[vc_row us_bg_image_source=”media” us_bg_image=”13292″ css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22%23c8d9e3%22%2C%22background-image%22%3A%2213292%22%2C%22background-position%22%3A%22center%20top%22%2C%22background-size%22%3A%22contain%22%2C%22background-repeat%22%3A%22no-repeat%22%2C%22min-height%22%3A%22700px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D”][vc_column][us_separator][us_separator][ultimate_spacer height=”100″][ultimate_heading main_heading=”Beyond the Lab: Commercial Careers in Life Science” main_heading_color=”#ffffff”][/ultimate_heading][ultimate_spacer height=”100″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
WEBINAR – Beyond the Lab: Commercial Careers in Life Science
Building networks is crucial for Early Career Professionals as they navigate the vast collaboration and career options ahead of them. When looking to your next career step, whether it be following on from study or moving from a lab role, it is important to know that there are Life Science commercial routes that can be considered to build a career outside of the lab.
We’re delighted to introduce our Career Development Partner, SRG, who are supporting our Early Career Professional community. SRG is the
largest life-science recruitment company in the UK & the leading recruiter of permanent and temporary talent for scientific, clinical and engineering businesses.
We invited an expert panel of expert speakers across a variety of commercial Life Science roles to share their experience & insights. Learn more about roles like:
- Business Development
- Application Scientist
- Product Management
- Partnering
Watch the video below to hear their insights:
Speakers
Chair – Catherine Wark – BMG LABTECH Ltd. – Managing Director
Eligio Ianetti – Beckman Coulter (Valitacell) – Business Development Manager
Manoja Sivakumar – BMG LABTECH ltd. – Senior Application Scientist
Sybil Wong – Basecamp Research – Head of Partnerships
Joel Cresser-Brown – Bio-Techne (Tocris) – Product Manager
Philippa Clark – SRG Talent – Senior Client Development Manager[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Q&A: Your questions and answers from our panelists during the live session
[/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion toggle=”1″][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708943144734-6d0afa07-542c” title=”About the speakers”][vc_column_text]Chair: Catherine Wark – Managing Director, BMG LABTECH Ltd
Catherine Wark is the Managing Director of BMG LABTECH UK & IRE, a microplate reader specialist company. Her team is responsible for sales, and the technical support of BMG LABTECH products to customers in UK and Ireland. Catherine is a business leader with 20 years’ experience within BMG LABTECH, working in sales, sales management, business development, application science and technical support, and has drawn from her previous experiences in both academia and industry working in the fields of cell and molecular biology.
Eligio Ianetti – Beckman Coulter (Valitacell) – Business Development Manager
Eligio has a PhD in drug discovery and MSc in Business Leadership & Management coupled with experiences in different biotech startup companies around Europe.
Currently senior business development manager with Beckman Coulter Life Sciences where facilitates the adoption of complex bioprocessing technologies into easy-to-use products. Energized by meeting and talking with new people!
Joel Cresser-Brown – Bio-Techne (Tocris) – Product Manager
Joel completed a PhD in Chemical Biology at Cardiff University followed by a postdoctoral research position at University of Bristol, before joining Tocris / Bio-Techne Bristol as a Product Manager in the innovation team developing new tools and technologies for life science research.
Manoja Sivakumar – BMG LABTECH ltd. – Senior Application Scientist
Dr Manoja Sivakumar is a senior application scientist at BMG LABTECH UK & Ireland. Joined BMG LABTECH after completing her PhD in the department of Infection and Immunity funded by BBSRC from St George’s University of London and The Pirbright Institute. In her role as a senior application scientist, she supports BMG LABTECH’s users on optimising their applications and producing scientific content for the company.
Sybil Wong, PhD – Basecamp Research – Head of Partnerships
Sybil is Head of Partnerships at Basecamp Research, the world leader in AI-based design of enzymes and therapeutics from genomic mapping of global biodiversity. She has spent over 10 years building multidisciplinary teams and establishing strategic partnerships between life science R&D teams and cutting-edge software firms.
Sybil is experienced in business development and operations at series A to C startups, including alliance management with biotech and pharmaceutical partners. She completed her PhD in Biochemistry in the area of microRNA-mediated gene silencing with a focus on oncology
Philippa Clark -Senior Client Development Manager SRG Talent
Philippa joined SRG 20 years ago following her Biomedical Sciences degree. She began her career as a consultant supporting the Life Sciences market, sourcing candidates for early talent through to executive level. In 2007 Philippa opened the SRG Cambridge office, supporting Biotech’s and start-ups across the Oxford, Cambridge & London Bioclusters. Since 2022, Philippa has moved into Client Development supporting companies with a range of bespoke client solutions, talent skill mapping and market analysis. Philippa is a passionate networker, involved in a number of panel discussions and accelerator programmes across the UK Life Sciences market.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708943438383-c1f78ab0-bbbd” title=”What’s an ECP/Early Career Professional?”][vc_column_text]An Early Career Professional (ECP) can be a student in higher education undertaking an undergraduate or postgraduate degree (including PhD), or within 5 years of finishing higher education and starting their career in life sciences and drug discovery. An ECP could be one of the following
- Undergraduate student
- Postgraduate student (including PhD)
- Starting their career in life sciences and drug discovery
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708611592760-ec4b8278-5e5a” title=”How do you recommend marketing your CV for moving over into a more commercial role?”][vc_column_text]I would breakdown your CV to focus on your technical skills and then have a section for competencies. With key competencies ensure you have some good examples for each. Be sure to highlight any customer facing example, however small that you have gained either during your lab work or around your career, perhaps during or before your studies. Be sure to add a CPD section to highlight your ongoing learning and development.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708611313803-4a4b19e7-7421″ title=”If a person has 5+ years lab experience and want to move into a more commercial role, should they expect a pay cut for any new roles?”][vc_column_text]Phillipa Clark: is difficult to fully answer as it depends on the commercial role you apply for after the lab. Potentially yes if it is a more junior/trainee position but potentially it may offer a pay rise if the role requires a strong lab background as part of the requirements.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708611478953-914e5232-8a74″ title=”Is there anything you miss about working in the lab and would you ever consider going back to it?”][vc_column_text]Joel Cresser-Brown: I enjoyed lab work, I fortunately work in a team containing 2 product managers and 4 research scientists so it’s very scientifically focused. I am now driving R&D projects from outside of the lab which brings new challenges.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708611313811-729f8d5b-2a6c” title=”I have a year long masters project based within a CRO’s analytical chemistry innovations department initially working in the lab. How would I transition away from this to a product management role?”][vc_column_text]Joel Cresser-Brown: That sounds like a fantastic masters project. I would recommend taking a step back to look at the soft skills you developed working in a CRO e.g. strategic thinking, leadership etc, and apply those examples to the particular role you are interested in. This will enable you to justify that you have developed some of these skills already and make you stand out as a candidate[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708611693629-1f006cec-4728″ title=”I don’t have a PhD, would getting into the roles mentioned so far not be possible without one?”][vc_column_text]While a PhD can be helpful for both lab-based and non-based roles, it shouldn’t be a barrier to get into commercial roles. The key focus should be on the science you have so far and to highlight the key competencies and passion you can bring to a commercial. Focus on how you would use skills to develop customers, understand the market and build relationships.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708611743446-ba6cf766-f9fa” title=”What scope is there for pursuing commercial life science roles without a PhD, but with an MSc that has aspects of commercial development in the pharmaceutical industry?”][vc_column_text]While a PhD can be very helpful if you work in the lab or in a commercial role, there are plenty of opportunities to start your commercial career after your MSc. Commercial roles ideally require a good technical background but the competencies are just as important. Be clear about the key competencies you can bring to a commercial role and seek positions that allow you to grow and develop your skills further. Be sure to highlight any customer facing experience you may have already on your CV, even if it’s not in the pharma industry. Reach out to your network to seek opportunities to work alongside people in the required field even on a voluntary basis.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section tab_id=”1708611650146-832277d0-31f3″ title=”What conferences does SRG hold and what are the requirements?”][vc_column_text]Phillipa Clark: SRG attends a number of conferences and networking events throughout the year and we would always encourage candidates to approach us with any questions you may have on the day. Otherwise, i would advise that you reach out to an SRG consultant to speak with them one to one to discuss your career pathway so we can offer tailored support.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row]