Careers in the pharmaceutical industry

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The pharmaceutical industry

​​​This is a knowledge driven industry, requiring a highly skilled workforce and directly employs over 73,000 people, with over 23,000 of these in research and development. The pharmaceutical industry also indirectly generates at least 200,000 more jobs making it a substantial employer in the UK, and these figures have stayed relatively stable over recent years. As employees in the pharmaceutical industry add more per head to the UK economy than any other sector, employment in the industry is highly valued. 

Increasingly, pharmaceutical companies are investing in research and development, with a trend towards investment in collaborative research with academia. Some pharmaceutical companies even sponsor PhDs in academic institutions to help make this connection, with the hope of finding joint solutions to joint healthcare problems. With this shift in focus towards collaborative research and development there has been a decrease in sales and marketing activity in recent years. 

Few companies carry out all of the different functions needed to take a medicine from basic concept to market; instead, functions are often outsourced to specialists such as contract research organisations (CROs), marketing companies or legal firms. There are also a number of stakeholders who have an interest in the industry, such as healthcare providers, research councils and regulators. The pharmaceutical industry also has a strong partnership with government, with the work of the ABPI ensuring that the NHS is offered a fair price for the medicines on offer.

The discovery, development, manufacturing and promotion of new medicines is therefore a team effort combining the talents of many individuals. This means that there are a wide range of jobs available directly within, or relating to, the pharmaceutical industry.         

Why work in the industry?

The UK pharmaceutical industry has a dynamic working environment with the challenges, opportunities and incentives that you'd expect from one of the UK's biggest industries.

Why work in the industry

Key career resources

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Pharmaceutical recruiters

To help you to find employment, work experience and training opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, we've generated a list of companies, their contact details and some of the areas they often recruit into.

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Working in the industry

More than 65% of all medical research and development in the UK is carried out by the pharmaceutical industry. Find out more about the various areas of work.

 Job case studies

Job case studies

Explore the multitude of different roles within the industry; each person has their own career perspective and advice to share

 ABPI Exams Landing Page

ABPI Medical Representatives Exam

The ABPI Exam is mandatory for all medical representatives working for companies who have agreed to abide by the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry.

School or overseas routes

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title-strip icon School & college studies

Most people know what doctors, nurses, dentists and vets do. But many people are not sure what a research chemist does, or what a pharmacologist is.

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title-strip icon International (non-EU) applicants

The UK may be small, but it is one of the most diverse and dynamic hubs of the global pharmaceutical industry. With over a hundred pharmaceutical companies operating in the UK, you may be tempted to move here to help develop your career.

Graduate and post-graduate routes

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title-strip icon Pharmaceutical careers for doctors

In training, you may only have considered being an NHS or private sector physician, as little exposure to industry careers is offered in medical schools. However, your skills, training and medical knowledge are invaluable in the pharmaceutical industry.

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title-strip icon Post-graduates & post-doctoral researchers

If you have completed your PhD and post-doctoral work in an academic institution, making the transition into the pharmaceutical industry can be daunting, but making this transition could have many benefits for your career.

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title-strip icon Undergraduates

Once you have embarked on a university degree there are still choices to be made. In the UK there’s stiff competition for most jobs, so just having a degree on your CV isn’t enough to make you employable.

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title-strip icon Working abroad

A career in the pharmaceutical industry offers great prospects for working abroad.