​​Singapore has become a strategic hub for life sciences over the past few years with the establishment of several research institutes and consortia in areas like clinical sciences, genomics, bioengineering, medical biology and research & development. This has paved the way for healthy and constant hiring activities within the life sciences sector and 2017 has been the same, with consistent levels of hiring across the board.

As Singapore has become the manufacturing and R&D base for many leading biopharmaceutical companies, we saw an increase in demand for candidates with backgrounds in regulatory compliance (new product registration), commercial excellence, market access and government affairs. These are the critical roles that allow businesses to operate effectively in both Singapore and the regional market.

While most companies preferred to hire locally based talent, the highly competitive market meant companies had to look globally for candidates. Candidates with exposure to emerging markets such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and China seemed to have been highly sought after. As both MNC and SME companies were vying for the best talent, there was more of a focus to look for candidates with proven stakeholders’ engagement skills, KOL management ability, knowledge of Asian languages and adaptability.

With the sector becoming more competitive, candidates placed increasing emphasis on the potential business growth and sustainability when selecting potential employers, leading to more conversations around new drugs and products in the pipelines. Traditional factors like reporting line and job scope remained important as candidates looked to expand their portfolios.

We are confident that the hiring activities will remain buoyant for the remainder of the year within the life sciences sector.

For more information about the Life Sciences sector, please contact Tom Swain at +65 3157 1463 or tswain@argyllscott.sg.

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