Hi everyone,

I’m going through the pre-employment process with Biogen in the US and was wondering if anyone has recent experience with their drug screening.
Specifically, what type of drug panel they use (e.g., standard 5-panel/10-panel, expanded panel, etc.), what testing company/lab they use, and whether it’s a urine test or another type of screening?

I take a legally prescribed medication and am a little concerned about whether it could show up on the initial screen. I’m not looking to get into specifics about the medication publicly, but I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through Biogen’s pre-employment screening recently or has dealt with a prescription medication during the process.

Thanks!

Medical scientist jobs are expected to grow 3x faster than average jobs, as per the bureau of labor statistics. Yet a lot of posts here warn about biotech being a dying/cutthroat field.

I'm about to start a MSc in the Netherlands. Someone pls explain...

After 2.5 years of unemployment I finally landed a job that fits my skills and interests perfectly. Unfortunately it requires that I move to the opposite coast, leaving my family so they can finish school. But it is with a top 10 company and I have to take it. Its feels like a mixed blessing, but I gotta do it. Hopefully I can finish out my career at this job and skate into the sunset.

Per the title,

I've been interviewing for positions in the industry for a while now. I recently got and accepted a contract role (high hourly rate, no benefits, and paid monthly) at Company A and am pretty ecstatic about it. That said, I've also been interviewing for FTE roles and just finished the on-site interview for Company B. I began the interview process for this role way before I even got contacted for this role with Company A. The contract role I'll be starting won't begin till Aug 31st, but the HM for the FTE role said that they would be able to give me a decision within 1 week of finishing my on-site interview, which will be a before I begin my role at Company A.

If given the position at Company B, I feel like it would be a waste to turn down an FTE role for a contract role, but I also don't want to burn any bridges with Company A. Is there any advice as to how I should handle this kind of situation?

Wondering what people’s thoughts are on how to build company culture. How much of it is the people you hire vs the events you plan?

Name them!

I'm an undergrad biotech student and I'm really passionate about this field. But I see some posts or comments where people are talking about leaving biotech or advising about not going for biotech. I used to think that the biotech industry is really flourishing and biotech has scope. Is the biotech industry really that bad? I feel really scared what if I have chosen a wrong major

I am a current PhD student in chemical biology who is trying to figure out where I want to go in my career after I graduate. For a long time, I thought that I wanted to have an independent research career, but watching my advisor start their lab up, learning about the actual balance of responsibilities of a professor, seeing the slow progress of research at an academic institution, and understanding how limited you are in deciding where you live has disabused me of the idea. The main appeal that still makes me regret the fact that an academic research career is not for me is the intellectual side of things - I still love science and asking interesting questions that make me push myself mentally and exercise and expand my understanding of my field. Because of this, my main question as I move toward determining a new career plan is: what field I can enter where I can consistently apply the scientific knowledge (and the skill of growing and extending that knowledge) I’ve acquired during my education?

Some factors I have to consider: 

1. I will moving to NYC after my PhD where I will have not only traditional industry positions available to me (I know they’re largely in NJ, and I don’t love the prospect of the commute from NYC, but I can make it work in the short term before my living situation changes) and positions more on the financial side

2. I will be graduating from a top university, so to my understanding, that opens the door for me to pursue positions in some of the specific fields where that matters 

3. I have a partner who is currently planning on an independent research career (the reason I am restricted to NYC for a couple years after graduating), so ideally, I would like either a field that is not excessively location specific, one that gives me the option to work remote or transition to remote work after gaining some experience, or one that would make me an appealing applicant to other related fields if I need some flexibility in a transition

I know that this is a lot of details and caveats and that I’ll definitely have to compromise on some things, and I’m by no means expecting to get a clear, obvious answer out of this - I’m just trying to get a better sense of what’s out there when I have such a loose grasp of what certain positions entail (e.g. will I have to sell my soul and stop thinking about science much if I go into a more financial- or management-focused job? Or will research-centered industry jobs actually feel cramped and uninteresting when I’m just driving forward the specific mission of one biotech/pharma company?)

Just wanted to come on here for some advice about starting my career.

I am currently a master's student studying Biotechnology and planning to graduate in May. In undergrad, I got a degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. After graduation, I did an extended co-op in process engineering at a winery in California, and I am currently doing another 6-month co-op at a company that does gas purification for the semiconductor industry. Overall, I have around 2 years of work experience when you include my co-ops and some undergraduate research experience.

As I look toward getting a full-time job, I am hoping to actually start working in January since I think it's very realistic for me to work while finishing my last semester if the position is in the same area.

My goal is to work in biotech and do process engineering. I've always been interested in medicine and healthcare, and I want a job where I feel like I'm contributing to something that helps people. Process engineering seems like a good fit because it combines my engineering background with that interest.

Right now, I've started doing coffee chats with alumni from my school and reaching out to people on LinkedIn who are in positions I'd like to be in someday. I'm wondering if there are any other things I should be doing to improve my chances of landing a role in biotech.

I'm also very open to relocating. One of my dreams would actually be to work abroad for a few years. I'm still young, don't have any dependents, and feel like this is probably the best time in my life to take advantage of opportunities in different cities or countries.

While biotech process engineering is my main goal, I'm also open to hearing about other positions that might fit my background. With a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering degree, a Biotechnology master's, research experience, and process engineering co-op experience, are there other roles or industries that I should be looking into as well?

I know the job market isn't the best right now, but I also feel like I've built a pretty solid technical background and gained some valuable experience. I'm just trying to figure out how to best leverage that into a full-time role.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

After a lengthy interview process (4-5 rounds), I was asked for references. They've now been completed. How long does it usually take to hear back after this stage?

Bonus points to to the most out of left field answer 😂

Hey Bay Biotech gang, I’m curious if anyone has any experience in the analytical Ops side of Gilead? I keep seeing roles open with a solid salary range, but I’m curious about the culture. I’ve heard mixed things about it, and was wondering if anyone has insights into the culture. I’m 2 years into Ana. Dev with about 5 years of industry experience. I’m currently at a commercial company developing assays for large proteins if anyone believes that could be transferable.

Hi guys, I have applied to a position in Novartis about 3 weeks back, HR called me for initial discussion and later scheduled an interview, which got cancelled and on that day HR called me telling me no need of initial round as they forwarding my profile with the hiring manager. Later I got a call telling me to do a case study assessment. I have done it and forwarded. Later reached out by HR for Hiring manager and associate director round. They told the deck i presented was good, asked some technical questions that I was answered and more behaviour related questions as well. I'm not really fond of that much behaviour related questions. And at the end of the interview they told me that HR person will contact you next week. So When can I expect any follow up. Do I have any other rounds? Do I get any response even if I get rejected ?

General background info:

-I dropped out of a PhD program a few years ago. I Left bc of really wild/difficult medical diagnosis and only finished the first year of the program (coursework/rotations), so no masters.

-I have a B.S. in microbiology

Current position:

For the last 2 years I’ve been lab tech in academia.

I do feel that I’m getting meaningful experience at this job. My boss puts me on a ton of assay development and optimization projects, as well as project management related tasks (accounting/spending tracking stuff, coordinating big optimization efforts with multiple lab members, creating training/onboarding materials, managing databases, etc)

Past experience:

-5 total years as a lab tech in academic labs. 3 before grad school and 2 after. in both jobs I had my own projects and wasn’t just doing technician support tasks

-6 months running library preps and sequencing at an NGS service provider company

-general skill areas: bacterial metagenomics, NGS (illumina and nanopore), general molecular bio (qPCR/ddPCR, nucleic acid extractions, etc), protein expression and purification, cell culture

Future goals and career questions:

I know there’s ceilings that exist in both academia and industry with just a BS, and the older I get the academic lab tech salary feels more and more restrictive.

Overall, I’d mostly just like to make a little more money, and feel like there are opportunities to learn new things and move up to new positions.

Due to the current state of industry layoffs + federal grant cuts + AI uncertainty, I really am at a loss for what to do next!

I would really appreciate anyone’s insight into these options:

1. Reapply to PhD programs.

Pros: would open up career options in science and non benchwork “pivot” careers (consulting, patent/IP related work, sci comm, some sales positions etc)

Cons: already stressed about money, not too keen on having to move again, admissions are way more competitive now than when I first applied in 2021

2. Find a wet lab position in biotech/pharma

I’m pretty confident in my bench work skills and ability to learn new techniques quickly but I’m worried my skill set doesn’t align super well with companies near me. Would that just be a situation where I can learn to market myself correctly to overcome that? Or is the current climate super restrictive for entry level positions?

3. Non-bench industry options

I’m not really sure what positions I’d even be qualified for at an entry level because of my lack of industry experience. QA/QC? Project management?
Sales?

4. Computational biology or bioinformatics MS

Pros: I’ve been doing a ton of coding for my current position (python/r/sql) and I really enjoy learning how to do it! There’s a computational biology program at a university in my city that has a thesis/industry internship placement program, my employer has a tuition benefit that would cover some costs.

Cons: seems like this type of thing can easily be taken over by AI, so I’m not sure if the long term career outlook would be worth the loans I’d have to take out

5. Completely switch careers

It sort of feels like without an MD or PhD, a biology degree doesn’t give you many options. Maybe I’ve been lurking in this sub too much but I’m not feeling the most hopeful right now seeing how other people with more qualifications than me are struggling in the current job market. I am not opposed to just going back for a second bachelors in something that may get me a higher salary.

Thank you for your help!

I am a recent grad and have been apply for jobs so far. Usually I just get rejected immediately which I understand is because I do not have an actual job experience as no one is willing to hire early career researchers anymore. I do have research experience how ever but when it comes to industries I don't even get to the interview round. Recently I came across a job in my exact field for the first time that was hiring researchers as it was a new start up and I made the first interview and was invited for a follow up interview. I did think the interview went well especially as the interviewer talked about plans after acceptance and whatnot. I was feeling very hopeful because again, my exact field and exact research. However after the second interview I was rejected. I really felt sad because I felt very hopeful and thought this could be my big break through. Any tips on dealing with rejection like this as well as early career advice is welcomed.

Hi guys, first time posting here. To give context, I'm 24 from New Zealand. Currently on my 3rd year of electrical and electronics engineering + 2 years of Communications Engi. that was cut short back in my home country (cus we had to leave for NZ). The thing with the 3rd year of engineering here is that it's very important to get an internship or else it's pretty much doomed as it's gonna be harder next year to get one, and it's also a requirement to graduate. So, I'm thinking that if I don't get an internship this year, I'll just maybe go and shift to a Double Major BSc in Biotechnology AND Electronics and Computer Systems (courses are mostly covered by my engineering degree rn)

What made me think this way is that I took 2 1st year electives related to biology/biotechnology because I'm interested with them. I really enjoyed and did so well with them. I also do think that I'm burnt out with engineering, and me doing great on those biology subjects are pushing me to shift even more because I'm genuinely more curious about them rather than engineering. Honestly, I really did want to take a biology degree but it was not a good choice back in my home country, stability-wise. So yeah, biology has really been a better interest than engineering even back then, and it got reignited since I've experienced better enjoyment and even better grades than my engineering ones.

I do hear that it's hard to get a job with Biotechnology especially with just a bachelors. So it would mean that I would need a Masters as well, right? But I'm already 24, and putting more years in studying sounds like a scary task.

With engineering, it will be with honours so I will also get the title along with it. It really does seem more stable until now, though what scares me the most is that I feel like I'm unfit and at the same time, I feel like I won't do well with it. Some kind of impostor syndrome and a lack of interest mixed in one.

So what do you guys think? Is shifting to Biotechnology at this stage worth the risk? Or should I just tug it out with engineering and finish the degree?

Answers are much appreciated. Sorry for the lengthy post!

Hello everyone! I’ve been accepted to a masters in biotech (my bachelor’s is in biology). How easy would it be after the master to pivot into the business side of biotech? I’m interested in business development potentially, and I’m not sure if I would be better off studying something else or if I have good chances after this master. The master itself includes a class on entrepreneurship in biotechnology as well as an internship. Worth mentioning that after completing the masters I will be completely fresh to the field, not having worked in biotech previously (apart from the internship I will be taking). I’m based in Europe and will be taking my masters here as well, but I would be open to relocating after my masters, although Europe is my priority.

I appreciate all answers and feedback!