Pictured: Doctor holding tablet/iStock, Ridofranz

As mass layoffs in the tech industry continue, biopharma companies are taking advantage of the opportunity to hire employees who may be looking to make a switch to the life sciences.

Though layoffs are never something to celebrate, for those looking to move into biopharma, the timing has never been better. Nova One Advisor expects the AI market in the life sciences to reach $6.2 billion by 2030.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in this growing field, here are 10 pharma tech jobs that you should consider, complete with job descriptions and average salaries.

Machine learning engineers are responsible for developing AI that can emulate human thought processes. Someone working in this role may be responsible for creating AI algorithms by analyzing large datasets and programming the algorithms to learn from themselves and improve over time.

The average salary for a machine learning engineer is $142,956, according to ZipRecruiter.

See machine learning engineer jobs available now on BioSpace.

Software engineers typically design and develop software, meaning they write the code and perform tests to create systems according to the company or client’s needs. The average salary for a software engineer in the U.S. is $139,952, according to ZipRecruiter.

See software engineer jobs available now on BioSpace.

Data scientists in pharma and biotech leverage advanced analytics to analyze datasets. They play a critical role in drug discovery, clinical trials and personalized medicine. The average salary for a data scientist is $127,128 per year, according to ZipRecruiter.

See data scientist jobs available now on BioSpace.

Pharmacovigilance specialists monitor the safety of pharmaceutical products and ensure the company or client is complying with regulatory guidelines. They analyze and report safety data to minimize risks for the patient and the company. The average salary for a pharmacovigilance specialist is $93,984, according to ZipRecruiter.

See pharmacovigilance specialist jobs available now on BioSpace.

A bioinformatics scientist is responsible for analyzing biological data in the field of genomics and genetics. The role requires a combination of skills in biology, computer science and statistics. The average salary for a bioinformatics scientist is $116,294, according to ZipRecruiter.

See bioinformatics scientist jobs available now on BioSpace.

A biostatistician is expected to develop and analyze research studies. They then interpret the data and draw conclusions from it. The average salary for a biostatistician in the U.S. is $125,616, according to ZipRecruiter.

See biostatistician jobs available now on BioSpace.

Quality analysts, also known as quality assurance analysts, are responsible for ensuring compliance with quality standards and regulations in pharmaceutical manufacturing. They perform audits and tests to make sure a company is complying with regulatory guidelines. According to BioSpace’s 2023 Life Sciences Salary Report, the average salary for a quality analyst is $76,030 and $90,516 for a senior quality analyst.

See quality assurance analyst jobs available now on BioSpace.

Medical device engineers develop and test medical devices used in diagnostics and treatment. They collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensure regulatory compliance, and contribute to product innovation. The average salary for a medical device engineer in the U.S. is $78,325, according to ZipRecruiter.

See medical device engineer jobs available now on BioSpace.

A validation engineer is responsible for verifying that manufacturing processes consistently produce safe and effective products. They develop strategies to ensure regulatory compliance and document and test all processes. The average salary for a validation engineer in the U.S. is $102,315, according to ZipRecruiter.

See validation engineer jobs available now on BioSpace.

Information technology (IT) specialists manage all IT infrastructure throughout a company. In biopharma, they are expected to manage different software systems, like those that manage data from a clinical trial. According to BioSpace’s 2023 U.S. Life Sciences Salary Report, the average salary for an IT specialist is $86,273 and $113,480 for a senior IT specialist.

See IT specialist jobs available now on BioSpace.