Despite the economic downturn drug discovery jobs within the pharmaceutical industry are coming to the fore, at the cutting edge of new findings like genomics and proteomics.
Paid well, drug discovery is potentially an area of research with long lasting, positive effects on society. It enables new products to be created by pharmaceutical companies, for the good of people with challenging illnesses and conditions. Employment in this area might comprise of project management, team leader roles and target validation, as well as the main role of researcher.
Recruitment agencies and employers looking for suitable candidates are likely to rely on those coming from a post graduate Chemistry or Biology background. Pharmaceutical companies have opportunities and ongoing needs for staff comprising biochemists, cellular biologists, organic chemists, microbiologists and more. A candidate who can demonstrate a strong academic mind, and excellent research skills through very good results from university is likely to gain employment in this area.
Salaries range from around £37,000 p.a. to negotiable amounts.
A candidate interested in drug discovery research should be someone who is drawn to an intensive research environment, highly motivated and keen to be part of an emerging field. Working in highly effective multidisciplinary teams, they would be expected to be team players as well as being able to work alone.