08.15.13
The quarterly life-science jobs report from international executive search firm ZRG Partners Inc. indicates a mixed bag for medical technology jobs. Analysts at the Westborough, Mass.-based company report new job opportunities in the life-sciences sector grew 3 percent overall in the second quarter. While the surface points to a steady number, ZRG’s data points to some areas with demand and others with dwindling supply.
ZRG’s index uses a proprietary algorithm that looks at confidential hiring within selected benchmark companies in three distinct segments: Life Sciences/Pharma, Medical Devices and Supplies, and Outsourcing and Services. The indexed participants represent 30 global organizations widely considered leaders in their respective fields. The companies in the index generate more than $634 billion in revenues and employ over 1.3 million people globally.
Globally, the Asia-Pacific region posted a 29 percent increase in demand for talent across all healthcare sectors and functions. Research and development (R&D) jobs globally increased across all three life-sciences markets with more than 1,500 new jobs identified in the index companies, representing a 35-percent increase this quarter.
On the downside, Europe, Middle East and Africa regions had a 9.5 percent decrease in overall hiring demand across all three traced sectors of healthcare. Globally, quality, regulatory and clinical roles dropped to the lowest level recorded in the index. The outsourcing and services sector showed less demand in hiring overall in the second quarter.
The Americas posted flat results from the first quarter of the year. Fueling the hiring in the Asia-Pacific region were roles in sales and marketing followed by requirements in the R&D functions. Europe showed consistent drops across all functions and sectors, but it appears some of the past open roles in regulatory, quality, and clinical have been filled, according to the report. Covidien drove up the Asia-Pacific index with some aggressive hiring in the sales and business development area across the region. GE Medical is also hiring in the region but in traditional manufacturing and infrastructure jobs.
The Medical Device and Diagnostics sector posed the biggest gains in the quarter, with a 6 percent increase in job opportunities. Showing a new surge in hiring, Baxter made big gains in North America from past levels tracked in the index while Philips maintained the top spot for new opportunities globally. Outsourcing and services sector dropped 3 percent from Q1, indicating softness in demand for talent, analysts noted.
While R&D jobs were the big story with a 35 percent increase recorded in overall talent demand, an interesting change is that the North American Outsourcing and Services sector is seeking a relatively high number of employees with R&D backgrounds with APAC demand dropping, according to the report. The outsourcing sector showed the biggest drop in the regulatory and quality talent set. According to ZRG analysts, this could mean companies are bringing these jobs in house versus outsourcing certain functions, or overall supply and demand is leveling for the often difficult to find skill set.
Also worth noting, sales roles increased 4 percent this quarter and this builds on an overall six quarter period of consistent growth of sales roles globally.
David Fortier, managing director in ZRG Partners’ Global Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice said: “The resurgence of opportunities in the commercial function are reflective of increased innovation and a more active [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] with multiple product approvals in the last few months. While technical positions across the operations, quality, and regulatory functions will continue to be in high demand, it is a positive long-term indicator to see commercial hiring growth.”
For more info from the report, click here.
ZRG’s index uses a proprietary algorithm that looks at confidential hiring within selected benchmark companies in three distinct segments: Life Sciences/Pharma, Medical Devices and Supplies, and Outsourcing and Services. The indexed participants represent 30 global organizations widely considered leaders in their respective fields. The companies in the index generate more than $634 billion in revenues and employ over 1.3 million people globally.
Globally, the Asia-Pacific region posted a 29 percent increase in demand for talent across all healthcare sectors and functions. Research and development (R&D) jobs globally increased across all three life-sciences markets with more than 1,500 new jobs identified in the index companies, representing a 35-percent increase this quarter.
On the downside, Europe, Middle East and Africa regions had a 9.5 percent decrease in overall hiring demand across all three traced sectors of healthcare. Globally, quality, regulatory and clinical roles dropped to the lowest level recorded in the index. The outsourcing and services sector showed less demand in hiring overall in the second quarter.
The Americas posted flat results from the first quarter of the year. Fueling the hiring in the Asia-Pacific region were roles in sales and marketing followed by requirements in the R&D functions. Europe showed consistent drops across all functions and sectors, but it appears some of the past open roles in regulatory, quality, and clinical have been filled, according to the report. Covidien drove up the Asia-Pacific index with some aggressive hiring in the sales and business development area across the region. GE Medical is also hiring in the region but in traditional manufacturing and infrastructure jobs.
The Medical Device and Diagnostics sector posed the biggest gains in the quarter, with a 6 percent increase in job opportunities. Showing a new surge in hiring, Baxter made big gains in North America from past levels tracked in the index while Philips maintained the top spot for new opportunities globally. Outsourcing and services sector dropped 3 percent from Q1, indicating softness in demand for talent, analysts noted.
While R&D jobs were the big story with a 35 percent increase recorded in overall talent demand, an interesting change is that the North American Outsourcing and Services sector is seeking a relatively high number of employees with R&D backgrounds with APAC demand dropping, according to the report. The outsourcing sector showed the biggest drop in the regulatory and quality talent set. According to ZRG analysts, this could mean companies are bringing these jobs in house versus outsourcing certain functions, or overall supply and demand is leveling for the often difficult to find skill set.
Also worth noting, sales roles increased 4 percent this quarter and this builds on an overall six quarter period of consistent growth of sales roles globally.
David Fortier, managing director in ZRG Partners’ Global Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice said: “The resurgence of opportunities in the commercial function are reflective of increased innovation and a more active [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] with multiple product approvals in the last few months. While technical positions across the operations, quality, and regulatory functions will continue to be in high demand, it is a positive long-term indicator to see commercial hiring growth.”
For more info from the report, click here.