Pharmaceutical Bio Industry Widens Hiring... Recruiting Talent from Sales to R&D

Active New Hiring in Second Half by Chong Kun Dang, Cha Bio, JW Jungwoo, etc.
Expansion of R&D
Growing Attention from Job Seekers... 2030 "Promising Industries"
Job Fairs Resuming After 3 Years Also in Focus

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Domestic pharmaceutical and bio companies have widely opened their recruitment doors for the second half of the year. From traditional sales positions to management, production, and even research and development (R&D) personnel?the core of new drug development?companies are actively seeking talent, drawing increased interest from job seekers. The largest recruitment fair in the pharmaceutical and bio industry, which had been unable to take place due to COVID-19, is also scheduled to resume after three years, raising expectations for a heated hiring atmosphere.

Active Hiring Across Various Fields in Pharmaceutical Companies

According to the pharmaceutical and bio industry on the 5th, companies such as Chong Kun Dang, Cha Bio Group, and Jeil Pharmaceutical are conducting recruitment across various fields through open and rolling hiring processes. Chong Kun Dang is accepting rolling applications until the 13th of this month. They are hiring new graduates and experienced professionals in 22 positions across four major fields: development, research, production, and marketing/management. In the development field, tasks cover all planning stages related to new drug development, including clinical trial project management, clinical strategy establishment, and technology export/import. Notably, the research field separately recruits for the drug delivery system (DDS) role.

Cha Hospital and Cha Bio Group are also conducting open recruitment for new graduates and juniors (1-3 years of experience) until the 13th. They are comprehensively hiring talent across affiliated companies such as Cha Hospital’s management support, researchers, Cha Biotech, CMG Pharmaceutical, and Cha Vaccine Institute, providing job seekers interested in the health industry with various options. Since recruitment is conducted at the group level, applicants can apply for up to two preferred companies and positions.

JW Pharmaceutical is recruiting for research and development and ethical drug (ETC) sales positions until December 18. The R&D positions are separately recruited in raw materials, analysis, and formulation fields. Applicants with a master's degree or higher can apply regardless of experience. Sales positions also accept applicants without experience as long as they hold a university degree. Jeil Pharmaceutical is recruiting new and experienced employees through rolling recruitment until the end of the year. They are selecting talent in three fields: development, research, and sales/marketing. Experienced professionals are mainly hired in development and research, while both new and experienced candidates are recruited in sales and marketing.

Amid recruitment across various fields, the core focus is on expanding research and development personnel. As global competition in new drug development intensifies, securing talented researchers directly translates into corporate competitiveness. An industry insider stated, “While multiple new drug pipeline studies are underway, personnel remain limited,” adding, “Given the significant growth potential, R&D personnel will continue to expand.”

"A Promising Future Industry" Draws Attention from Job Seekers

The COVID-19 pandemic has positively influenced corporate hiring and job-seeking by changing perceptions of the pharmaceutical and bio industry. According to a survey conducted by the job portal JobKorea targeting 1,377 university students and workers in their 20s and 30s, the bio, pharmaceutical, and medical sectors were chosen as the most promising industries to lead South Korea (52.0%). Additionally, 46.8% of respondents said they are preparing for employment or career changes in industries they consider promising. This suggests an increased potential influx of talented personnel into pharmaceutical and bio companies.

Booth at the "Korea Pharmaceutical Bio Job Fair" held on the 11th at aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul.
[Photo by Korea Pharmaceutical Bio Association]

The industry’s largest recruitment event, the “2022 Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio Recruitment Fair,” which will be held face-to-face for the first time in three years, is also attracting attention. Scheduled for the 11th at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, about 70 domestic pharmaceutical and bio companies will participate. The event’s website, opened for pre-registration, has already been visited by over 18,000 people. The fair will provide not only company information but also opportunities for consultations and interviews with desired companies.

In particular, according to a survey on second-half recruitment plans conducted by the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio Association among participating companies, the total number of hires is expected to reach 1,900. An association official said, “This will be the largest Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio Recruitment Fair ever, contributing significantly to job creation,” adding, “Since it is being held after a long time, we are making thorough preparations to capture the attention of job seekers more than ever.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.