Landing a job remains challenging for life sciences professionals, according to a new BioSpace report. While 59% of surveyed organizations are actively recruiting, nearly half of unemployed survey respondents had been out of work for at least six months, and 20% of surveyed employers expect to lay off employees this year.
The job market remains challenging—and even frustrating—for biopharma professionals looking for their next opportunity, especially those who are unemployed, according to the BioSpace 2025 U.S. Life Sciences Employment Outlook report. That report is based on responses to surveys fielded from Nov. 13 to Dec. 2 as well as propriety website data from 2024.
Although 59% of surveyed organizations are actively recruiting, that’s a decline from the previous year (63%). Meanwhile, the number of out-of-work respondents was the highest since BioSpace started surveying life sciences professionals, hitting 31%. That represented a slight increase from the 29% noted in last year’s report.
Nearly half (45%) of the unemployed respondents to the latest survey had been between jobs for at least six months and 20% for over a year. About a quarter (26%) had been seeking employment for under three months.
At the same time, companies have continued laying off employees, pushing more and more people into the job market.
Layoffs Continue, Making Some Question Life Sciences Work
Among unemployed survey respondents, 38% were out of work due to workforce reductions related to general cost-savings measures. It was the top reason for unemployment.
Those who’d been let go were far from alone in losing their jobs. In 2024, companies laid off more than 24,000 biopharma professionals, according to BioSpace tallies. Workforce reductions have continued this year, with about 1,000 people let go so far in January. Cuts will continue based on the employment outlook report, as 20% of surveyed employers expect to lay off staff in 2025. That’s the same percentage that anticipated staff cuts for 2024.
When asked to share their thoughts and concerns about the life sciences industry, dozens of survey respondents discussed layoffs—and their impact.
“Biology careers shouldn’t be a nightmare,” one wrote. “How can we expect to celebrate the career and encourage new people (10 yrs + of schooling!!) to join if there’s not even a semblance of security?”
Another respondent also expressed doubt about working in life sciences.
“I have been in science for >30 years and I am no longer encouraging young students to seek STEM careers for the simple reason that life is hell when you are thrown out of work for no fault of your own every 5-8 years,” they wrote.
Finding Opportunities, Breaking Into Industry Challenging
Dozens of survey respondents described difficulty finding work.
“I have been searching for 4 months,” wrote one respondent. “They keep saying they have better candidates and then they repost the job without hiring!”
Additional comments illustrating job seekers’ concerns and frustrations included:
- “There have been very few open positions and many applicants for each one. Hopefully the outlook improves in 2025, otherwise I will look outside my field for a job.”
- “I’ve been told I was overqualified, underqualified, didn’t have EXACT experience in a niche area, and [was] ghosted by countless recruiters. I have yet to receive any feedback regarding where I can improve. Only cold, automated rejection emails.”
- “I still have colleagues who were laid off in Q1 24 and still have not found a job. It is a rough market and the smaller biopharma companies are definitely feeling the lack of readily available funding which is hurting employment opportunities.”
Some discussed their difficulties finding entry-level positions, with one respondent noting it’s almost impossible for a new person to break into industry. Others cited the challenges of getting jobs after graduation.
“My main concern is the fact that the biotech industry is basically shut off from most college graduates unless they have an internal connection that allows them to get the opportunity to be employed,” one wrote.
Another commented, “Many employers want candidates with experience but how will we get that experience if no one wants to hire us or has expectations of tons of experience. Post grad hiring sucks.”
Some Worry Trump Administration Will Hurt Industry, Jobs
In addition to layoffs and limited job opportunities, the impact of President Donald Trump’s administration on life sciences was a hot topic among survey respondents. There were nearly 50 responses on that subject alone.
Some expressed uncertainty about what the future holds, while others were critical about what’s ahead. Multiple respondents cited concerns about Trump administration members being anti-science, especially vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy’s confirmation hearings start Jan. 29.
“Trump and Kennedy and all the anti-vaccine people and anti-traditional-medicine people are likely to try hard to destroy the biopharma industry, so we may lose a lot of money and people trying to stay afloat,” one respondent wrote.
Another commented, “With Trump as president, innovation will slow down, and it will be tough to get a job in life science.”
During his first week in office, Trump took multiple actions affecting the industry including ordering Department of Health and Human Services officials to stop communications, hiring and travel; canceling National Institutes of Health grant review panels at the last minute; and announcing the U.S. would withdraw from the World Health Organization.
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