Engineering – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, September 2024
Engineering Roles Surge in British Pharma as AI Adoption Grows in 2024
Key findings include:
- The demand for engineering roles soars 103.2% across London
- CRO projected to see largest annual growth, rising 51.7%.
- Chemical engineering leads top five divisions, rising to 14.8% in 2024.
- GSK leads engineering roles in 2024, with 114 projected vacancies.
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The UK pharmaceuticals sector is recovering from its post-pandemic slowdown, with a focus on addressing the backlog of drug approvals by the MHRA. As approvals accelerate, pharmaceutical manufacturing is ramping up, contributing to an 8.8% increase in engineering vacancies in 2024 compared to last year. Additionally, the rise of AI adoption — projected by the World Economic Forum to be embraced by over 75% of businesses in the next five years — is driving demand for engineers to maintain quality standards and optimize production. London is experiencing faster growth than the rest of the UK, projected to nearly double engineering hires, with mid-2024 showing the highest employment figures without the typical mid-year dip.
This is according to the latest UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends report by Cpl and market data analysts Vacancysoft.
CRO Sector Leads Engineering Vacancy Growth
The Contract Research Organisation (CRO) sector is projected to experience the largest year-on-year growth, with a 51.7% increase in 2024. Alongside this, its share of engineering vacancies is expected to rise from 11.8% in 2023 to 16.4% in 2024, though it will still hold the smallest share among sectors. The pharmaceuticals sector, while leading in overall vacancies with 431 expected, is forecasted to see a 6.6% decline, dropping its share from 63.2% in 2023 to 54.3% in 2024. Meanwhile, biotech is poised for a significant surge of 27.7%, with its share of total engineering vacancies reaching 29.3% for the year.
Chemical Engineering Leads 2024 Growth in Green Job Demand
Chemical engineering is experiencing the most significant growth among engineering divisions, rising from 1.8% in 2022/23 to an estimated 14.8% in 2024. This surge is likely linked to the UK’s increased focus on net-zero goals, driving demand for “green” engineering roles, which have grown by 55% over the past five years, according to EngineeringUK. The Specialist Fields division remains the largest in terms of market share, with a 9.8% year-on-year increase and around 140 vacancies projected for 2024. Project management is expected to recover with a 13% increase, while manufacturing is the only major division forecasted to decline, shrinking by 6.5% as automation reshapes the industry.
GSK Leads Engineering Roles
Among the top 20 companies in pharmaceuticals, CRO, and biotech, GSK continues to lead in engineering roles, with 114 vacancies projected for 2024, maintaining its position from previous years and surpassing the second-highest by 43 positions. This demand may be tied to GSK’s operations in Brentford, London. Meanwhile, biotech firms are seeing significant growth. Azenta Life Sciences is expected to have a 146.4% increase in engineering vacancies, and STADA leads with a 425% surge, likely linked to a potential merger with GTCR. Cytiva and Johnson & Johnson are also experiencing substantial growth, reflecting post-COVID recovery and MHRA’s increased role post-Brexit. However, companies like Roche and Pharmaron face declines, with decreases of -35.7% and -20%, respectively.
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