March 2025 Life Sciences Update

In-Demand Occupations Remain Difficult to Fill

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CONTENTS

2024 Top 10 U.S. Life Sciences Occupations

• In 2024, half of all U.S. life sciences job openings were concentrated in two occupations: clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, and medical scientists. • There were over 145,000 job openings for clinical lab technologists and technicians, with each position posted an average of three times, highlighting the difficulty of filling these roles. • Both medical scientists and natural science manager jobs also had an average intensity ratio of 3-to-1, but they also had a longer median posting duration of 26 and 27 days, respectively. • The top five posted job titles: laboratory technician, medical laboratory scientist, medical laboratory technician, laboratory assistant and clinical research coordinator. • The top five skills sought: biology, chemistry, medical laboratory, laboratory equipment and laboratory testing. • Education requirements: 75% of postings requested that applicants have a bachelor’s degree or higher. • Other key trends among employers:

Total Postings

Unique Postings

Median Posting Duration (RHS)

460

29

410

28

360

27

310

26

260

25

210

24

160

23

2024 1H Job Postings (Thousands)

110

22

Median Posting Duration (Days)

60

21

10

20

Other

Chemists

Technicians

Epidemiologists

Clinical Laboratory Technologists and

Chemical Engineers

Science Technicians

Chemical Technicians

Chemical Technicians

Biological Technicians

Biological Scientists, All

Agricultural Technicians

Life, Physical, and Social

Medical Scientists, Except

Natural Sciences Managers

Source: Lightcast

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Cushman & Wakefield