Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals
Biotechnology, often referred to as “biotech,” harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. Modern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes. Adapted from Biotechnology Industry Organization.
Information Gathering
Read trade magazines, newsletters, and popular websites in your industry area. Places to start include BiotechNOW, BioSpace, FierceBiotech, and PharmTech. Subscribe to blogs and newsletters, follow industry insiders on social media, and research the types of positions that are available in those fields. Vault (sign up for free with your Georgetown email address) is a good place to start your search. Company websites, O*NET, and the Occupational Outlook Handbook are equally helpful resources. You must show not only an interest, but also knowledge about the industry.
Select Resources
- Vault (sign up for free with your Georgetown email address): Vault Career Guide to Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology, Vault Guide to Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Jobs
- To learn more about science-related careers in this industry, check out Careers in BioTech, NewScientist: A Day in the Life Of, and 12 Careers for Life Scientists Outside of the Lab. Bio-Tech Crossing provides a list of careers in biotechnology for nonscientists.
- Take this free career assessment by Science Careers to examine where your skills, interests, and values fit in this industry.
- Jobs in Demand: Top 10 biotech jobs according to Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News and Top 6 jobs according to BioScience
Making Connections
Attend employer information sessions, industry events – on and off-campus, and connect with popular professional organizations regionally and nationally. The most relevant professional associations in biotech and pharmaceuticals include the Harvard Biotech Club (check out the annual career fair), Association for Professionals in Infectious Control and Epidemiology, and American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. Local professional associations include the Maryland Tech Council (see events and conferences) and virginiabio. Professional associations host a variety of professional development, educational, and networking events. If the cost of membership is prohibitive, contact leadership and ask if there are discounted prices for students. Volunteering for a conference, educational, or social event is another great way to connect with leaders in the industry.
Another way to make connections and potentially find employment is to search NIH databases to learn where research is being conducted around the world. The NIH’s clinical trial website and NIH RePORTER can help you identify privately and publicly funded clinical trials by various factors, including location, study area, and more.
Develop a LinkedIn profile that communicates your personal and professional brand. For help building your profile, use LinkedIn’s profile checklist (PDF). Joining groups on LinkedIn related to your industry is a great way to meet new people, find mentors, contacts, and ask questions. Also, reach out to alumni through Hoya Gateway and Georgetown’s alumni page on LinkedIn. Our website provides helpful guidelines on networking and informational interviewing.
Making Connections at Georgetown
Georgetown offers a number of opportunities for Hoyas to get involved. Joining a school club is an excellent way to learn more about the industry, develop your skills, and get hands-on experience. Some biotech-related clubs include Futures in Science and Humanities, AcademyHealth, and STEMME. Participate in research and get published in the peer-reviewed Georgetown University Journal of Health Sciences. You can also participate in a group based on a personal interest and develop your professional skills. For example, develop business or communications skills for a student group that interests you. On and off-campus jobs are another excellent way to build skills valued by employers.
Preparing Materials
To better understand what skills you need to highlight on your resume, check out internships, fellowships, and entry level positions in these industries. Your resume should be one page. Use strong action verbs and focus on your skills and accomplishments to show (not just tell) an employer that you have the required abilities. Be concise. See our resume section for more tips and advice. Be energetic, intelligent and aware when writing cover letters. Use specific examples to demonstrate your skills and abilities. The purpose of a cover letter is to convince someone to interview you. For more on cover letters, see our cover letter tips.
Applying
For listings beyond our campus recruiting platform, Handshake, visit biotech-careers for internships and biologyjobs.com for full-time positions. Virginiabio provides a list of bioscience organizations in Virginia that provide internships.
Select Employers
- Biopharmguy provides a list of biotech employers by location and type of business, and Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) allows you to search employers, including biopharmaceutical research companies, in all states. A list of medical diagnostic and device companies can be found with the Association of Medical Diagnostics Manufacturers and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association.
- Top 25 Biotechnology Companies in 2019
- Top Biotech Companies (innovation, vision, and social responsibility)
- Government: Center for Disease Control | National Institutes of Health | Food and Drug Administration | National Center for Health Statistics
- For-Profit: Abbot Laboratories | Amgen | Celgene | Eli Lilly | Genentech | Gilead Sciences | Johnson & Johnson |Merck | Novo Nordisk | Pfizer | Schering-Plough