Why Life Science Roles Sit Vacant for 78 Days and What It’s Really Costing Your Business

The life sciences industry is currently moving at two quite different speeds. On one hand, innovation in areas such as cell and gene therapy, precision medicine, and AI-driven discovery is accelerating rapidly. On the other hand, hiring has slowed to a crawl.

Across the sector, data now shows that the average time to fill professional life science roles sits between 50 and 78 days, roughly 7 to 11 weeks, with many hiring processes stretching well beyond the three-month mark. For an industry built on momentum, that delay is becoming a severe problem.

The Danger of the 78-Day Wait

Most organizations spend these 78 days in a hopeful cycle, waiting for the perfect CV to arrive. In a market this lean, caution often proves far more expensive than taking a calculated risk.

While no company wants to rush a hire, leaving critical roles unfilled for weeks or months comes with real consequences. By the time a vacancy reaches the three-month mark, several familiar scenarios begin to emerge:

• Innovation slows as projects stall or timelines slip.
• Employee burnout increases as teams cover gaps for longer than planned.
• Momentum is lost, making it harder to recover pace even once the role is filled.

Within the life sciences market, delays do not just affect productivity. They can directly impact clinical progress, regulatory timelines, and long-term R&D value.

This isn’t just a HR problem; the extended time to hire is not simply the result of slow internal processes. It reflects a structural talent deficit across several critical functions, including Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, and Quality Assurance.

So Why Is This Happening Now?

The Growth Gap:

The rapid expansion of biotech and life science startups has outpaced the natural evolution of the talent pipeline. There are more Senior Scientist and mid- to senior-level management seats than there are professionals with the five to ten years of experience required to fill them. 

The Training Vacuum:

A decade ago, much of the industry quietly reduced its investment in internal training and development. Higher education and training programs cannot keep pace with the rapid technological evolution, making in-house upskilling necessary. All this means is that today, the effects are clear. There are not enough professionals progressing from junior to mid-level roles to meet current demand, which has created a widening experience gap at exactly the wrong level.

The Passive Shift:

The strongest mid-level specialists are rarely active job seekers. They are deeply embedded in critical projects and delivering results. Candidates, particularly under-35s, are now deciding to prioritize things like corporate culture, mission, and scientific autonomy (64%) over salary, making them largely invisible to traditional recruitment methods such as job boards and inbound applications.

How to Solve the 78-Day Problem

The reality is clear: you do not have 78 days to spare, and filling these roles requires a different approach.

Some organizations are responding by taking a proactive view on reskilling, recognizing that developing existing employees is often the most effective way to close capability gaps. This typically means exposing teams to a blend of traditional scientific expertise alongside data fluency or AI-driven skills. Others are choosing to move beyond the open market altogether, engaging directly with experienced mid-level specialists who already have a proven track record in high-impact environments.

While reskilling can address part of the challenge, many organizations still need immediate experience in place. In those cases, Barrington James focuses on closing the experience chasm by connecting businesses directly with proven mid-level specialists, completing searches in an average of 35 days.

We Achieve This Through:

Deep Niche Mapping

Not just waiting for applications but proactively identifying and engaging passive specialists with five to ten years of experience in highly specific therapeutic and functional areas.

Specialised Therapy Networks

Our always-on talent pipelines in areas such as Clinical Operations and Quality Assurance allow us to begin many searches with a shortlist already in mind.

Conviction-Led Hiring

We provide real-time market intelligence that enables leadership teams to move decisively and secure high-impact talent before competitors complete their first round of screening.

In an industry where a single day’s delay can cost thousands in R&D spending or clinical progress, the question for leadership is simple:

Do you have the luxury of waiting 78 days for a candidate who may not even be looking, or is it time to adopt a 35-day standard?

https://www.barringtonjames.com/looking-to-hire/