The biotech job market in 2025: Still in survival mode?

After a tough period of layoffs and hiring freezes, many were hoping 2025 would bring some relief to the biotech job market. But so far, that rebound hasn’t quite arrived. From cautious employers to fierce competition for fewer openings, the reality on the ground still feels grim.

So where do things really stand today? Are companies still downsizing, or is hiring quietly picking back up? And what can job seekers expect in this climate? Let’s take a closer look.

2024: A rough year for biotech job seekers

2024 was marked by continued layoffs, cautious investor sentiment, and intensified competition for a shrinking pool of job opportunities.​

The trend of workforce reductions persisted throughout 2024, even affecting mid and late-stage biotech companies. According to the Fierce Biotech Layoff Tracker, there were 187 layoff rounds among biotech companies in 2023, a 57% increase from 2022. 

However, data indicates that layoffs continued into 2024, with companies like Bristol Myers Squibb eliminating approximately 2,200 jobs as part of cost-saving efforts. These reductions were often linked to operational reorganizations, clinical trial failures, or the discontinuation of drug development programs.​

Investor caution has been a significant factor in 2024, impacting funding and hiring within the biotech sector. While there was a modest increase in venture investment, with $26 billion across 416 rounds in 2024, up from $23.3 billion over 462 rounds in 2023, the number of deals decreased, indicating a more selective investment approach. This selectivity led companies to adopt leaner operational strategies, focusing on efficiency and cost-cutting measures, which often resulted in reduced hiring, even job cuts.

Indeed, the trend in the last few years has been to leaner teams. The reduction in job openings led to heightened competition among job seekers. According to BioSpace, the third quarter of 2024 saw 21,548 jobs live on their site, down from 24,503 in the same quarter of 2023, a 12% decrease. Concurrently, the job response rate – the percentage of people applying to positions after viewing them – rose by 51%, from 9.8% to 14.8%. 

To put it in a nutshell, there have been fewer job openings for an increased number of job seekers in the biotech industry, making up for a particularly challenging job market. But is it any better in 2025?

Where we are now (early 2025)

As 2025 unfolds, the biotech job market shows few signs of real recovery. Despite a handful of hopeful headlines, the reality for most job seekers is a continued hiring freeze, fierce competition, and a shrinking pool of opportunities – especially for those outside core biotech hubs.

The idea that 2025 would mark a turning point hasn’t materialized for most biotech companies. Many continue to operate with lean teams and have kept hiring freezes in place, particularly those facing clinical setbacks or budget constraints. Even early-stage biotechs that secured series A or B rounds are scaling cautiously, often hiring only for absolutely critical roles.

“The job market didn’t magically improve just because it’s 2025,” recruiter Bryan Blair wrote in a LinkedIn post that captured the industry’s mood.

There’s still some demand in functions like business development, clinical operations, and regulatory affairs, but those openings are limited and hyper-targeted. Companies are typically hiring for niche profiles or backfilling a single key position, rather than expanding teams. The volume of postings remains far below pre-2022 levels.

One of the clearest shifts, according to Blair, is the rapid disappearance of remote biotech jobs. During the pandemic and in its immediate aftermath, remote roles helped decentralize the job market. But that trend has sharply reversed. Employers are now favoring candidates in close proximity to headquarters, leaving job seekers outside of biotech hubs such as Boston, San Diego, and San Francisco in the U.S. at a distinct disadvantage.

“Remote roles are disappearing faster than open jobs are appearing,” Blair noted.

Perhaps the most painful trend is the lack of opportunities for entry-level professionals. Recent graduates, research assistants, and junior scientists – even those with advanced degrees and lab experience – are faced with widespread silence.

Mid-level professionals fare somewhat better but still face stiff competition, while even senior and executive-level candidates often struggle to find roles that match their experience unless the fit is surgically precise.

Contract and freelance work have long served as a stopgap in tough markets, but that safety valve is now under pressure. The number of people marketing themselves as freelance consultants has ballooned, while the actual demand has remained flat. This has led to oversaturation, rate undercutting, and limited sustainability for many.

There are some areas of demand, particularly for candidates with hard-to-find skill sets. These include:

• Artificial  intelligence (AI)/ machine learning (ML) and data science, especially applied to drug discovery
• Regulatory affairs professionals with experience in investigational new drug (IND) submissions
• Chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) and manufacturing experts, especially for late-stage and commercializing biotechs

Unfortunately, these are exceptions, not signs of a broad recovery.

What can biotech job seekers do in this climate?

The 2025 biotech job market is not about quick wins. It’s about staying focused, adapting your approach, and making smart moves in a landscape where opportunities are limited.

With hiring cycles dragging and rejection or silence common, job seekers need to prepare for a longer search than usual. But that doesn’t mean applying blindly. Focus your energy on opportunities that genuinely fit your skills – especially those aligned with pressing business needs like clinical progress, regulatory filings, or strategic business development (BD) moves.

In a climate where open jobs are few and referrals matter more than ever, passive candidates are at a disadvantage. Stay active on LinkedIn, and use it efficiently.

This isn’t the time to completely pivot your career, but it might be the moment to refine it. If you’re in research and development (R&D), could you build regulatory awareness? If you’re in clinical operations, could you better understand the AI or data tools that are changing trial design? Those who can bridge disciplines or bring added strategic value will stand out when openings do come.

There are still biotech companies hiring, but the openings tend to be highly specific, and more and more location-bound. It’s a frustrating dynamic, especially for those early in their careers or far from major hubs. But knowing the reality helps: it’s not just you. Similarly, Blair advises not to let your guard down when you see optimistic (sometimes overoptimistic) headlines about the industry experiencing a rebound. Remain skeptical and pragmatic – follow the money – if a company recently completed a significant round, it might be looking to expand its team.

If you are seeking a job in the biotech industry in 2025, you have to remain informed about companies that are successfully raising money and try to be on recruiters’ radars. Quantity is good, of course, but quality is better – a mix of both is probably best – apply to jobs for which you are a perfect match. However, it might also be necessary to lower your expectations for the time being. If you have significant experience, it’s possible the ideal role you are looking for doesn’t exist in the current job market – maybe working your way up once again is the right move.

In this very competitive market, it is more important than ever to build a perfect applicant profile. Take a step back, assess your skills and confront them to industry demands and update your resume accordingly. Networking is also an important part of the job search, you might hear about job openings earlier and benefit from inside referrals.

There may be more churn before recovery. While a few green shoots are visible in investor sentiment and early-stage funding, it’s too soon to call a rebound. The biotech job market in 2025 will likely remain cautious, concentrated, and competitive – at least through mid-year. For candidates, it’s a time to stay engaged and visible.