QA – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, May 2025
Germany Leads as the UK Gains Ground in QA Hiring
Key findings include:
- UK Quality Assurance (QA) vacancies are forecast to rise 11.1% in 2025, as AI and trade policy support growth
- Overall EU QA hiring is projected to decline 2.3%, though Germany, Belgium and Denmark are expanding
- Pharmaceuticals continue to dominate QA demand, while CROs and biotech slow hiring
- Regional rebalancing sees strong QA job growth in North East England and Yorkshire
- GSK, Eurofins and Almac lead, while AstraZeneca and Novartis pull back
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The Regulatory Ripple: AI, Trade and a Divided Continent
Artificial intelligence is increasingly reshaping Quality Assurance across the life sciences industry. Regulatory frameworks such as the UK MHRA’s “Software and AI as a Medical Device” roadmap and the EU AI Act are forcing firms to validate novel processes like predictive maintenance and AI-guided batch release. These developments, combined with post-pandemic regulatory tightening, have broadened the scope and complexity of QA hiring across Europe.
Yet the impact is uneven. Patent cliffs are pushing both originator firms and generics manufacturers to adjust production lines, raising QA workloads. Meanwhile, trade tensions between the EU and US have dampened investment in manufacturing-heavy assets, slowing QA hiring in some regions. The UK, having secured an early trade agreement, appears less exposed. QA vacancies there are forecast to grow by 11.1% in 2025, lifting its share of total UK-EU demand to 12.9%.
In contrast, EU hiring is expected to fall by 2.3% in aggregate, with declines in France and Ireland offsetting gains elsewhere. Germany remains the largest market and is projected to grow QA hiring by 28.7%, supported by government investment in digital health. Belgium and Denmark are also expanding, buoyed by targeted capital inflows from major multinationals.
Sectors in Flux: Pharma Expands, CROs Contract
Within the UK, the picture is sectorally fragmented. Pharmaceuticals remain dominant, accounting for 57.6% of QA roles in 2024, with a further 25.7% increase expected this year. The sector’s ability to fund internal QA investment makes it less sensitive to external financial volatility, although uncertainty in US trade negotiations casts a shadow over the long term.
Biotechnology is showing signs of stalling. After years of generous investment, many firms are now relying on reserves, and QA hiring is forecast to rise just 2.1% in 2025. Contract Research Organisations face more acute pressure, with a projected 16.3% decline in QA roles. Their tighter margins and exposure to shorter contracts make them more vulnerable to market swings.
Regionally, growth is shifting. The South East, anchored by Oxford and Cambridge, remains the leading UK cluster, with a projected 15% increase in QA roles. Greater London is set to rise by 11.6% following a 65.6% surge the year prior. However, the strongest growth is now emerging in manufacturing regions. The North East and Yorkshire and the Humber are forecast to expand QA hiring by 50% and 41.5%, respectively, pointing to a quiet geographic rebalancing.
Continental Competition: Germany Surges, France Slows
Germany remains the anchor of QA hiring in Europe. A pro-innovation policy platform and digital health subsidies have strengthened its life sciences sector, while reshoring strategies reinforce its role as a manufacturing hub. As a result, Germany’s share of EU QA demand is projected to rise by 5.2% in 2025.
France is slipping. QA hiring there is expected to contract slightly, as companies consolidate and funding tightens. Belgium and Denmark are gaining ground, each increasing their share of EU QA roles. These shifts are tied to targeted expansion efforts by firms such as Novo Nordisk, Abbott and GSK.
In the UK, QA remains the core function within Quality and Regulatory Affairs, with its share rising from 37.2% in 2024 to 40% in 2025. Quality Control is also on the rebound, set to grow 55.6% after a prior dip. Compliance roles, by contrast, are declining. After surging 23.5% last year, demand is forecast to fall 38%, reflecting increasing automation and shifting functional priorities.
Corporate Outlook: Winners, Losers and a Changing Cycle
GSK leads the UK in QA hiring. Following significant investment in its late-stage pipeline, the firm is forecast to expand QA vacancies by 11.4% in 2025, adding to a 15.4% rise the previous year. Almac remains the second-largest UK employer, though its QA hiring is expected to contract by 10.8% as it returns to pre-expansion levels.
AstraZeneca and PCI Pharma Services are also slowing, forecasting QA declines of 20% and 11.1%, respectively. Both are facing short-term reductions in manufacturing due to patent expirations. Eurofins remains the largest EU employer of QA professionals, despite an expected 18.8% decline in 2025. Its wide testing network continues to underpin demand.
Novartis is pulling back further, with a 21.7% decline forecast after a 25.1% fall in 2024. Johnson & Johnson and Merck are also scaling down, suggesting that capital discipline is taking precedence over headcount expansion in the short term.
Across the sector, QA remains a core capability—but the path to growth increasingly depends on trade alignment, digital readiness and capital strategy.
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