With many exciting discoveries to make and new problems to solve, the biotechnology industry provides many career opportunities that could make a difference in people’s lives. So, if you are searching for a career in the field, we have listed five biotechnology careers that are currently in high demand, and likely still will be in the future.
Gene therapy researcher
From genetics to virology, biotech researchers have contributed to some of the world’s most pioneering technological advances.
As the name suggests, biotech researchers primarily conduct research. They often specialize in one particular area or type of work. Daily work might include deciding on research methods and objectives, collecting data, analyzing results, creating reports on their research, studying cell cultures and other items relevant to their research, and publishing reports.
As the success of the COVID-19 vaccine has helped to highlight the biotech industry’s impact on global healthcare technology and research, demand for experts and researchers across all areas of biotech is now very high.
Amber Penrose, founder of Moxee, a specialized recruitment agency for life sciences startups, noted that gene therapy researchers currently represent a career in high demand within the field of biotechnology. “These experts are in the limelight for their ground-breaking work in gene therapy, an area showing great promise for treating genetic disorders. Their role is crucial in creating and honing methods to manipulate genes within cells, aiming to cure diseases. The marked rise in clinical trials and regulatory green FDA lights underscores the significance of their expertise.”
Manufacturing associates in drug production
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A manufacturing associate handles the production of pharmaceuticals. They work in factories and laboratories and ensure that they make the products to the correct specifications, playing a crucial role in ensuring that patients receive the treatments they need.
Manufacturing associates also play an important role in troubleshooting any issues that may arise during production, working closely with other team members to identify and resolve any problems. In addition, they also maintain records of all production activities and keep track of any changes that are made to the manufacturing process.
“There’s a growing call for professionals adept at producing pharmaceuticals, particularly those in scarce supply like certain ADHD treatments, GLP-1s, and cell-based therapies,” said Penrose. “Such biotechnology roles offer a degree of job security and a rapid learning curve, with career progression leading to project and program management away from the production floor.”
AI specialists in drug discovery
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Given the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the biotechnology industry in the last few years, it is no surprise that AI specialists represent a career in high demand right now – a trend that will likely continue into the future, as AI becomes even more involved in all aspects of drug development.
Penrose commented: “AI’s role in drug discovery is a hot topic in the 2024 conference circuit, whilst drug design has generated several question marks. This is spurred by the quest for more streamlined drug development cycles, a spike in chronic and infectious diseases, and the weaving of AI into pharma operations.”
With many companies now incorporating AI into their drug discovery process, it is important to have people who are specialized in knowing exactly how the technology works, so they can streamline the drug development process as much as possible, and know how to fix any technical issues that may occur with the AI technology they are using.
