Clinical – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, October 2025
AI Drives 10.5% Surge in Drug Safety Hiring Across Europe in 2025
Key findings include:
- Clinical operations hiring up 41.3% as trial activity restarts
- Senior CRA roles rebound with 9.7% year-on-year growth
- UK clinical vacancies forecast to rise 31.1% in 2025
- Biotech leads clinical recovery, growing to 10.1% market share
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Clinical hiring stabilises after a turbulent year
Europe’s clinical research market is beginning to recover after a difficult 2024. The sector is showing early signs of stabilisation as delayed trials resume and new projects begin. The UK’s updated MHRA framework and the EU’s Clinical Trials Regulation have provided regulatory clarity, helping to unlock investment. Total clinical hiring is projected to rise by 0.4% this year, reversing much of last year’s decline. CROs remain the backbone of the market, while biotech has become the new growth engine, expanding by 27.5% as investor confidence returns and R&D pipelines across Europe begin to strengthen once again.
CROs regain momentum led by UK recovery
Contract Research Organisations are gradually rebuilding capacity after a sharp contraction last year. Clinical operations roles are leading this resurgence, with vacancies rising by 41.3%. Senior CRA hiring has also strengthened, growing by 9.7%, while Clinical Trial Assistants are up 28.6%. These increases point to renewed trial activity across Europe. The UK stands out with CRO hiring up 31.1%, reflecting its growing role as a clinical research hub. Elsewhere, Germany is showing a 19.0% rise, while France, Spain and Poland are posting double-digit declines, signalling an uneven recovery as larger economies regain ground faster than their peers.
Pharma hiring remains selective but shows bright spots
Pharmaceutical firms are taking a more measured approach to recruitment, continuing to streamline operations after last year’s restructuring cycle. Despite this, clinical operations roles are rebounding sharply, up 82.3%, while CRA positions have risen 4.8% and development roles 6.9%. These gains are partially offset by a 31.0% decline in management hiring and a 14.7% fall in study roles. The UK is the standout performer, with pharmaceutical hiring rising by 26.8%. In contrast, Spain and Germany are slipping, and Ireland is down 20.5%, reflecting a cautious but selective rebound across Europe’s leading pharmaceutical markets.
Major firms strengthen hiring as biotech surges
More than half of Europe’s leading clinical employers are expanding hiring this year, a clear sign of improving confidence. CROs continue to dominate, led by Syneos Health, where hiring is up 22.2%. PSI has posted a 73.3% rise, while Johnson & Johnson continues its strong run with a further 31.5% increase. BeiGene has rebounded 48.4% after last year’s decline, underlining biotech’s resilience. Meanwhile, mid-sized firms like Medpace and Premier are expanding steadily. The data suggests the market is rebalancing, with larger firms consolidating and smaller players driving growth in a more stable, forward-looking clinical landscape.
See where the real growth is happening in Life Sciences hiring. Download the report for the full picture.
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