Switzerland – Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, October 2024
Switzerland’s Life Sciences Sector Rebounds in 2024 with Strong Growth in R&D
Key findings include:
- A 19.3% increase in scientist professional vacancies in Switzerland.
- Basel-Stadt is leading the forecast with vacancies hitting approximately 739.
- Laboratory roles are expected to see a 54.2% growth in vacancies.
- Lonza has had the greatest demand for labour and is forecasted to see a 16.9% growth.
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The Swiss life sciences industry, despite a challenging dip in job vacancies in 2023 (down by 31.4%), shows a robust rebound in 2024, with vacancies projected to rise by 24.1%. R&D roles have been notably active, reflecting global trends and a renewed push in innovation. Vacancies for scientist professionals are expected to grow by 19.3%, with these roles comprising 53.4% of the sector’s job market. Biotechnology, a significant contributor, is bolstered by Switzerland’s top rank in the Global Innovation Index for 13 years running and a CHF10 billion investment since 2020. This recovery highlights Switzerland’s strong foothold in life sciences and biotech innovation in Europe.
This is according to the latest Life Sciences Labour Market Trends report by Cpl and market data analysts Vacancysoft.
Basel-Stadt Leads Swiss Life Sciences Hiring, Fueled by Pharma Giants
When analysing recruitment trends regionally in the Swiss life sciences market, Basel-Stadt is leading the forecast, with vacancies hitting approximately 739 across 2024. However, the area has seen close to no change in relation to 2023, holding a 24% share of all vacancies. This can be attributed to the region being home to the Pharmaceutical giants Novartis and Roche, alongside its long history as the centre of biotechnological research. Basel also serves as a regulatory and clinical hub, Therefore, we would expect to see a large percentage of these vacancies being held by professionals in the life science area.
Laboratory Roles Dominate Swiss Life Sciences Vacancies
Laboratory roles in Switzerland are expected to remain pivotal within the life sciences industry in 2024, sharing the top spot in scientist vacancies at 12.8%. With a projected 54.2% rise in demand, laboratory vacancies are forecasted to reach 395, underscoring their importance in research and development. Quality assurance (QA) roles are equally significant, also occupying a 12.8% share and seeing a notable 54.9% increase to 393 vacancies. Project management roles are expected to witness the largest percentage surge, with a 72.9% increase. Overall, the steady growth across divisions highlights Switzerland’s dedication to specialisation and industry innovation.
Lonza Leads Swiss Life Sciences Hiring Surge
Lonza has had the greatest demand for labour by a large margin. Lonza is forecasted to see a 16.9% year-on-year increase in 2024, following a 13.5% increase from 2022 to 2024. This would take Lonza’s total vacancies to approximately 560.
That being said, Roche and Novartis are still expected to be the second and third largest vacancy holders in 2024, with 380 and 251 job postings, respectively. However, Roche is expected to see a slight year-on-year decrease in scientist professionals of 6.2%. This is likely part of their plans to streamline and prioritise high-value projects. Whereas, Novartis is forecasted a large increase of 25.3%.
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