If you’re 5-25 years into your career in drug discovery or life sciences, this guide is for you. 

Established in your role, you are past your early-career days, and maybe thinking about building leadership skills, growing your network, finding your next opportunity or considering a career transition. 

We’ve carved out dedicated spaces for you in the agenda at Drug Discovery 2026, so you can ask questions, get advice, and connect with peers at a similar career stage.

Start your day: Mid Career Meet & Greet

14 & 15 October 2026 | 8:00–9:00am | ELRIG Tech Theatre
Before the science kicks off, enjoy coffee, tea and pastries with peers at a similar career stage.

In the auditoriums

Building your next chapter: stories from beyond redundancy
14 October | 15.20-15.40 | Exhibition Theatre
We know it’s been a tough year for many across the industry. This session brings together people who’ve navigated redundancy to share what came next. You’ll be able to ask questions and get advice.

How to position yourself to get hired
15 October 2026 |10:20-10:50 | Learning Zone
This is a recruitment-focused session led by Ricky Martin (CEO, Hyper Recruitment Solutions) who will be discussing best practice for CVs, LinkedIn and interviews in a digital world. Even if you’re not job-hunting, the same skills apply to internal promotions and building your reputation across the industry.

Building the enterprise – talk series
15 October 2026 | Breakthrough Theatre
For anyone thinking about founding, leading, or scaling a start-up, these sessions give you a practical, real-world look at what that transition involves.
10:50-13:10: Translating ideas into successful ventures
14:30-16:00: Building momentum for growth

Exhibition hall:

Career Zone: Meet employers from top organisations like GSK, AstraZeneca, LifeArc and more in the Career Zone to discover new paths and opportunities. Whether you’re actively looking or just want to know what’s out there.

Breakthrough Zone: Keep up with the latest technology in this dedicated start-up zone. Meet the organisations developing novel tools to further the industry.

Award: Outstanding Contribution Award

The ELRIG Outstanding Contribution Award recognises individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to ELRIG and the wider drug discovery community through leadership, collaboration, innovation and community engagement.The winner will receive a glass award, certificate, and a 10-minute fireside chat with ELRIG Chair Del Trezise on Day 1. Please note, self-nominations are not accepted.

Submit a poster

It’s one of the most direct ways to put your name and your work in front of the whole industry. With 2,000+ delegates at Drug Discovery 2026, you’ll be sure to be seen. All you have to do is:

• Register for Drug Discovery 2026

• Open your confirmation email & click the link to the Poster Portal

• Upload your title and abstract by the 23 September 2026 to enter the poster display

Networking

Join us at the end of Day 1 in the exhibition hall for the open networking session and cheers with us as we celebrate 20 years of Drug Discovery conferences.