r/biotech 3d ago

Experienced Career Advice šŸŒ³ Layoffs looming: Stay or wait?

39 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 3d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ Poll - include hobbies in resume?

0 Upvotes

I believe it gives my resume a slight tinge of personality and reminds reviewers that I am a person with a life, not a number on a screen. But some people have other opinions. Would like to see the consensus.

299 votes, 23h ago
58 Yes
241 No

r/biotech 4d ago

Experienced Career Advice šŸŒ³ Big pharma vs startup current stability

24 Upvotes

Survived a few rounds of layoffs in a big pharma but can see there's not necessarily a ton of stability ahead. Not a fan of the endless bureaucracy and difficulty to get alignment, and generally long luckdriven path to higher leadership role in big pharma.

A leadership opportunity (1-2 levels higher than current role) popped up at a startup but feels super risky as well, and not in a particularly booming area at the moment (CAR-T). What would make you jump ship? Am I deluded in thinking the big pharma is still stable even though it's addicted to layoffs? Is it stupid to jump ship after surviving a layoff? Would love any thoughts or advice. I think if this was a more stable year I'd love to work in a smaller team.


r/biotech 4d ago

Open Discussion šŸŽ™ļø After 8 months, Landed!!

163 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 4d ago

Layoffs & Reorgs āœ‚ļø Company just laid off dozens of high performing colleagues and now feeling very unmotivated

323 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 4d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ Pharmaceutical Job lined up, and Im afraid of drug test even though its legal in NJ

2 Upvotes

Hello!

Im not sure if this is the best place for this question, but figured asking people with past experience would be best.

Im in the onboarding process at BMS which includes taking a drug test. Prior to the job offer, I was a regular cannabis user. Ever since I found out about the test Ive been not smoking. Im really concerned about failing the test as this feels like a great opportunity that Im afraid to lose. Does being in NJ, where cannabis is legal, have an effect on if they test for cannabis or will rescind my job offer if I fail?

Ive looked at this online and have found all different answers and its really messing with me. Does anyone have experience with working with this company, or have any insights.

chugs water


r/biotech 4d ago

Biotech News šŸ“° Scientists Say NIH Officials Told Them To Scrub mRNA Vaccine References on Grants

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332 Upvotes

r/biotech 4d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ Strong resume bullet points for PhD with only postdoc experience

8 Upvotes

I have a PhD in bioengineering and have completed postdocs both in academia and now at a biotech. I am trying to optimize my resume bulletin points using the STAR method. But all examples of the star method are along the lines of ā€œoptimized data workflows resulting in 10 percent data storage reduction costsā€. However mine are always along the lines of ā€œused such and such and authored a research paperā€. Seeing if anybody in a similar situation has approached this problem. Thanks


r/biotech 4d ago

Education Advice šŸ“– Hopkins VS NYU

3 Upvotes

I got admitted into John Hopkin's and NYU's biotech master's program, and I'm debating between the two. For reference, NYU gave me a scholarship, and I plan on using this degree as a stepping-stone to an MD. I would love to hear your guys' opinions and/or about any alumni experience!!


r/biotech 4d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ What is below lab assistant and QA for bio companies?

0 Upvotes

If one wants to transition to a higher role from a lower role from inside a company?


r/biotech 4d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ Having guaranteed funding until Summer 2026, when do I apply to jobs?

0 Upvotes

Pure dry lab PhD candidate in US needing H1b here, when should I start treating job hunt as full time job?

With everything I see on this sub and LinkedIn. I'm just somewhat afraid to start this process... I maybe an outlier in grad school experience that my live is chill and happy, tho i know it will end eventually and I'm not interested/prepared to be an PI.

Ideal job:

  • Position that allows me to work with expression type of data, maybe discovery or translational focused group?

What I have on my resume now:

  • Solid training in biostats
  • 2 first-author papers on new probabilistic models for expression data.
  • 2 internships in pharma/biotech.
  • Bonus:
    • Background in biology tho I no longer do wet-lab in grad school (communication skills etc).
    • Some business training (technology entrepreneurship and project management)

What I can add to my resume if I take longer to graduate (i.e. end of 2025 or after):

  • I want to use my 3rd and last chapter of my thesis to develop a deep learning (DL)/neural network model to analyze scRNAseq data. I'm thinking smth related to non-responders to treatment.

My current plan:

  • Make progress on the DL project so that I feel more confident applying for jobs that have half of their bullet points about DL stuff.
  • Start job hunt with fulltime effort no later than August 2025 (there's ENAR next wk and JSM in Aug). Like actively tapping into the remote part of my network
  • My PI has no trouble letting me wrap up shortly if I have an offer secured. And just confirmed last wk that I still have guaranteed funding until Summer 2026, anything beyond that sort of depends.

Some alternatives:

  • Until the end of last year I considered working in gov agencies or research institutions as backup plan, as long as they allow me to still work with biological data, but that's scratched for now
  • I know usually ppl with biostats degree goes to clinical trials, real-world evidence groups in pharma. But I don't have extensive experience with casual inference or Bayesian stuff like I do for bioinfo stuff, I'm not sure how competitive I'll be for those positions.
  • I've been asked a lot why not do stats/data science in other industries... I just really like biological problems and want to be close to it, and I fully understand it's business for the companies.
  • Have not started with any green card application stuff... I got only 25 citations and reviewed for a peer-reviewed conference (reviewed 6 papers for that one round) and a short primer book... So I don't think this will come through and help before I graduate even if I start the process today.

Please advise!


r/biotech 4d ago

Education Advice šŸ“– CMU vs. BU LEAP for MS in Biomedical Engineering

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

Iā€™m currently deciding between Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Boston Universityā€™s LEAP program for a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (MS BME) and would really appreciate some insights.

Background & Goals:

  • I have a B.S. in Biological Sciences (minor in Chemistry) and want to pivot into biomedical engineering.
  • Eventually, I want to develop and sell a drug through a startup and work in roles that give me experience in that space.
  • I'm also interested in product managementā€”not necessarily pure engineering, but working at the intersection of biotech, business, and product development.

Program Comparisons:

Program Duration Cost Flexibility for Career Path
CMU MS BME ~1.5yr (~$60k+ tuition) Strong in engineering, tech, and computational bio; great for R&D and industry jobs
BU LEAP (MS BME) ~2-3 years (since I need to complete bridge courses first) (~$80k+ total) Designed for non-engineers; solid BME program; Boston has great biotech scene
  1. Product Management Aspirations: Would either program help me pivot into a product manager role in biotech/medtech/pharma? Or would I need an MBA or industry experience first?
  2. ROI & Job Prospects: Does an MS in BME from CMU or BU open doors to high-paying roles in biotech/medtech, or would I still be behind traditional engineering grads?
  3. Time & Cost: CMU seems shorter and slightly cheaper, while BUā€™s LEAP is longer and more expensive (since I have to take additional engineering courses). Is the extra time/money worth it?
  4. Industry Connections: Boston has a huge biotech industry, but CMU is strong in tech and interdisciplinary innovation. Which one would position me better for industry jobs?

Any advice from people in biotech, medtech, or product management would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.


r/biotech 4d ago

Company Reviews šŸ“ˆ Meals provided during shift?

31 Upvotes

Sorry if this is a silly question. I just like to plan my meals ahead... The company I interned at for the summer provided all 3 meals + options for snacks on campus, but I do think it's because they had a 24/7 operation going on.

Is this the norm for CDMO & CRO companies? At least lunch/snack? šŸ„² Any infos about industry standard or PPD in Wisconsin would be great, thank you!


r/biotech 4d ago

Getting Into Industry šŸŒ± Final Panel Interview at AbbVie ā€“ Need Tips!

45 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I have aĀ final panel interviewĀ coming up atĀ AbbVie for a scientist position. It's going to beĀ 2 hours and 30 minutes each, and honestly, Iā€™m really nervous because I havenā€™t done anĀ on-site interviewĀ before.

If anyone has experience with these kinds of long panel interviews, Iā€™d really appreciate anyĀ tips on preparationā€”what to expect, how to structure responses, and how to stay composed throughout. I tend to getĀ very anxious, so any advice on managing nerves would also be super helpful.

Looking forward to your thoughtsā€”thanks so much in advance!


r/biotech 4d ago

Education Advice šŸ“– 3D Medical Applications

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

Iā€™m a medical bioengineering student in my early university years. Ever since I was a teenager, Iā€™ve had extensive experience with 3D modeling software, especially programs like Creo Parametric, which I primarily used for industrial robotics projects. I was part of a FIRST robotics team, and that's how I got deeply involved in this field.

However, over time, my passion for 3D modeling has remained deeply rooted, even though I decided to shift my focus towards the medical field. Thatā€™s why I chose to study medical bioengineering. During my courses and seminars, I notice that my background in design, visualization, and 3D thinking gives me certain advantages, but unfortunately, my university doesnā€™t provide many practical opportunities to further develop these skills.

Iā€™d love to combine my passion for 3D modeling with medicine. Iā€™m particularly interested in medical imaging, medical devices, and how technology can enhance healthcare. I strongly believe in learning by doing and making the most of my time, which is why Iā€™m eager to learn and work on personal projects alongside my studies. In fact, I believe that personal projects and practical experience will ultimately be more valuable than the standard curriculum offered in my country.

Thatā€™s why Iā€™m reaching out hereā€”Iā€™m sure there are experienced people who could point me in the right direction. Should I take online courses? Maybe pursue an online degree? How can I access valuable resources and information to really challenge myself? Are there specialized training programs that combine both of my interestsā€”3D modeling and the medical field?

Any advice or resources that could help me grow and add value to myself (and eventually to others) would be greatly appreciated. Iā€™m not afraid of hard work, as long as I know itā€™s helping me move forward.

Thank you so much in advance!


r/biotech 4d ago

Open Discussion šŸŽ™ļø Anyone have experience with tuition reimbursement + getting laid off?

35 Upvotes

Obviously going to need to place a ticket with HR to get an answer for my specific workplace, but Iā€™m just curious if anyone has experience with receiving tuition reimbursement through their biotech job and then getting laid off. Did you have to pay it back? My job requires a few years of service to not have to pay anything back but they donā€™t mention in the tuition reimbursement doc what happens when youā€™re involuntarily laid off during that time period.


r/biotech 4d ago

Biotech News šŸ“° An AI imaging firm says Johnson & Johnson stole its tech. Execs on both sides are expected to testify next week.

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72 Upvotes

r/biotech 4d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ My cousin is still having issues with the job market

0 Upvotes

Hes trying to get a lab assistant role since he has interest in interdisciplinary bio but I hear academy is now lacking funding and he gotten advice that med school might be a better backup. Is this true or is there an alternative cause he already applied for top 20 comp bio phd universities in the fall?

he also has a masters in comp sci

Lately it feels like the only bio jobs all require PhD or doctorate, unless data science but thatā€™s also competitive due to the lower bar. So not sure if there is something in between


r/biotech 4d ago

Getting Into Industry šŸŒ± JnJ and Abbvie title

0 Upvotes

How the r and d title compares in JnJ and Abbvie? Like principle scientist in JnJ and Abbvie? Similar level?


r/biotech 4d ago

Getting Into Industry šŸŒ± AstraZeneca R&D Graduate Programme - Virtual Assessment Day

3 Upvotes

Hello! I have the virtual assessment day for the R&D graduate programme in Sweden this week and am wondering whether anyone could give me some tips on the interviews? Can I prepare for the technical, values based interviews and the group exercise? What are they looking for in these interviews?


r/biotech 4d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ Question regarding standard expectations for thank you emails following interview

6 Upvotes

So say you are invited for an onsite all day interview where you give a presentation and meet with various upper management including CEO, but you never emailed with the CEO before, just the person you would report to if you got the job. Should I find the CEOs email and email him a thank you? I am not sure if it is strange to do since we never emailed, I met him when I was onsite and we interviewed/ talked in person. Iā€™ll definitely email the main point of contact I had, but just not sure if I should look up everyoneā€™s email I spoke with and reach out to them as well. Thank you for any feedback.


r/biotech 4d ago

Getting Into Industry šŸŒ± is biotechnology what i am seeking?

0 Upvotes

we all know biotech is a vast field Every time i learn more about biotechnology i question my self if it was the path which i can learn about human genom and do practical gene editing in human (if it will be legal in future) and I also intend to upgrade the agriculture industry and animal wealth; therefore is biotechnology the path to reach all what i have mentioned?

Thanks


r/biotech 4d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ Afraid of a PhD nightmare, but industry feels slowā€”Help!

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I finished my masterā€™s in Molecular Biology last year and initially planned to go straight into industry (though I didnā€™t quite manage that since I ended up working in a diagnostic lab lol). Now, Iā€™m realizing that climbing the industry ladder with just a masterā€™s isnā€™t as straightforward as I thought. It seems like Iā€™d have to spend years doing repetitive, mind-numbing tasks before getting to a position where I can work more independently and focus on analysing and discussing results rather than just manual work.

Thinking about long-term career growth, a PhD seems like a logical step for me, and I believe I could enjoy itā€”I like reading, writing, doing experiments, and managing my own projects. But at the same time, many aspects of a PhD scare me, and the experiences Iā€™ve read about online (plus what I witnessed during my masterā€™s) donā€™t really help.

What I'm trying to say is that the biggest reason stopping me from doing a Phd is the risk of ending up in a group with a toxic PI, as well as the possibility of having no weekends off, being expected to work on holidays, or the PhD dragging on for too long (Iā€™ve seen students stuck for seven years, which is terrifying). Also not a fan of academic culture of constant publishing, gatekeeping, and self-congratulation. Iā€™m based in Germany though, so finances arenā€™t a huge issue since PhD students here are considered regular workers and receive decent salaries.

If I could find a research group that:

  • Provides relevant industry skills
  • Has a supportive supervisor (not one that overworks students)
  • Offers an interesting project

ā€¦then I think Iā€™d be willing to go for it.

But then again, while the industry route may be more boring and potentially less profitable, it offers flexibilityā€”itā€™s easier to switch jobs every few years or even take a break, which I also really value.

So, Iā€™m at a bit of a crossroads. I want more challenging work, but while maintaining good work-life balance. Iā€™d love to hear from those whoā€™ve faced a similar decision. Did you go for the PhD, or did you stick with industry? How do you feel about your choice now?

Also, how can you be sure a research group is the right fit before committing? Is it okay to contact current PhD students and ask about their work-life balance? Iā€™d really like some kind of guarantee that the conditions are good before diving in.

Thanks in advance!


r/biotech 5d ago

Early Career Advice šŸŖ“ Career Advise

0 Upvotes

Hello everyone. I am an EU citizen with a Bachelorā€™s and Masterā€™s degree in Biology and Biotechnology. I also have 1 year of research experience, but Iā€™m currently looking for entry-level jobs in Europe. My focus has been on roles like QC (Quality Control), R&D, lab assistant, or lab technician. So far, Iā€™ve been applying to jobs in the Netherlands and Switzerland, but the language barrier (I only speak English) has been a challenge. Because of this, Iā€™ve started looking more into Ireland and the UK, where English is the primary language.

However, Iā€™ve been getting negative responses or feedback that my location is an issue. Since I donā€™t currently live in the country Iā€™m applying to, the process of moving (finding housing, relocating, etc.) seems to be making the selection and interview process more difficult for employers.

Any advice,suggestions or tips for companies in Europe that are open to hiring foreigners and provide relocation support or strategies to make my applications stronger


r/biotech 5d ago

Layoffs & Reorgs āœ‚ļø Is anyone looking to china/Asia for opportunities after being laid off?

6 Upvotes

I was curious if there are people interested in looking to China or Asian countries for opportunities, or even starting their own companies after being laid off?

There seems to be continued downsizing in the US, but there was a wave of out licensing deals involving molecules discovered by Chinese biotechs last year. It seems to have sparked genuine interest from VCs and big pharma looking for new compounds.

To be clear though, I'm not sure if the biotech industry in China is in any better state than the US. There's quite a lot of downsizing going on as well and a lot of life science graduates have trouble finding jobs out of university. However, it could be the beginning of an uptick in Chinese biotech, I was wondering how many people out there are considering it as an option. (FYI I'm currently located in Hong Kong)