The demand for workers in the field is greater than the supply. In addition, the field of medical devices records an increase in demand for workers and a slowdown in demand in the fields of pharma and biotechnology * The profile of the worker in the biomed industry: a woman aged 35 or older with a PhD in biology or chemistry and the managers will mostly be men * The average salary in the biomed industry will be about 30% lower compared to the high-tech industry in the ranks
A special survey conducted by the "Nisha" company ahead of ILSI-Biomed Israel Week 2012 which will be held between May 21-23, 2012, indicates that the Israeli biomed industry is in need of professional and skilled manpower: in the first quarter of 2012 an increase of about 20% was recorded in the demand for workers in the chemistry professions in the three biomed industries relative to the corresponding period last year. Vigorous demand was recorded for workers in the fields of mechanical engineering, quality assurance and physics.
According to another survey that was conducted especially for the biomed week by the jobinfo company, it appears that in the first quarter of 2012 there is a positive trend in hiring for medical device companies in the Israeli biomed industry. Out of all the biomed jobs, there was an increase relative to the corresponding period last year in the field of software from 55% last year to 66% this year. In the field of hardware, the percentage of jobs increased from 17% to 21%. On the other hand, in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, there was a 67% slowdown in hiring, relative to the corresponding period last year.
According to the analysis of employee recruitment data conducted by the company Jobinfo, which specializes in placement in the high-tech, finance and biomed fields, in 2011 the field of life sciences recorded a 10% increase in demand for personnel, compared to 2010.
"In the pharmaceutical field, it is difficult to predict future success or sales," explains Ilana Achimair, CEO of Jobinfo, "because this field requires many years of development, and its success is mainly derived from the results of clinical trials and approvals from global health organizations. These conditions lead investors in a time of uncertainty to look for avenues with faster results. If a pharma company wants to survive, grow and succeed, it needs to be backed by very strong investors who are able to absorb years of unprofitability. In contrast, some of the medical device companies reach sales in a shorter period of time and with the backing of strong investors, it is possible for these companies to "run" forward."
In preparation for the biomed week, the Niche company built a profile of an "employee in the field of biomeds":
In the biotechnology industry, it turned out, 90% of the researchers have a PhD and 90% of the research assistants have a master's degree mainly in biology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, genetics, etc. The percentage of women in this field is about 60-70%. A similar rate exists in the research and development professions. At the same time, despite the large representation of women in the field, 70%-80% of the management professions: CEO, VP of Operations, Finance and Business Development, are occupied by men. The management professions occupied by women - 70% - will be in the positions of vice presidents of development, clinic and regulation. Average age: 40-45. Beginning of career in this field: age 35.
In the pharmaceutical industry, most employees will have bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry, with the gender ratio being 50% women and 50% men. As far as the executives in this field are concerned, the management is mostly made up of men who hold the positions of VPs of Operations, Finance and Business. Women will serve mainly in the positions of clinical and regulatory vice presidents. The male-female ratio in development and quality management positions is half and half.
Starting age: 30, when especially in this group you can find people 55 and older, since they are mostly old companies.
The medical device companies are the relatively young companies in the market. Most of the employees have a bachelor's degree. Beginning of career, age 25-26. Average age of an employee: 35-37. 60%-70% in this field are men. The ratio of men and women in the key positions in clinical regulation and quality positions is half and half. Distinctly, the VPs of development are men.
"The average salary of young workers in the biomed field is 8,000-12,000 shekels," says Lizzie Shub London, partner and owner of the "Niche" group. "It is interesting to note that a beginning researcher with a PhD who works in the fields of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology will earn just as much as a mechanical engineer with a bachelor's degree who works for a year or two in the field of medical devices."
Even among the executives, there is variation regarding salary according to the company's field of specialization. "The CEO of a well-known and successful company, in the field of medical devices, will earn between 80-100 thousand and more and a vice president, in such a company, will earn between 60-80 thousand NIS. On the other hand, the salary of senior executives in similar positions in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will be about 25% lower than in the field of medical devices. A company that came out of an incubator and still does not have a finished product, the CEO's average salary will be 38-45 NIS and the VP will earn between 35-40 NIS. Compared to high tech, workers and managers in the field of medical devices will be paid similarly, while in the fields of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, the salary in all ranks and positions will be about 30% lower on average."
According to the "Niche" survey, 5%-10% of all bachelor's and master's degree graduates who are looking for work were placed in the clinical professions, regulation and quality in the three biomed industries, when the applicable salary is 8000 NIS. After 3-4 years of work the salary increases by 50%, to NIS 15 thousand and more.
Once again London recognizes a difficult problem in the job market for university graduates. "I estimate that between 80-90 percent of the students who complete their master's and master's degrees in biology and related fields, do not find work in the biomed industry... They turn to other professions, such as teaching and administration. A few also go abroad, or move to high-tech."
Benishe estimates that a shortage of workers is expected in the fields of chemistry. This situation arose because in the last decade, starting in the 90s, there was a flood of chemists due to the Russian immigration and students did not apply to study this field. "The most logical thing is for the biologists to convert to chemistry, and indeed this is what it is recommended for degree graduates to do. In the field, we see that the world of biological research fascinates them and some of them would prefer to give up high salaries in other fields in favor of this specific field."
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What my predecessors wrote is 100% correct. Add to that the exploitation of the situation by placement companies that advertise imaginary jobs left and right and the picture is terrible. What is their intention? (the placement companies), just to accumulate resumes in order to get ahead of the competitors in the event that some kind of position appears? There are many unemployed people in the industry and the behavior of the placement companies sometimes borders on nasty. I never even got an interview through these companies and it's time for them to pass away. Candidates should be allowed to contact employers directly. Today in the era of social and/or professional networks, placement companies have no right to exist.
When you hear that only one out of five to ten biologists finds a job in biotech (and most of the jobs are not in the field of biology, but in related fields such as clinical monitoring, regulation and quality assurance), you can understand that there is a huge surplus of biologists in the academic system - and the arm is tilted.
Is there no body that will lift the glove and restrain the academic institutions, i.e. limit the number of students for higher degrees at the very least? If not for the sake of preventing the suffering of thousands of frustrated unemployed, then for the sake of the state coffers, which loses an average of one million NIS in the training of one biology doctor?
The employment crisis in the field humiliates all those involved in it who have become worthless and replaceable, and continue to talk about increasing the standards in the academy and importing (sorry, returning) brains from abroad at an unimaginable cost of a billion and a half NIS. We became a joke in the eyes of our friends, those who copied from us in school exams.
And regarding the average salaries quoted in the article, the author is sorry, but my experience and that of my friends indicate more modest amounts. It turns out that a customer representative at Cellcom is worth more than a master's degree holder, and (another) accountant brings more benefit to the country than a doctorate and postdoc holder.
Anouchi comes from the biological field, after years of investment in research, which thought indeed comes from an ideological place of social contribution, it is very difficult to find a job. And finding a suitable job is easy.
My colleagues who do not fall in their abilities from the software engineers to their shares, are in a shaky boat like me.
And then wonder why there aren't almost more people who go to study pure science (and flock to accounting, law, engineering and the priesthood).
And that afterwards the state will not wonder why Israel was left behind (hint: it has to do with research and development)
The reasons are understandable. But the state has to intervene and this is where the chief scientist comes in
Success for all of us