Life sciences professionals don’t have to look far for opportunity in Genetown.
The GenetownTM Hotbed community includes Massachusetts biotech, pharma and medical device companies
Life sciences professionals don’t have to look far for opportunity in Genetown. The state of Massachusetts – nicknamed Genetown because the area is a hotbed of genetic innovation – is home to a constellation of top universities, hospitals and biotech companies. Close quarters equal ample opportunities for collaboration, a fact that’s not gone unnoticed by venture capitalists, who poured $2.9 billion into the state’s biopharmaceutical companies in 2016. Investment spurs job creation, which is likely why biopharmaceutical employment in the region increased by 37% between 2006 and 2015, and 4.8% in 2016.
Among the area’s many life sciences employers, a few stand out. According to BioSpace’s 2017 Ideal Employer Report, the #1 Ideal Employer in Genetown is Biogen, a pioneering biotechnology company founded in 1978 and headquartered in Cambridge. Novartis, also headquartered in Cambridge, comes in at #2. Pfizer, named Genetown’s #3 Ideal Employer, has a Cambridge presence as well; the city is home to the company’s 280,000 square foot R & D hub. Pfizer also has a research and manufacturing site in Andover.
See the full list of BioSpace’s 2017 Top 15 Genetown Life Sciences Employers
What makes these employers stand out? Life sciences professionals value interesting and meaningful work, competitive salary, and a good reputation. Here’s how some of Genetown’s Ideal Employers stack up:
Biogen researches and develops new treatments for autoimmune, neurological and neurodegenerative conditions – conditions that often cause acute suffering and frustration among those afflicted. The company has the first and only approved treated for spinal muscular atrophy, and the leading portfolio of medications to treat multiple sclerosis. It also devotes significant resources to developing therapies for rare diseases with great unmet need.
A quick glance at some of the company’s recent online job postings reveals the depth and breadth of opportunity for life sciences professionals. Biogen is looking for people to work in Biologics Drug Discovery, in the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Unit and in Human iPSC Neuronal Cell Culture. Opportunities are also available in computational chemistry, medicinal chemistry and analytical development.
All Biogen employees have a professional development plan to help drive professional growth. High-potential employees can be named to accelerated development programs.
Research and development efforts at Novartis’ Cambridge headquarters focus on oncology, ophthalmology and cardiovascular and metabolic-related diseases. The company received five breakthrough therapy designations from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2016 for novel therapies, including LEE011 (ribociclib), a CDK4/6 inhibitor that is approved as a first-line treatment for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer, in combination with letrozole. In 2017, Novartis received the first ever FDA approval for a CAR-T cell therapy, KymriahTM (CTL019); the drug is approved for use in children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia that is refractory or has relapsed at least twice. More than 200 products are in the company’s clinical pipeline.
Although the company experienced some layoffs internationally in 2017, Massachusetts operations were largely unaffected.
Pfizer opened its massive Cambridge R & D hub in 2014; the center brought together about 1,000 Pfizer employees who previously worked at different locations in the area. Such consolidation of talent encourages innovation and is helping researchers target treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease.
Massachusetts is also the site of the global headquarters for Pfizer’s Center for Therapeutic Innovation, which supports collaboration and partnerships with academic researchers.
Jobs recently available at Pfizer include scientist positions in metabolic diseases, gene therapy translational sciences, flow cytometry and rare disease research unit. There are also opportunities in computational biomedicine and biostatistics.
Other Top Genetown Employers
Sanofi Genzyme is Masschusetts’ largest biotech company, with approximately 5,000 employees. The company, headquartered in Cambridge, is the #4 Ideal Employer in Genetown. Sanofi Genzyme focuses on rare diseases, multiple sclerosis, immunology and oncology.
Other regional favorites include Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Bluebird Bio and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. Each is headquartered in the area, and each is working on genetic solutions to troubling diseases.
Follow Ideal Employer news on BioSpace over the coming months as we dive deeper into this multi-faceted research and provide insights valuable to both professionals and hiring managers.
Download the full 2017 Ideal Employer Report for access to detailed insights you can use to build your workforce strategy and attract the best talent.
