EPM Scientific:

Specialist Talent Partner in Bioengineering & Medical Engineering Recruitment

Medical engineering focuses on applying the principles of engineering to the biological world with an aim to prevent and fight disease and enhance our health. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 5% growth rate in employment for biomedical engineers between 2022 and 2032, which is faster than the average for most occupations. Filling the growing number of positions in this constantly evolving sector can be a long, challenging process. Turn to EPM Scientific, a trusted talent partner of leading companies and promising startups in the life sciences industry. We will find the best candidates and deliver them when your company needs them.

How we can help

EPM Scientific can source and deliver the best bioengineering, medical and life sciences engineering talent. We place the best candidates quickly when you need individuals or teams to run projects, head departments, or otherwise drive your company goals. Investing in top-class technologies and the ongoing development of our talent experts enables us to meet our clients’ needs and contributes to a decade-long reputation for excellence.

Bioengineering and medical engineering talent solutions

EPM Scientific can connect you with sought-after talent and new career opportunities. Our global hubs offer permanent, contract, and multi-hire solutions bespoke to your needs. We will engage with you prior to the talent-sourcing process to ensure we deliver the best candidates. Take advantage of our tailored retained and contingent services and our extensive network of contractors and interim managers, whether you need individuals or teams for time-critical or long-term roles.

EPM Scientific is Phaidon International’s specialist life sciences brand. Our talent sourcing expertise, high-level account management, and value creation services such as sector-specific deep dives and salary guidance, means we can help you source the right candidates for jobs in the medical and life sciences engineering field.

If you're a candidate, please register your CV and get discovered for all relevant roles.

If you're a client looking for the best talent, please Register your vacancy or Request a call back.

Benefits of working with us

Experience

We have over a decade’s worth of experience as a leading talent partner in Life Sciences & Pharma.

Network

A vast, global network of the best, in-demand professionals, working with the world’s largest Life Sciences institutions, to take drugs, devices and therapeutic applications through from conception to completion.

Knowledge

Our award-winning talent specialists offer bespoke, tailored guidance on the latest hiring trends and industry news to help you achieve your goals.

Looking to hire?

Engineering Jobs

Medical Engineering offers an array of specialties, such as biomaterials, biomechanics, bioinstrumentation, rehabilitation and systems physiology, and clinical engineering. Among the top roles we help clients fill are Senior Engineers, Senior Software Engineers, and Biomaterials Developers.

Head of Product Development and Innovation

We are currently supporting a Head of Product Development and Innovation position for a client based in the Germany. Head of Product Development and Innovation Our client is a leader in the Ophthalmology space and is currently looking for a Head of department to lead the R&D team. Main Responsibilities of a Head of Product Development and Innovation: Development and implementation of a product and innovation strategy. Application for and acquisition of funding for research and development. New development of products and technologies up to series production. Qualifications necessary for a Head of Product Development and Innovation: 7 years plus experience working in a managerial position. Degree in the natural sciences. Proficient German and English (speaking and writing). If you are interested in this position, please apply though this advert and we will be in touch with you to discuss next steps. +44 20 3375 8260

Negotiable

Germany

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Service Manager

Our client is a global leading provider of medical technology and services and they are currently looking for a Service Manager to manage their Field Service team in Japan. This is a great opportunity to join a global company. Responsibilities: Direct system installation, commissioning, maintenance, and upgrades to ensure high service levels and customer satisfaction. Implement Management Responsibilities by enforcing company policies, managing resources, ensuring employee productivity and growth, and maintaining awareness of business and market trends Analyse and evaluate processes, escalation procedures, and training needs to identify opportunities for service delivery improvements. Manage customer relations and communication Oversee project budgets, ensure accurate documentation, maintain safety policies, and manage customer relations to ensure system availability and satisfaction. Requirements: Bachelor's degree in life science/engineering related field At least 8 years of field service related experience with capital equipments or life science/healthcare related equipments At least 3 years of leadership experience Great communication skills Billingual If you are interested, please apply with your CV attached.

Negotiable

Nagoya

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Service Manager

Negotiable

Nagoya

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Associate Director/Director Analytical Sciences & Technology

Our client is a research organisation that develops vaccines and biologics. They are currently looking for a leader for their Analytical Sciences & Technology team to drive the development and implementation of analytical controls activities. Responsibilities: Develop and manage strategies for the entire lifecycle of analytical methods, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Provide strategic leadership for AS&T and QC systems, overseeing processes, programs, and procedures. Collaborate with various departments to support scientific analysis and manage external laboratory activities. Ensure QC laboratory operations comply with GMP standards, and review and approve all analytical documents. Monitor AS&T and QC program performance, address laboratory issues, and drive continuous improvement. Lead and mentor the AS&T team, contributing to strategic planning and quality standards as part of the Quality Leadership Team (QLT). Requirements: Bachelors in Science, Engineering or related technical field. Masters or PhD preferred. At least 10 years of experience in CMC, Analytical Sciences, Quality Control or related Familiar with regulatory requirements Strong GMP knowledge and experience Strong leadership experience Strong and effective communication skills If you are interested, please apply with your CV attached.

Negotiable

Singapore

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Engineering Head

Our client is an international pharmaceutical company that specialises in development, manufacturing and commercialisation of drugs. THey are currently looking for an Engineering Head to lead the team in Taiwan. Key Responsibilities: Team Building and Management: Develop and lead a strong engineering team to manage and strategize capital projects. Oversee the life cycle of equipment and facilities, including site maintenance, system reliability, upgrades, and obsolescence management. Operational Oversight: Ensure all plant equipment is functioning normally, properly maintained, and calibrated. Oversee plans to maintain optimal equipment performance. Facilities and Utilities Management: Manage facilities and utilities operations to ensure they are operated and maintained under optimum safe conditions and in compliance with cGMP standards and regulations. Leadership and Development: Lead, coach, and empower team members to upgrade their skills and knowledge to meet new standards. Drive continuous improvement to adapt to new technologies and regulations. Planning and Coordination: Plan and coordinate site activities with other departments to ensure collaborative teamwork, achieving both short-term and long-term site goals. Key Requirements: Experience: More than 15 years of industry experience, with at least 8 years in management roles. Skills: Familiarity with process equipment and process engineering, particularly in oral solid dosage or softgel manufacturing. Knowledge: In-depth understanding of cGMP standards and regulations, and experience in managing facilities and utilities operations. Leadership: Strong leadership skills with a focus on team development and continuous improvement. Communication: Good communication skills. If you are interested, please apply with your updated CV attached.

Negotiable

Taiwan

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RAQA Manager - Japan

Job Title: RAQA Manager Location: Tokyo, Japan Job Summary: Our client is seeking a highly skilled and experienced RAQA Manager to join their dynamic team in Tokyo. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing regulatory affairs and quality assurance activities to ensure compliance with local and international regulations. This role is crucial in maintaining the highest standards of product quality and regulatory compliance within the biotechnology sector. Key Responsibilities: Develop and implement regulatory strategies for product approvals and registrations in Japan. Ensure compliance with PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency) and other relevant regulatory bodies. Manage the preparation, submission, and maintenance of regulatory documentation. Oversee quality assurance processes, including audits, inspections, and corrective actions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure regulatory and quality requirements are met throughout the product lifecycle. Monitor changes in regulatory requirements and update internal processes accordingly. Provide regulatory guidance and support to project teams. Lead and mentor the RAQA team to achieve departmental goals. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Biotechnology, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred. Minimum of 5 years of experience in regulatory affairs and quality assurance within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry. In-depth knowledge of Japanese regulatory requirements and guidelines. Strong understanding of quality management systems (QMS) and ISO standards. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Proficiency in both Japanese and English. Preferred Skills: Experience with regulatory submissions for biologics or medical devices. Familiarity with global regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA, EMA). Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Leadership experience in managing regulatory and quality teams. 職種: RAQAマネージャー勤務地: 日本、東京職務概要: クライアントは、東京のダイナミックなチームに加わる高度なスキルと経験を持つRAQAマネージャーを募集しています。成功した候補者は、規制業務および品質保証活動を監督し、国内外の規制に準拠することを保証する責任を負います。この役割は、バイオテクノロジー分野における製品品質と規制遵守の最高基準を維持するために重要です。主な責任: 日本での製品承認および登録のための規制戦略を開発および実施する。 PMDA（医薬品医療機器総合機構）およびその他の関連規制機関の規制に準拠することを保証する。規制文書の準備、提出、および維持を管理する。監査、検査、および是正措置を含む品質保証プロセスを監督する。製品ライフサイクル全体で規制および品質要件が満たされるように、クロスファンクショナルチームと協力する。規制要件の変更を監視し、内部プロセスを更新する。プロジェクトチームに規制ガイダンスとサポートを提供する。部門の目標を達成するためにRAQAチームをリードし、指導する。資格: 生命科学、バイオテクノロジー、または関連分野の学士号。上級学位が望ましい。バイオテクノロジーまたは製薬業界における規制業務および品質保証の最低5年の経験。日本の規制要件およびガイドラインに関する深い知識。品質管理システム（QMS）およびISO規格の強い理解。優れたコミュニケーションおよび対人スキル。速いペースでダイナミックな環境で効果的に働く能力。日本語と英語の両方に堪能であること。望ましいスキル: バイオ医薬品または医療機器の規制提出の経験。グローバルな規制要件（例：FDA、EMA）に精通していること。強力な分析および問題解決スキル。規制および品質チームの管理におけるリーダーシップ経験。

Negotiable

Tokyo

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Senior Sales and Marketing Manager

Job Title: Senior Sales & Marketing Manager, Business Head Location: Japan Company Overview: Join a global leader in the life sciences industry specializing in the analytical laboratory instruments business. Position Overview: We are seeking a driven and innovative leader that will grow the business by implementing effective strategies and collaborating with internal teams and external partners. The right candidate will be an extremely well-balanced person with strategic analysis expertise as well as strong growth mindset. This includes the ability to build trusted relationships with cross-functional teams, manage diverse teams, and work with leaders across the Japan organization to drive business growth. Key Responsibilities: Responsible for developing business operating base, managing business team, and drafting & implementing long term business plans for success working closely with General Manager of Japan. Creates and implements strategic business plans in conjunction with the global team that successfully achieve business objectives Collaborates with sales managers and account managers to develop account specific plans and help them implement the plans Develop and execute a long-term plan to grow the business rapidly by capitalizing on the growing BioPharma/BioProcess market, articulated in the strategic plan. Responsible for revenue and profitability of the business Responsible for achieving double digit annual growth Responsible for developing operational capabilities and processes to deliver our complete product portfolio and high-quality technical services. Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in Business or Technology oriented field required. Advanced degree such as MBA or technical masters preferred 8+ years of successful experience in a business management, business development in life science, biotechnology, or related industry. Strong leadership skills fostering an environment of collaboration, teamwork, execution, and accountability required, with demonstrated ability to effectively manage cross functional teams across a matrixed organization. An effective change agent that can operate in ambiguity to deliver upon business strategy. Courageous communicator; experience in presenting, speaking and writing before large diverse teams. Capable of crafting messages on behalf of senior execs, finding the right style for every situation. Excellent interpersonal skills required. Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously per the objectives/goals of the organization and execute to deadlines. Business management experience required (e.g. budget management, results oriented, etc.) Ability to present and influence and ability to build lasting relationships across multiple layers in the organization. Japanese- Native level, English - Business level (minimum) How to Apply: Please send your resume to this job advert and one of our expert consultants will give you a call!

Negotiable

Japan

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Field Engineer - Yokohama

バイオテクノロジー業界に革命を起こす革新的かつ画期的な企業に加わりましょう! 私たちのクライアントである大手医療機器会社は、生物学の研究と医学に大きな影響を与えるという使命を担っています。フィールドエンジニア勤務地: 横浜, 神奈川責任: 指定地域内で最先端の医療機器に対する優れた技術サポートを提供します。バイオテクノロジー機器のオンサイト設置、修理、メンテナンスを担当し、大切なお客様のシームレスな運用を保証します。トラブルシューティングの問題を深く掘り下げて、期待を超えるソリューションを提供します。部門を超えたチームとのコラボレーションを促進して、製品とサービスの革新と卓越性を推進します。要件: フィールドサービスエンジニアとしての確かな実績により、ダイナミックでペースの速い環境で成功する能力を実証します。医療機器またはライフサイエンス業界に対する深い理解と経験。医療に変化をもたらすことへの情熱を示します。日本語が流暢で（ビジネスネイティブレベル、JLPT N1）、英語の読み書きに堪能であること。日本で有効な運転免許証を所持していること。資格: 工学または関連分野で学士以上の学位を取得していること Join an innovative and groundbreaking company that is revolutionizing the biotech industry! Our client, a leading medical device company, is on a mission to make a profound impact on biological research and medicine. Job Title: Field Engineer Location: Yokohama, Kanagawa Responsibilities: Providing exceptional technical support for cutting-edge medical equipment within your designated territory. Take charge of on-site installations, repairs, and maintenance of biotechnology equipment, ensuring seamless operations for our valued customers. Dive deep into troubleshooting issues, delivering solutions that exceed expectations. Foster collaboration with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and excellence in the products and services. Requirements: Proven track record as a Field Service Engineer, demonstrating your ability to thrive in dynamic and fast-paced environments. Deep understanding and experience in the medical device or life sciences industry, showcasing your passion for making a difference in healthcare. Fluent in Japanese (Business-Native level, JLPT N1), with proficiency in English reading and writing. Possess a valid driver's license in Japan. Qualifications: Hold a Bachelor's degree or higher in engineering or a related field

Negotiable

Yokohama

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Field Engineer - Yokohama

Negotiable

Yokohama

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Field Service Engineer - フィールドサービスエンジニア

勤務地: 日本全国職種: フィールドサービスエンジニア仕事内容: バイオテクノロジー機器の設置、保守、修理顧客先での技術サポートおよびトレーニングの提供機器のトラブルシューティングおよび問題解決定期メンテナンスおよび性能評価の実施顧客とのコミュニケーションを通じた関係構築応募資格: 電気工学、機械工学、または関連分野の学位フィールドサービスエンジニアとしての経験（バイオテクノロジー分野での経験があれば尚可）優れた問題解決能力およびコミュニケーションスキル自発的に行動できる方日本語および英語のビジネスレベルのスキル

Negotiable

Tokyo

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QC Technical Lead

Our client is a leading biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapies to improve patient outcomes. Their mission is to advance science and transform lives through cutting-edge research and development. Role: QC Technical Expert Responsibilities: Supervise testing techniques and scheduling Review laboratory data and close out deviations Author and review Change Controls, Deviations, Test Methods, Specifications, and SOPs Solve analytical/microbiological method issues and troubleshoot equipment Manage equipment qualification and validation Lead method transfers and validation Participate in quality improvement initiatives (e.g., Lean Six Sigma) Analyze quality metrics data Conduct Risk Assessments Make decisions in areas of expertise Support audits Perform other duties as assigned Qualifications: Bachelor's or Diploma in a relevant science field Minimum 10 years of Quality experience in a GMP environment Strong understanding of QC activities and lab functions in biotechnology or medical devices

Negotiable

Singapore

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QA Manager

Job Title: Quality Manager Location: Tokyo, Japan Job Summary: Our client is seeking an experienced and dedicated Quality Manager to join their dynamic team in an innovative global biotechnology company. The Quality Manager will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of quality assurance and control, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, and maintaining the highest quality of our biotech products. Key Responsibilities: Develop, implement, and maintain the Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with GMP, GQP, and other relevant regulations. Lead quality assurance activities including product release, inspection, change control, and deviation management. Manage quality agreements with suppliers and handle quality complaints, executing quality improvement programs. Oversee document control and management of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and related documents. Ensure compliance with PMDA and other regulatory requirements, including handling inspections and audits. Investigate causes of quality defects and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs). Provide training and support to QA team members and conduct internal quality audits. Collaborate with global teams to align quality standards and practices. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline; advanced degree preferred. Minimum of 7 years of experience in quality assurance within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. In-depth knowledge of GMP, GQP, and regulatory requirements. Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail. Excellent communication and leadership abilities. Proficiency in both Japanese and English.

Negotiable

Tokyo

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Engineering News & Insights

biometrics

Life Sciences Salary Guides of 2023

Are you aiming to advance your career within the life sciences sector? Are you interested in discovering your competitors‘ offerings for professionals in your field across the APAC region? We are excited to present our new series of Salary Guides for the life sciences industry. These comprehensive reports will furnish you with invaluable insights into the present salary trends in Singapore, China, Australia, South Korea, and Japan.Compiled from the responses of almost 900 life sciences professionals in the APAC region, this is an opportunity you shouldn't overlook. Seize the chance to gain a competitive advantage in the life sciences field, enabling you to make well-informed choices about your career trajectory, compensation, and hiring approaches.

management advice

The Life Sciences Skills Gap: How to Hire

The life sciences industry is rapidly growing, but it is experiencing skills gaps that need to be addressed to allow it to reach its full potential. According to a 2022 life sciences and pharma talent trends report, 33% of C-suite and human capital leaders in the life sciences and pharmaceuticals sector agree that talent scarcity is a major pain point. This problem is widespread, with the UK also suffering a skills shortage that threatens to stall the industry’s trajectory.Skills gaps in digital and computational skills, and industrial, economic, and clinical research are particularly large. However, if phenotypic, genomic, and patient data integration practices can be optimized across the industry, this will support both research and treatment advances in the future.This article shares effective hiring strategies that can help life sciences organizations address skill gaps within their teams and wider business.Understanding the skills gaps in the life sciences industryStatistics from the talent trends report highlight the key skills gaps in the life sciences industry and how they impact key research and development processes. Demand for life sciences products is forecast to grow more rapidly than the global GDP over the coming years, and 45% of the aforementioned talent leaders note that they are looking to hire primarily to avoid talent scarcity from hindering their organizations’ progress. Moreover, the report found that 67% of pharmaceutical and life sciences companies believe that reskilling their current employees is an efficient way to address and mitigate skills gaps. It currently takes 105 days on average to fill a non-executive life sciences position in the US, leading to financial losses of $500 per open role per day, so intentional talent strategies are crucial to setting life sciences businesses on the path to success.Supporting mobility between sectorsSupporting mobility between sectors plays a vital role in closing the skills gaps within the life sciences industry. Enabling professionals to transition across sectors, ranging from Regulatory and Legal Services to Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Engineering, allows life sciences companies to tap into a vast pool of talent. This is also an effective method of sharing intersectional knowledge and developing key skills.Selecting candidates with a diverse range of backgrounds for open roles may also bring more unique perspectives into your organization, thereby driving innovation and helping to meet growing demand. Focus on transferable skillsFocusing on transferable skills is a powerful approach to bridging the skills gap in the life sciences industry. Rather than solely emphasizing sector-specific experience, prioritizing transferable skills enables professionals to adapt and thrive in new roles within the field. The life sciences industry’s talent offers a myriad of transferable skills that can be used to power future growth and innovation. These include analytical skills, leadership and teamwork skills, problem solving, written and oral communication skills, management skills, and scientific peer communication. Additional soft skills to focus on in your talent acquisition strategy include critical thinking, problem solving, and attention to detail.Consider cultural fitSeek out candidates from other industries who align with your organization’s culture, values, and core mission. This alignment promotes employee engagement, retention, and overall job satisfaction, whilst creating a supportive working environment that benefits from a wide range of experiences and perspectives.These candidates should also possess the aforementioned transferable skills, which will help to ensure that they can perform optimally in their new roles without being hindered by common skills gaps.Offer more flexibilityWhile not a priority for all candidates, flexible working arrangements such as remote or hybrid work arrangements are valuable to skilled candidates and may help to give your organization an advantage in the ongoing competition for life sciences talent.Hire top talent with EPM ScientificEPM Scientific is a leading specialist life sciences talent partner, providing you with a wealth of expertise to help you locate the best talent for your life sciences roles globally. Submit a vacancy or request a call back from our team to find the right people to drive your organization forwards.

safety-pharmacovigilance

How to Ensure Employee Retention in Life Sciences

The Pharmaceutical market has expanded considerably in the past two decades, with Pharma revenues totalling $1.42tn in 2021. This has been accompanied by a growing demand for experienced, highly qualified Life Sciences professionals: with more drugs than ever now available, companies require a strong workforce to bring their products to market. The industry has had to deal with an ever-small talent pool as a result, which has been exacerbated by one of the highest employee churn rates, with the Life Sciences and Medical Devices industry alone seeing a 20.6% turnover rate. This is reflected in the results of our Life Sciences survey which revealed that more than 40% of Life Sciences professionals are currently looking for a new role.The COVID-19 pandemic led to a substantial increase in resignations across all industries, as many employees started to re-evaluate their priorities and seek roles that offered flexible remote-work policies. Consequently, companies have found it harder to get the people they need. 47.8 million workers in the U.S. decided to quit their jobs in 2021 – the highest volume of resignations since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began recording this data in 2001. This is equivalent to 3.98 million workers quitting their jobs each month, up from an average of roughly 3m leaving their jobs each month in 2019.Similar trends have been observed in Australia and the UK, where the rate of employed people between 16-64 choosing to switch jobs reached an all-time high of 3.2% between October-December 2021. The resignation rate continued to increase in 2022, with job-to-job resignations in the UK peaking at 442,000 in the second quarter of 2022. In Europe, one in three workers are considering quitting their jobs in the near term, with inadequate compensation and lack of career advancement being cited as the top factors.Why are Life Sciences professionals leaving their roles?The reasons that Life Sciences professionals have for wanting to leave their jobs vary across each industry sector. However, the promise of higher remuneration is invariably the main reason. This is according to findings from our Year in Review, which goes into greater depth about the factors that matter most to Life Sciences professionals when seeking to advance their careers.There are a host of other important factors, however, such as the desire for an improved work-life balance and employees wanting to acquire more new skills that will aid in their professional development. Changes in management can also cause people to want to move jobs, and Life Sciences professionals are increasingly looking for openings that provide flexible working hours and the ability to work from home.How to improve employee retentionThe good news is that there is a wide range of employee retention strategies that you can adopt in your workplace. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective employee retention techniques that you can use to ensure that your employees are satisfied at work and remain highly motivated in their positions, as opposed to looking elsewhere for their big career break.Offer competitive salaries and benefitsDissatisfaction around salary has had a negative impact on talent retention in the Life Sciences sector. As we’ve seen across the board, wanting higher compensation is the top reason for employees wanting to move to jobs; 70% of the R&D professionals that we surveyed within the Pharmacological industry were motivated by the promise of higher compensation at other companies.Paying your team a competitive rate is a simple but effective employee retention strategy that you can use to avoid your workforce shrinking. Our survey results show that the majority of respondents want a pay rise upwards of 10-15% of their current salary, which provides some indication of how much you may need to offer in order to remain competitive. Focus on career developmentYour employees will be far less likely to want to continue working for you long-term if there are few opportunities for advancement – or if their ability to develop their skills is limited. A study by Work Institute found that employees quit in 20% of cases due to career development issues.This highlights the importance of setting clear paths for career progression to give your team the motivation and provide them with long-term goals.Be flexibleOffering flexible working arrangements is a sure-fire way to keep your employees happy. Our Year in Review revealed that the option to work from home is very important to 60% of the industry as a whole. The majority of R&D respondents deemed flexibility as either important or very important, and workers in Pharmacovigilance ranked flexibility higher than salary when asked what is most important when considering a new job.Whilst a lack of flexible working options will not be a deal-breaker for many employees, you will find it far easier to retain your top talent if you grant them greater freedom to work according to their preferences.Build a supportive company cultureThere’s nothing quite like a warm, friendly culture when it comes to getting excellent work out of your employees. It’s also one of the best ways to increase their loyalty to the company.Seeking feedback from employees on a regular basis about how working processes might be improved helps ensure that workers feel that their concerns are being heard and addressed. Providing senior employees with the skills and training that they need to be good managers is also a worthwhile endeavour. Manufacturing professionals regard good leadership as almost as important as salary, according to our Year in Review survey.Promote work-life balanceMore than a third of respondents in our Life Sciences Year in Review report highlighted a poor work-life balance as one of the main reasons for wanting to seek employment in another role. Almost half of the Clinical Pharmacology professionals surveyed cited a need for an improved work-life balance as their main reason for seeking a new position.With higher numbers of professionals re-evaluating their priorities in life in the wake of the COVID pandemic, it’s no wonder that Life Sciences professionals are seeking out positions that allow them to spend more time with their families and friends. Giving your employees more personal time is therefore one of the most effective strategies for employee retention.Offer innovative, up-to-date technologiesFinally, ensure that you have the latest technology in your workplace. Investing in top-of-the-range software, for example, will make it easier for your employees to complete tasks and reduce the errors that are made, thereby increasing company productivity and boosting morale.Employee retention is critical to successThriving companies are characterized by a happy, satisfied workforce and high employee retention rates. Partner with EPM Scientific, a leading executive search firm for the Life Sciences industry, to find out more about how you can implement employee retention strategies that get results. Request a call back and one of our specialist consultants will be in touch.

Pharmacology

Benefits of Life Sciences Contract Work

According to Statista, 86.5 million people in the United States alone will be freelancing by 2027, which is more than half of the country’s workforce – and this is a trend that’s not limited to the US. In Europe, it’s estimated that there are already 32.3 million freelancers making up 15% of the total labor market.If you’re in the Life Sciences sector, you can enjoy the benefits of contract work. The big question is, would a contract job be the right choice for you? This is an important question especially if you’ve built your career in permanent roles. Consider the benefits of being a contract employee and weigh them up against your own priorities to be better able to make an informed decision.The benefit of higher payHigher pay is one of the benefits of contract work. There’s a misconception that Life Sciences contractors do not earn as much as those in permanent roles, but the reality is that most Life Science companies are often willing to pay contract workers more money. One of the reasons for this is that those companies do not have to cover health benefits, social security taxes, 401K (retirement) contributions, unemployment compensation, or Medicare for contract workers. They also understand that they need to compensate for the lack of company benefits and a steady income, especially if those contractors have a high level of expertise in their field.Freedom of choiceThe freedom to choose who you work with, where you work, and for how long you work is another of the benefits of contract jobs. As a contractor, you can carefully select the Life Sciences companies you want to work for, and you can choose roles or projects that interest you and avoid those that don’t. In addition, you can select the contracts that best suit you, whether you consider the location in which you will be based or the length of the contract.Gaining broad skills and experienceThe potential to gain much broader skillsets and a wealth of experience is another benefit of contract work in the Life Sciences sector. Making this benefit even more attractive is that you can do this in a relatively short time.As a contractor, you probably will fill a specific role for a variety of Life Sciences companies. By working on different projects in those companies, you will gain insights into and experience in a diversity of systems and workflows, some of which will be unique to specific companies. This is not possible if you remain a permanent employee within one company.Contract work also keeps work experience fresh, as your responsibilities are not likely to become monotonous or repetitive. The continued challenges that come your way are opportunities to diversify your skillset, which will count in your favor as you continue to progress your career through contract jobs. Find the right roleSince 2012, EPM Scientific has placed candidates in their next Life Sciences role, including both contract and permanent positions. Register your resume on our site to access the latest roles on the Life Sciences job market and find out how we can help you define your next career move.

engineering

Bioartificial Kidneys and Tissue Engineering: Cyborg Future?

UCSFs bioartificial kidney is an exciting breakthrough which circumvents the need for tissue-blood supply,using cyborg-likesilicon chips. In thisarticlewe explore UCSF’s Kidney Project, the latest applications of tissue engineering, and the recruitment trends within the pharma and biotech fields.We have previously discussed how the fields of tissue-engineeringand regenerative medicine are poised to yield market disruptions for biotech and pharma.Recap: What is tissue engineering?Tissue engineering is the synthesis of biological tissues — usually via a combination of a scaffold, stem cells, and growth factors. Like the field of gene therapy, tissue engineering has progressed from early debates overradical sciencetoviable and disruptive product lines. While regenerative medicine includes therapies to rejuvenate tissues, tissue-engineering seeks to replace tissues with de-novo implants that are either grown from the host or immune tolerant. A number of projects in recent years haveutilisedtissue engineering: In 2016 theLancet reportedthat a Swiss group had taken biopsies of subjects’ nasal cartilage, expanded them in a lab on an electrospun scaffold, then replanted them successfully into full-thickness articular defects in the cartilage of the same subject's knee. This is a potential therapy for knee osteoarthritis.In 2017scientists from Tokyo Universityreported on the use of implanted nasal cartilage grafts to treat facial defects in adults with cleft-palates. In 2018Science Translational Medicinereported on the use of implanted tissue-engineered spinal discs to treat advanced disc degeneration in rats. The field holds promise for any degenerative disease that impacts irreplaceable tissues, such ascardiac valves,peripheral nerves,spinal cord,amputated limbs, and much more. However, the problem with tissue engineered constructs and a major barrier to evolution in the field has turned out to be relatively simple. Once any engineered tissue grows beyond a few cell layers, itrequires a nutrient supplyto support itself. In biological tissues, blood vessels support living cells by bringing nutrients and eliminating wastes. But when seeking to de-novo engineer a tissue from cartilage, liver, or kidney stem cells blood vessels are an extreme complication — to create them requires creating a second tissue,interspersed with the first, composed ofmultiple cell typesin layers, and highlycomplex to engineer. The blood vessel problem is a major barrier to innovation in the field of tissue engineering. Here’s how one team is solving it...The bioartificial kidney and blood vesselsGlobally, between8-16%of people suffer from chronic kidney disease. The dialysis industry was estimated at$40 billionin 2018. Kidney transplants are themost common organ donationworldwide, and there are greater than100,000 peoplewithend-stagerenal disease in the US waiting for a kidney transplant. Kidneys are composed of highly specialized cells that filter blood to formurine,and are essential for excreting wastes, balancing electrolytes, and maintaining healthy red blood cells. It’s now possible for these tissues can beengineered in the lab, andmany research groupshave made progress in this field. UCSF’s Kidney Project breakthrough One group, Dr. Shuvo Roy’smicroelectricalmechanical labat UCSF, has made an interesting breakthrough, which is relevant beyond just kidneys, to the entire field of tissue engineering. Many scientists have grown a functional tissue, then implanted it hoping it would vascularize. Or, havegrown blood vessels into a scaffold, then cultured functional cells in theprevascularizedstructure. Dr. Shuvo Roy’sKidney Projectsimply printed a silicon chip that carried nutrient supplies like a dialysis machine, then placed cells in the chip. Rather than recreating complex biological tissues, they created a silicon chip that supported individual cells. This is essentially a simple concept, that stands to reverse all of tissue engineering. It’s possible that the best tissue-engineered grafts are not going to recreate biological architecture. On this basis, some believe that the implants of the future will becyborg composites, functional cells living in an artificial matrix. Impact of tissue engineering R&D on pharma and biotech recruitmentWe believe biotech and pharma would be well served to integrate tissue-engineering R&D into their portfolios because the field is poised for breakthroughs, and those breakthroughs are likely to disrupt established clinical markets. Experts in this field are valuable, and recruitment in this industry is at an all-time high.Operating as part of the Phaidon International group, EPM Scientific is a specialist staffing agency, wholly focused on permanent & freelance recruitment within the life sciences sector. We are designed to enhance the connection between enterprise project management and recruitment services in complex drug & device development endeavors like tissue-engineering and regenerative medicine therapies. At EPM Scientific, we think holistically. We recruit the best talent to ensure superior medicines are available to patients and we believe in the positive evolution of human health. As we’ve shown with the example of Dr. Shuvo Roy’s research group and the bioartificial kidney, the right perspective, and the right talent can take a complex, unsolvable problem and circumvent it to unlock potential across many disciplines. The right candidate for the right team takes skill and timing. If you’re a hiring manager in pharma or biotech looking to extend your team with tissue engineering capacities, or you’re a consultant with this expertise wishing to move into industry. I’m happy to help you find the right fit. Please feel free to reach out directly at Contact.Us@epmscientific.com-------------------------EPM Scientific is a leading specialist recruitment agency for the Life Sciences industry. We were founded in 2012 to give companies and candidates peace of mind that the recruitment process is in experts hands. Today, we provide contingency, retained search and project-based contract recruitment from our global hubs in London, Berlin, Switzerland, New York and Chicago.We pride ourselves in keeping our professional network up-to-date with any changes that will shape the future of work or affect the hiring process. Visit our website to discover more invaluable insights, including exclusive research, salary guides and market trends.

engineering

Emerging Markets in Tissue Engineering

Tissue-engineered substrates like Axogen nerve-grafts and 3D-printed hydrogels have penetrated past the hype phase of the Garner hype cycle to the main market. Tissue-engineering and regenerative medicine are hot topics lately. While the average person associates these therapies with idealistic sci-fi, the truth is that these therapies have exited controversial trial-and-error experimentation and are beginning to generate viable product lines. In other words, they have made it past the hype and are beginning to yield.While these two terms are often used interchangeably they are subtly different sciences. Tissue-engineering is a biomaterials field where scaffolds, cells, and growth are combined to synthesize functional tissues which could be implanted in humans. Current innovation in this field is focused on experiments to determine the optimum ratios, substrates, and timelines to grow viable tissues. This research is less fundamental and more experimental, often occurring in academia.In contrast, regenerative medicine is a broader clinical field which includes tissue-engineering but also therapies to transplant or rejuvenate human tissues in situ. Many of these therapies are already on the market in some form in the cosmetics or sports injury industries. This research is more applied and occurs in industry, medicine, and academia. The tissue-engineering industryTissue-engineering is highly desirable because it escapes the ethical, autoimmune, and infectious dilemmas of transplanted tissues. Complex non-antigenic bioimplants could also disrupt more expensive and less effective medical industries like dialysis or prosthetic limbs.The drawback with tissue-engineering has always been complexity. As Einstein is paraphrased as saying “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler”. The reason we haven’t had tissue-engineered products in the past, is they are not simple to make. Biological tissues are grown over time, dynamic, and interdependent. As difficult as it is to expand and grow healthy tissue in a lab, viable lab-grown tissues must also be viable in the body. When tissue is implanted it must be accepted by the immune system, integrate into vascular and lymphatic supplies, and then remodel appropriately with age. Despite the challenges, several revolutionary tissue-engineered products have been emerging onto the biotech and pharma markets. Some examples of viable tissue-engineered therapies that are achieving clinical use and widespread scientific acceptance include:Decellularized tissues such as Axogen’s Avance® nerve grafts marketed for repair of transected or damaged nerves or DermACELL® skin replacements for burnsGrowth factors such as those eluted from Osiris’ Grafix® a placental membrane therapy marketed for the healing of chronic woundsImplanted tissues such as Dr. Ivan Martin’s implanted cartilage grafts for knee arthritisWhat does this mean for recruitment?Novel tissue-engineered products have the potential to replace human tissues previously thought irreplaceable such as nerve, bone, and cartilage. Additionally, therapies from tissue-engineering might also yield unexpected breakthroughs in the wider clinical and commercial fields of regenerative medicine.Biotech and pharma would be well served to integrate tissue-engineering R&D into their portfolios because the field is poised for breakthroughs, and those breakthroughs are likely to disrupt established clinical markets. Experts in this field are valuable, and recruitment in this industry is at an all-time high.Operating as part of the Phaidon International group, EPM Scientific is a specialist staffing agency, wholly focused on permanent & freelance recruitment within the life sciences sector. We are designed to enhance the connection between enterprise project management and recruitment services in complex drug & device development endeavors like tissue-engineering and regenerative medicine therapies. At EPM Scientific, we think holistically. We recruit the best talent to ensure superior medicines are available to patients and we believe in the positive evolution of human health. The right candidate for the right team takes skill and timing. If you’re a hiring manager in pharma or biotech looking to extend your team with tissue engineering capacities, or you’re a consultant with this expertise wishing to move into industry. I’m happy to help you find the right fit. Please feel free to reach out directly at Contact.Us@epmscientific.com.---------------------------------------------EPM Scientific is a leading specialist recruitment agency for the Life Sciences industry. We were founded in 2012 to give companies and candidates peace of mind that the recruitment process is in experts hands. Today, we provide contingency, retained search and project-based contract recruitment from our global hubs in London, Berlin, Switzerland, New York and Chicago.We pride ourselves in keeping our professional network up-to-date with any changes that will shape the future of work or affect the hiring process. Visit our website to discover more invaluable insights, including exclusive research, salary guides and market trends.

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