The UK life sciences sector continues to evolve, with changing demand for specialist skills, shifting talent availability and ongoing competition for experienced professionals. Here’s what the hiring market is looking like based on LinkedIn talent insights* across Biotech, Pharma and Medical Devices.
1. Talent Availability
Biotechnology: A total of 102,901 people are currently listed as working in the sector, with over 26,000 open to new job opportunities. The main locations where this talent is located (in order) are London, Dublin, Cambridge, Oxford and Manchester. The top 5 skills of people in the sector are:
▪️ Biotechnology
▪️ Molecular Biology
▪️ Biochemistry
▪️ Drug Discovery
▪️ GxP
Medical Devices: A total of 111,944 people are currently listed as working in the sector, with over 20,000 open to new job opportunities. The main locations where this talent is located (in order) are London, Dublin, Manchester, Galway, and Leeds. The top 5 skills of people in the sector are:
▪️Medical Devices
▪️Product Development
▪️Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
▪️Manufacturing
▪️Quality
Pharmaceuticals: A total of 211,283 people are currently listed as working in the sector, with over 60,000 open to new job opportunities. The main locations where this talent is located (in order) are London, Manchester, Dublin, Cork and Cambridge. The top 5 skills of people in the sector are:
▪️Pharmaceutics
▪️Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
▪️GxP
▪️Pharmaceutical Sales
▪️Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
2. Hiring Trends
Biotechnology: More than 13,000 people moved to a new job in the sector within the last year.
Jobs Advertised: 1,500+. The top 5 functions hiring is happening across are Research, Engineering, Operations, Sales and Project Management. Top hiring locations in the Biotechnology sector are:
▪️London
▪️Dublin
▪️Oxford
▪️Cambridge
▪️Maidenhead
Medical Devices: More than 13,000 people moved to a new job in the sector within the last year.
Jobs Advertised: 1,400+. The top 5 functions hiring is happening across are Sales, Engineering, Operations, Research and Information Technology. Top hiring locations in the Medical Device sector are:
▪️London
▪️Galway
▪️Cork
▪️Dublin
▪️Oxford
Pharmaceuticals: More than 21,000 people moved to a new job in the sector within the last year.
Jobs Advertised: 2,000+. The top 5 functions hiring is happening across are Research, Operations, Engineering, Sales and Legal. Top hiring locations in the Pharmaceutical sector are:
▪️London
▪️Cork
▪️Cambridge
▪️Dublin
▪️Slough
So, what does this mean for employers and job seekers?
For employers, the data highlights a strong but competitive talent market. There is a significant pool of professionals open to opportunities, but specialist skills and experienced candidates remain in demand. For those looking for a new role, continued movement across the sector and thousands of advertised roles indicate that opportunities remain available, particularly across research, engineering, operations, sales and other specialist functions.
*The figures in this article are based on LinkedIn Talent Insights and information professionals have listed on their profiles. They represent a snapshot of the market for October 2026 and can change daily as profiles, roles and availability are updated. You can view our September report for comparison here.
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