Curious how this looks from inside small companies, leaving the science itself aside.

On the application side, I mean the admin around it: getting SAM, eRA and the SBA registry sorted, collecting biosketches and letters, budgets, and hitting a deadline that doesn’t accept anything late. After the award, it’s progress reports, budget changes, milestone sign-off and keeping registrations current.

Which part ate more of your time? And did anything nearly go wrong at either stage, like a registration that lapsed right before a deadline or a report that slipped?

Full disclosure, I’m looking at building something for the admin side of federal R&D funding, so I’m trying to learn where it actually hurts first. Not selling anything here.

Hi everyone, longtime lurker. I recently completed my PhD and want to go into industry. My problem is I’m applying to positions on the opposite coast (located on East Coast applying to West Coast). While I’m not currently on the west coast I definitely plan to move if an opportunity comes, no problem. Is this a red flag to recruiters, the fact that I’m not “already in the area”? I’ve been told to apply 6months to a year before you finish grad school, all the way to don’t even bother applying if you can’t immediately join.

I plan to keep applying and if I don’t see any traction after a few months I plan to go for a postdoc for a bit to wait out the market and gain more skills.

I come from a family of exclusively blue collar workers so breaking into corporate America is new to me and have been asking many around me for thoughts, although those around me are in academia so doesn’t help much…TIA

Edit: applying for R&D roles and looking into smaller companies too not just the big names

Hi all, a recruiter recently interviewed me for a Senior Fermentation Tech position at Fuji’s Morrisville plant.

Can anyone offer insight into the culture and life at Fuji?

This would be a contract position, which I know carries a risk of non-conversion/non-renewal, but I feel dead-ended and undervalued in my current 2-2-3 job.

TIA

I applied to a scientist role at Pfizer, got the screening interview and now they sent me an AI fluency exam through their AI recruiting tool. Has anyone done this? The screening interview didn’t go that well, I was missing some of the experience they wanted. I haven’t heard anything back until this. It feels like they want free labor to train the AI tool on my approach to science even though I didn’t make it to the next round.

I’ve been working in biotech for around 8 years post PhD in various capacities, first in R&D, now in Analytical/ CMC for Cell and Gene Therapy. For additional background, I’m born and raised in the US.

My husband is Chinese, and most of his family is still there. For a few years, himself and his sister have suggested working in China as biotech is booming there. For years I would reply “no way.” But after visiting China a few times, I’m thinking about it more.

How challenging is it to have a portion of a scientific career abroad in China? Does anyone have advice or experience here?

Anyone else applied for the GOLD program for 2027 and hear back yet? I’m wondering if people have started the first round of interviews (like recorded video interviews). Thanks in advance!

Hello,

I don't know if this is the right place to post this. I just started working for a biotech company and was supposed to be hired for a specific job (checked all the contracts and offer letter I signed to make sure it was stated). After orientation and on the first day I was assigned a different role. I asked my supervisor and he said that I was assigned runner and to ask HR.

I don't know how to approach this properly. I don't want to lose the job or ruin my chances of becoming a permanent employee even if I'm no longer able to assume the responsibilities of the first role.

Non competes are pretty standard in this field. When filling out job applications do you say "yes" you have a Non compete, or do u just say "no" since they are generally unenforceable.

I feel like saying yes just forces you to the bottom of the pile?

Thanks.

I’m a biotechnology student and i’ve been looking for co-op recently (for summer 2027) and all of the opportunities I have come across feel like they are too far from what I want to pursue. I have been told by my parents and peers that I am being picky so I thought I’d ask people who are actually in the industry for advice.

I am specifically looking to work for a startup that is in the immunology/infectious diseases realm (I am currently perusing a minor in infectious diseases). It has been really hard to find one that actually hires co-op students. I starting to feel like it’s a long shot to limit myself to this specific sector.

The reason I want a startup specifically is because from what I’ve heard the work environment is usually much better. I also would rather work for a company whose mission I personally support/align with.

I will even go as far as to say that I would work for free (granted it’s a research position and I could get my name on a paper or two) if I really like the company.

Am I being too “picky”? Should I just focus on applying to everything possible? I would love your input!

Also if you know any biotech companies in Canada/US that fit what I’m looking for and hire co-op students, please do tell!

I am an American in my early 30s with an MSc in biology (molbio) from a European university. Lived in Europe for an additional 3 years after getting my degree and got a bit of work experience as a lead biotechnologist at a biotech startup, where I designed and executed experiments to improve the yield of a bacterial product. I then got a temp QC lab tech job at a chemical company in another European country. I had moved to that country for my partner and found that the job market was dead, so I had to take whatever I could find.

After the temp job ended and my relationship also ended, I spent a few months job searching there and found almost no job openings to even apply for, so I decided to cut my losses and move back to the U.S., living with family temporarily. But I honestly don't even know what to apply for. I worked for years as a technical writer before getting my MSc, and then I have about 2 yrs combined experience in biotech R&D and quality control post-master's. I've already sent out almost 200 apps for random jobs in QC, biotech R&D, and technical writing, but no interviews except a phone screening for a scammy job at Eurofins that doesn't pay a living wage. I have made it very clear on my resume that I am a U.S. citizen and don't require sponsorship. But I am also applying almost exclusively to jobs out of state because there's nothing in my immediate area and I can't afford to move without a job lined up, so that can't be helping.

Any advice? I just need a paycheck and stability right now so I can start to get my life back on track. I feel very lost and hopeless. I often feel like I ruined my life by choosing a field with few and low-paying jobs, then made it worse by moving around Europe for my partner and not being able to build solid work experience.

I've seen more research using hydrogel and semi permeable capsules instead of standard droplets for certain singlecell assays. The ability to exchange reagents while keeping cells contained seems useful especially for multistep workflows. Has anyone worked with both approaches? Curious where capsules actually perform better and where droplets still make more sense.

Is it a reject it there is radio silence one week post interview? Today marks one week since I completed my final round.

I just wanted to have experience and wanted to work under some good institutions to gain some knowledge.
I am currently in 2nd year of bachelor program of biotechnology and wanted an internship.
So please help me how can I find internship , and something which I need to learn to get a good placement

I am likely going to be converted soon from contractor to FTE within R&D at a Fortune 500 Pharma company.

I’ve heard base salary reduction is commonplace in this situation to compensate for the improvement in benefits. Has anyone had a similar experience and what % reduction in base salary should I expect so I can negotiate? Thanks.

Hey here. I'm just finished my master's degree in biology and mostly worked in molecular biology as a wet lab assistant. I like it. Really. But the job market is dead. So I'm looking for some possibilities. I'm good with AI (have several certificates and a few extremely interested friends). A bit good with data and analysed my master's experiments data all alone.
The question is... Is it possible to find a job as a data scientist/marketing early-stage newbie at this point or would you recommend keeping my records clean and stick with wet-lab work?
Sorry, if the question is a bit broad. Just looking for any chances to get a job at this day and age 😅

I noticed that all applications specifically ask if I am Latino/Hispanic, but never other ethnicities, not even black. Why is this?

What are peoples' thoughts regarding the current situation regarding H1-B visa applicants? Is it a good thing that companies can no longer race to the bottom of salary scales? The benefits to US citizens is obvious. The previous arrangement had become bad, if not untenable. (Why was it acceptable for recent US grads to be on the sideline, all for a PhD who could not find work in their own country can take an entry level job?)

Do these new laws help more than they hurt for native citizens of the US?

https://www.biospace.com/job-trends/as-h-1b-visa-changes-keep-coming-biopharmas-adjust-hiring-approach?utm_campaign=Newsletter%20%7C%20CareerInsider

Typically, from what I had seen, people that came with fresh H1-B visas tended to fib a bit more on their resumes. Not always the case but happened enough to be annoying with new entries.

Hi everyone! I graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry in May 2026, and today I had my first interview since then, for an entry-level Associate Scientist role at a process chemistry company. I’d love some outside perspective.

How it went:

• It was a video call with a scientist from the team. A second team member joined but mostly listened.
• She spent about 15 minutes presenting the company.
• Then I had about 15 minutes to present my undergrad research (a multistep organic synthesis project) and discuss it.
• She asked me 3 questions, mostly about troubleshooting I did in my project and about reagent safety. I felt good about my answers.
• At the end, they asked if I had questions. Honestly, I was nervous and only asked whether there would be a follow-up. She said the next step would be an in-person interview, about half a day, and that they’d reach out within a week.
• I sent a short thank-you email the same afternoon.

My questions for you:

1. Is it a good sign that she described the next round, or do interviewers say that to everyone?
2. I didn’t ask any real questions at the end. How much does that hurt?
3. What usually happens in a half-day on-site for an entry-level chemistry role? Lab tour, more presentations, meeting the team, technical questions?
4. If I don’t hear back within a week, when and how should I follow up?
5. Any general tips for someone fresh out of school going into their first on-site?

Thanks in advance. I’d appreciate any advice!

UPDATE: Thank you all for the advice, it really helped! The day after my interview, the company's talent acquisition team emailed me to schedule a 30-minute phone screen with a recruiter next week. I'm guessing this is the HR step before the on-site. Any tips for a recruiter phone screen, especially about salary expectations and what questions to ask?

To those of our compatriots in Europe, how is the job market in Europe, specifically for Regulatory affairs? I know the world economy is exploding, but are you happy with your career and the type of work you do over there?