Bright future for careers in pharma and life sciences
Ireland’s life sciences sector is to enjoy continued investment, including Eli Lilly, Janssen Sciences and AstraZeneca creating 1,100 new jobs with expansion plans in the near future. Picture: iStock
Ireland is a powerhouse of activity for those looking for employment in the life science sector — an exceptionally buoyant market with over 80,000 people currently working there.
The Biopharmaceutical and Chemical sector alone exported €106 billion in 2021, which accounted for 67% of total goods exported in that year.
Internationally recognised as a country of choice for the Life Science Sector, Ireland is home to nine of the top ten MedTech companies and 24 of the world’s 25 largest Biotech and Pharma companies, Jane Lyons, country manager, PhamaLex Ireland points out.
“According to IDA Ireland, Ireland’s life sciences sector has a global reputation for operational and innovation excellence, this is reflected in the continued FDI we see within the sector this year with several companies announcing additional investment in Ireland, including Eli Lilly, Janssen Sciences and AstraZeneca. These announcements alone will provide in excess of 1,100 additional jobs and this is just a flavour of the expansion plans for companies within the sector,” she says.
The combined work programmes of IDA Ireland to attract FDI and Enterprise Ireland to assist Irish start-ups positions the sector for further success in 2023.
“In fact, the recent announcement of Normax Biomed to invest €30 million on its new facility in Dublin in 2023 is another exciting development for the sector in Ireland. In addition to multinational companies, there are several Irish indigenous companies in the sector involved in research and manufacturing offering employment opportunities outside big pharma — such as Trinity Biotech, aCTG Vector, Avectas and Merrion Pharmaceuticals.
These small innovative companies are really making a difference in people’s lives and are carrying huge costs to try and get treatments to patients.”
2023 will see exciting developments for Industry 5.0 which builds on the principles of Industry 4.0, she says.
“While 4.0 was all about digital technology and improving manufacturing processes to bring mass products to market more efficiently, 5.0 will expand on this bringing humans to the forefront of the manufacturing process offering a more ‘human centric’ approach to the production of medicines.” A further opportunity in 2023 and beyond is for the Government, in collaboration with the Sector/Secondary Schools, to promote industry opportunities when students are choosing their science or other subjects to show the wide variety of opportunities available in this sector.
“As mentioned previously, the sector moves very quickly and career guidance information available to students remains very much in the realms of more ‘traditional science jobs’. Therefore, there is a huge opportunity to change this so that students are made aware of the endless possibilities within the sector and are encouraged to be inquisitive, as this is a key skill required for the continued development of innovative medicines.”
The beauty of the sector is that there are multiple career paths for those interested in a career in industry.
Jane says: “Ireland is fortunate to have a wide range of business from start-ups to SMEs and global multinationals of significant strategic importance, which has grown steadily over many years. Even as economic trends have changed, the industry has continued to grow providing quality jobs with competitive salaries and benefits, providing excellent long-term career opportunities for Irish jobseekers at all levels.”
As the industry is so broad — with pharmaceutical APIs manufacturers, finished product packaging and fill operations, state-of-the-art clean room technologies, medical devices, diagnostics and BioPharma — the opportunities for growth continue to develop.
“Engineers and scientists from all disciplines can find opportunities and career paths (i.e.: chemists, micro/biologists, biochemists, electrical / mechanical engineers, software developers) in areas such as research and development, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, quality control and manufacturing operations.” Life science companies also require numerous support functions including administration, finance, supply chain/logistics, human resource management, business development and marketing.
With opportunities within the sector practically limitless, who does it best suit?
“If you see yourself as a team player, it is an ideal industry — why? Because in my experience collaboration between multi-disciplinary teams delivers maximum success. The beauty of the industry is that there really are opportunities for anyone who has an interest in the life science sector, along with an inner drive and ambition as the sector moves fast and what is innovative today, may be replaced by a more novel medicine tomorrow.”
The industry will greatly benefit from team players who see beyond their immediate responsibility and recognise the benefits of collaboration with departments across the product lifecycle.
“This cohesive approach will ultimately assist in bringing products to market more efficiently and, most importantly, compliantly.
As a graduate / experienced professional, what next / steps should you take if you want to pursue this career?
“I would strongly recommend getting in touch with industry groups such as: PDA Ireland which has set up the Global Pharmaceutical Student network (PDA GPS) This network serves to introduce students to practical manufacturing, science, and regulation concepts and understand their impact on patient outcomes.”
Alternatively, Jane suggests that ISPE holds International Hackathons for recent graduates and students.
“The main objective of a Hackathon is to divulge knowledge, in an innovative situation, on the trending topics of the pharmaceutical sector, and to provide and promote networking opportunities between students, recent graduates, and industry professionals.”
As to Jane’s advice to potential candidates looking for roles in Pharma Life Sciences?
“Look beyond only salary and conditions. Examine the work culture of your potential new employer — does it speak to you / match your ideals? Will it afford you opportunities to develop and expand your career?
“Invest in yourself — keep upskilling as the industry moves fast and it is important to move with it. There are several training companies such as NIBRT and Innopharma Education that specialise in upskilling people in the life science sector.” What to expect as a new joiner?
“As an example, at PharmaLex Ireland we start the induction process prior to commencement of employment. We want our employees to feel welcome from the moment they sign their contracts and to have a seamless experience as they onboard.” The company invests significant time and people to welcome new employees providing an overview of its global operations while coaching and mentoring them locally.
“We recently introduced a new buddy system to make it easier for new employees to ask questions in a relaxed environment. We also introduced a monthly survey for the first three months to see how we performed as a new employer and to learn from each new employee experience so that we grow as a company and become an employer of choice. At PharmaLex we put People first, then process and by getting this right, profit follows. Best of luck with your career choice.”
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