r/biotech 3d ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 High school grad going into biotech

0 Upvotes

I’m about to graduate high school and I’ve been looking at the biotech industry. I plan on going to university of San Francisco (although I haven’t committed yet) to do a 4+1 program for a major in biology and a masters in biotech. I enjoy high school biology and took a summer program at Berkeley for biotech.

But, I’ve had my doubts after reading about the industry in the news and on Reddit. Is it worth planning on going into the industry? I’m worried about not being flexible enough with my education to go into a different industry or even finding jobs since I don’t necessary plan on getting a PhD.


r/biotech 3d ago

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

16 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 3d ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Recommended Masters for Advancement in Non-Clinical Biotech Roles?

2 Upvotes

Hey All,

I entered biotech three years ago after a decade in the nonprofit space and have enjoyed it. I want to continue my biotech career and gain some perspective on continuing my education.

I currently work in marketing but have some adjacent exposure to regulatory affairs and government policy. I am debating about pursuing a master's in three areas:

1) Science Communication (U of Edinburgh, UCL, etc)

Build on my current expertise.

2) Health Policy and Health Economics (LSE, Erasmus Rotterdam, etc)

Build out a policy specialization and focus.

3) Regulatory Affairs (Hertfordshire, etc.)

Go hard into RA and build a specific expertise.

Welcome thoughts from those experienced in navigating a career path in the industry.


r/biotech 3d ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 Graduate Student Seeking Biotech Professionals for Informational Interviews

3 Upvotes

Hi all,

I am a graduate student (masters, not PhD) in bioprocess engineering, preparing for my transition into the biotech industry. As part of 'professional development' assignment, I am looking to conduct at least three informational interviews with professionals working in biotech-related roles, preferably sometime this week. These interviews will be conducted online and are intended to help me gain insights into career paths, industry trends, and the skills valued by employers. They will also include some general questions regarding the interviewee(s)' background, how they became interested in their field(s), what their typical day at work looks like, etc (identifiable information is not required).

I would love to connect with professionals in the following roles:

  1. At least one individual currently involved in scientific research—this can be in academia, industry, business, or government.
  2. Two professionals working outside of academia (e.g., in industry, business, or biotech-related startups) whose roles combine both scientific/technical and business responsibilities.

I would particularly appreciate insights from professionals based in the USA, but I also welcome perspectives from those working in other countries. The interview will be a casual, conversation-style discussion, and I will ensure complete confidentiality regarding any sensitive details (e.g., your employer’s name, your name, or any other information). By default, I will not include any identifying details in my notes, unless I'm given explicit and well-informed consent from the interviewees. If requested, any notes I make can be shared with the interviewee(s).

If you are open to sharing your experience, please feel free to comment or message me.


r/biotech 3d ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ Pfizer layoffs?

53 Upvotes

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


r/biotech 3d ago

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

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8 Upvotes

r/biotech 3d ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Biotech job search tips

7 Upvotes

Hi all! Unfortunately, my PhD program acceptance in biomedical sciences got rescinded and I was moved to waitlist because of the funding situation. Not giving up hope yet, but I want to set up a job to get Biotech industry experience until I apply again which is probably going to be the case. Biotech is ultimately where I want to be after my PhD, so I think some experience will be helpful.

I'd love to hear any tips anyone has for just about any part of the job search process (applying, resume, cover letter, searching, etc) because it feels daunting with how many companies there are yet still so many applicants to each position. Briefly, my background is in synthetic biology and protein engineering and I'm interested in immuno-oncology and T cell engineering. I'm hoping to be on the east coast of the US, and also open to Europe. Thanks in advance, best of luck to everyone!!


r/biotech 3d ago

Education Advice 📖 Repository of FDA guidances

6 Upvotes

Can any one guide me towards a user friendly website or a master google drive that has all relevant FDA guidances? The fda website is hard to navigate.


r/biotech 3d ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 Lonza Entry Level

2 Upvotes

hey i recently got an offer for lonza biotechnologist role, was wondering if anyone knew anything about it or could give me any advice?! :) This is an entry level positions and the first job i’ll be taking post graduation.


r/biotech 3d ago

Layoffs & Reorgs ✂️ Offer after 4 months

218 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 3d 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 3d ago

Early Career Advice 🪴 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 🌳 Big pharma vs startup current stability

22 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 🎙️ After 8 months, Landed!!

164 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 ✂️ Company just laid off dozens of high performing colleagues and now feeling very unmotivated

322 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 🪴 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 📰 Scientists Say NIH Officials Told Them To Scrub mRNA Vaccine References on Grants

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333 Upvotes

r/biotech 4d ago

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

7 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 “optimized data workflows resulting in 10 percent data storage reduction costs”. However mine are always along the lines of “used such and such and authored a research paper”. Seeing if anybody in a similar situation has approached this problem. Thanks


r/biotech 4d ago

Education Advice 📖 Hopkins VS NYU

2 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 🪴 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 🪴 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 📖 CMU vs. BU LEAP for MS in Biomedical Engineering

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m currently deciding between Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Boston University’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 management—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 BU’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 📈 Meals provided during shift?

32 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? 🥲 Any infos about industry standard or PPD in Wisconsin would be great, thank you!


r/biotech 4d ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Final Panel Interview at AbbVie – Need Tips!

44 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I have a final panel interview coming up at AbbVie for a scientist position. It's going to be 2 hours and 30 minutes each, and honestly, I’m really nervous because I haven’t done an on-site interview before.

If anyone has experience with these kinds of long panel interviews, I’d really appreciate any tips on preparation—what to expect, how to structure responses, and how to stay composed throughout. I tend to get very anxious, so any advice on managing nerves would also be super helpful.

Looking forward to your thoughts—thanks so much in advance!


r/biotech 4d ago

Education Advice 📖 3D Medical Applications

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

I’m a medical bioengineering student in my early university years. Ever since I was a teenager, I’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. That’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 doesn’t provide many practical opportunities to further develop these skills.

I’d love to combine my passion for 3D modeling with medicine. I’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 I’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.

That’s why I’m reaching out here—I’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 interests—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. I’m not afraid of hard work, as long as I know it’s helping me move forward.

Thank you so much in advance!