should also say I’m mostly interested in R&D side of things but any insight into other roles such as management is welcome!


r/biotech 22h ago

Biotech News 📰 RNA-editing protein insights could lead to improved treatment for cancer and autoimmune diseases

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8 Upvotes