Regulatory Affairs – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, March 2025
New Regulatory Frameworks Spark Surge in Life Sciences Recruitment
Key findings include:
- London’s life sciences sector posts 67% rise in regulatory vacancies in 2024
- The creation of the Regulatory Innovation Office and AI-focused programs revives hiring momentum.
- Pharmaceuticals lead the sectoral demand, while CROS face market share contraction.
- Novartis and GSK dominate regulatory recruitment amid a shifting competitive landscape.
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Since Brexit, the UK’s ambition to establish an independent regulatory framework faced early turbulence. The COVID-19 pandemic tested the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which responded with commendable speed and rigor. Yet post-pandemic, momentum waned. By 2023, professional vacancies in the sector had declined by 23%, reflecting a regulatory system still tethered to outdated European frameworks.
The launch of the Regulatory Innovation Office in October 2024 marked a turning point. Alongside AI-focused initiatives such as the AI Airlock program, the MHRA accelerated reforms targeting Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and Artificial Intelligence as a Medical Device (AIaMD). As a result, London recorded a 67.3% rise in regulatory vacancies in 2024, a powerful signal of renewed sectoral confidence.
Nationwide growth was modest by comparison, at just 1.2%. Meanwhile, Europe’s EMA approval rates continued to outpace the UK, posing competitive challenges. For Canary Wharf’s ambition to become a global biotech hub, closing the regulatory gap remains critical.
Sectoral Shifts and Regional Realignment Reshape the Landscape
Greater London reinforced its dominance, accounting for 48.6% of regulatory vacancies, a 12.2% rise year-on-year. Global talent inflows, supported by skills-based visa policies, are fueling this growth. The approval of the Whitechapel Life Sciences cluster further cements London’s position as a rising global competitor.
In contrast, the South of England saw regulatory roles fall by 9.9% in 2024, although momentum is returning. The newly formed South West Life Sciences advocacy group has already driven a 0.9% gain in market share as of March 2025.
Over recent years, Cambridge and the East of England, once dominant, have been overtaken by London and the South. Across sectors, pharmaceuticals remain the strongest engine, with regulatory job demand growing 37.2%. Biotechnology is also rebounding following a sharp contraction, while CROs are seeing a 7.9% decline, driven by automation and the shift toward in-house regulatory teams.
New Skills in Demand: AI Reshapes Hiring Priorities
Research and development remains the largest area of hiring, with 2,235 vacancies posted in 2024, marking a 1.7% increase. Growth is expected to accelerate, bolstered by the government’s £24.6 billion R&D investment plan for 2025–26.
Yet the skill set demanded by life sciences firms is shifting. Expertise in AI, machine learning, and data analytics is now increasingly prized over traditional regulatory and clinical competencies. The AI-driven life sciences market, valued at $2.25 billion in 2023, is forecast to surpass $9 billion by 2032. Regulatory divisions, particularly Management and Regulatory Affairs, recorded the strongest growth in 2024, rising by 57.6% and 25.2% respectively.
Meanwhile, automation is reshaping other functions. Health Economics Outcomes Research and Epidemiology roles declined by 18.7%, reflecting efficiencies gained from AI tools such as EVID AI, which have reduced the need for manual analysis in trial oversight.
Company Winners and Losers in a Recalibrated Market
At the company level, regulatory hiring patterns show a clear divergence. Novartis emerged as the leading recruiter following its acquisitions of MorphoSys AG and Mariana Oncology, driving a 12% rise in net sales and significantly boosting regulatory vacancies.
GSK followed closely, with regulatory hiring up by 67.7%, buoyed by growth in specialty medicine sales, particularly oncology. In contrast, AstraZeneca faced a 29.4% decline in regulatory roles, pressured by investigations into its Chinese operations.
Smaller players like Johnson & Johnson and Ipsen also posted strong gains, with vacancy increases of 375% and 316.7% respectively. Meanwhile, Parexel, IQVIA, and Amgen expanded their regulatory teams, reflecting broad-based recovery across mid-tier firms.
As the MHRA accelerates clinical approvals, companies with strong compliance track records are poised to outperform, sustaining demand for regulatory expertise well into 2025.
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