Moving markets: Commercial jobs in the life sciences
Moving markets: Commercial jobs in the life sciences
The life science talent market is full of twists, turns, and dips (particularly in 2023’s case), but amongst all the commotion, commercial talent has remained a key target for many companies in the pharma and MedTech landscapes.
For those wishing to take on a new challenge in the life sciences, the commercial space offers a wealth of unique opportunities. Making the switch from a more technical role might not be as difficult as it seems — areas like medical affairs have a strong connection with commercial, and many employers are on the hunt for commercial candidates with a strong scientific background.
Benefits
Commercial roles represent an opportunity to explore the positive impact of science outside of the laboratory’s confines: travel to conferences and client meetings, working with diverse teams, intellectual stimulation combining scientific rigour with creative communication, and a fulfilling role piloting new medicines and devices to market.
Skills and experience
While scientific literacy isn’t always a must-have, particularly in marketing, employers are prioritising candidates with a more technical background (experience in oncology remains an outlier in high commercial demand). Typically, employers look for business-minded candidates, strong communication and soft skills, relationship management, and adaptability.
On the educational side, it’s not uncommon to see employers request postgraduate degrees in marketing, economics, business, or finance, although this might not apply if you’re switching over from a science-based technical role.
How BioTalent can help
If you’re hoping to make a switch into the commercial space, but you’re worried about whether you have the right skill set, the team at BioTalent is here to help. See how we help candidates secure their next STEM opportunity, or reach out to us today.
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