Life sciences executive recruitment: An employer guide
How life sciences executive recruitment works, why it starts with the business, and how to hire the right leaders.
blog authors
our experts in pharma, biotech, medtech, and digital health.
Burcu Biyikli
She brings care, reliability, and practical insight to HR and business operations, creating productive working environments where people feel supported, processes run smoothly, and new ideas have space to grow.
Jacopo Butti
He combines creativity and precision in MedTech recruitment, specialising in commercial and field-based roles and building strong networks around the products, cultures, and growth ambitions of life science companies.
Nelson Jeckl
He brings a practical, people-first approach to life science contracting, connecting specialist talent with complex biotech and MedTech projects across CAPEX, QA/QC, CQV, and manufacturing execution systems.
Nils Lang
He combines a background in Computational Biology with expertise in data analytics, data mining, NLP, and APIs, turning ideas into working prototypes and exploring the technologies shaping the future of life sciences.
Megann Löffler
Specialising in permanent recruitment across Technical Operations and Quality, she combines sharp industry insight, quick thinking, and a distinctive sense of humour to offer a fresh perspective on life science hiring.
Tanya Lu
Specialising in TechOps, Engineering, Manufacturing and IT recruitment, she is passionate about uncovering the strengths that help people and teams thrive.
Julian Nelle
Specialising in Commercial and Medical recruitment, he is known for asking the questions that help people think differently.
Dani Manianodiyil
Specialising in contract recruitment across Clinical, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, he has a talent for making people feel remembered.
Elizaveta Melnichuk
She combines expertise in chemistry, biochemistry, and enzymology with a passion for talent acquisition, connecting life science professionals with opportunities while staying closely attuned to emerging industry trends.
Alex Popa
At headcount, he helps life science companies solve hiring challenges through practical recruitment solutions and honest conversations.
Morgane Roussel
Bringing together science, recruitment and HR, she focuses on creating a positive experience for everyone at headcount.
Sebastian Radermacher
He combined a background in Natural Sciences and Cancer Biology with experience across talent sourcing, learning and development, digital tools, and operational support.
Vivien Sarkanti
Specialising in GMP Manufacturing, CQV and Technical Operations, she brings a structured approach and an eye for the details that make the difference.
Alexander Schanne
He is a Biology graduate with expertise in Applied Probability and Statistics, specialising in identifying skilled professionals for difficult-to-fill life science roles and exploring the scientific developments shaping the biotech industry.
Max Schmitz
Specialising in Commercial, R&D and Medical recruitment, he combines scientific knowledge with a direct and honest approach.
Polina Solovyeva
Polina Solovyeva is a copywriter and SEO/GEO strategist at headcount AG. She writes evidence-based content and web copy for life science and health companies, translating clinical research into clear, search-optimised messaging.
Ampelia Stirnemann
Specialising in Clinical, Medical, Quality and HR recruitment, she has a knack for spotting the hidden potential others often overlook.
Maurice Thornton
With over 20 years of experience in life science recruitment, he believes that great hiring starts with understanding people, not just positions.
Francesca Torrigiani
Connecting technology, branding and marketing, she shapes headcount’s digital presence while always looking for the perspective others might have missed.
our articles
What is life science recruitment?
What is life science recruitment? Learn how specialist hiring works in pharma, biotech, and medtech, and why scientific expertise matters.
Digital health recruitment: Latest insights and trends
A practical guide to digital health recruitment covering what’s changed and which roles are hardest to fill for employers.
Biotechnology job outlook in Europe: What is in demand?
Europe’s biotechnology job outlook shows selective hiring in advanced therapies, AI-driven discovery, and manufacturing scale-up roles.
How to become a VP in life sciences, from 6 VPs and a CEO
Learn how to become a VP in life sciences with 6 critical skills from actual VPs, from strategic clarity to resilience under pressure.
Pharma pricing trends reshaping European life sciences
US MFN policy and EU HTA reforms drive pharma pricing trends in Europe. Here’s what employers and job seekers need to know.
Pharmaceutical automation: How is it shaping the future?
Learn how pharmaceutical automation transforms production, cuts errors by 64%, and reshapes the pharma workforce in this essential guide.
Life science industry outlook for 2026
Explore the top life science industry trends in 2026, from digital health and personalised medicine to next-gen therapeutic platforms and data governance. Insights on market…
Freelance medical, biology and pharma jobs in 2026
An in-depth guide to freelance roles in medical affairs, biotech, and pharma manufacturing in Europe and Switzerland, including market trends, in-demand skills, and the hybrid…
A recruiter’s guide following a degree or PhD
Wondering if a PhD is essential for a life sciences career? Discover how emerging roles in AI & data science are reshaping opportunities and when…
Enhancing pharma sales force effectiveness
How to enhance sales force effectiveness in pharmaceutical industry? Our guide for a top performing SF, from recruiting the right sales rep to analytics and…
How to land your dream job with a recruiter’s help
Learn how to work with, find, and respond to recruiters — and decide if it’s worth it. A practical, expert-backed guide for professionals.
Contracting in life sciences: pros and cons
Is contracting in life science a smart career move? Let’s talk pros, cons, most in demand markets and how to rock your contracting career
Medical Affairs vs Regulatory Affairs
Are you wondering if a career in Medical or Regulatory Affairs is the one for you? Let’s talk skills, career path, salary and job roles
How to build a career in Medical Technology
Are you thinking about a Medical Technology career? Let’s talk pros, cons, how to become a medtech, jobs, and if it’s worth the fomo (and…
Chatbot for recruiting and HR: key strategies and use
Chatbots are stepping into the scene like caffeinated assistants that don’t sleep, don’t complain, and definitely won’t book their own holiday mid-hiring round.
Job relocation: pros, cons, and what to consider
Ready to start your new (work) life abroad? Hold on: relocating can be fun but ain’t easy. Let’s dive in pros, cons and what to…
Alternative medicine, doctors and insurance
Why are patients ditching traditional medicine for snake poison? An overview of alternative and holistic medicine vs doctors and insurances
Big data ethics: principles, challenges, and jobs
Big data is revolutionising life science and healthcare. But what about ethics and privacy? Maybe you need a data ethicist.
Building a career in medical device sales
Is medical device sales a good career? Is a degree needed? Our recruiter secrets for a successful medtech career
Diverse and inclusive hiring strategies
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) aren’t just trendy hashtags or things you sprinkle into annual reports. They’re no longer optional strategies for modern workplaces but…
Contingency recruitment vs. retained search
Choosing between contingency recruitment and retained search is not easy as it seems. Let’s discover the differences in goals, costs and processes.
Employer branding and recruitment
Employer branding isn’t just about ticking boxes to fill vacancies—it’s about creating a company where people genuinely want to work, grow, and succeed
Health information technology
Ever wondered if you could combine your passion for technology with a desire to make a real impact in healthcare? Imagine yourself as the superhero…
Basic employability skills you can’t ignore
These are the not-so-secret ingredients that make you not just employable but irresistible to employers.
Pay transparency & pay equity
There has been a global push, especially in progressive regions like the EU, to implement measures that promote transparency in pay structures.
Recruitment cost: how to calculate and reduce it
Understanding the costs associated with recruiting and managing them effectively can make the difference between an efficient hiring process and a costly one.
Digital transformation in life science
The impact of digital transformation is deep and broad. It’s revolutionising drug discovery with data-driven insights and enhancing patient care with personalised medicine, setting new…
Life science executive search
The executive search process in life sciences delves deeper into the complexities of the role and the required candidate
Talent management strategies
Which strategy is the best for talent management? Model, lifecycle and best practice from a recruiter
AI based recruitment benefit, downside and bias
How can artificial intelligence reshape the hiring processes? Is AI based recruiting already a thing? Let’s talk biases, disadvantages, and role of AI in recruiting
Building a successful recruitment strategy
How to create a successful recruitment strategy that works for your company? Let’s talk hiring plan, recruitment metrics, goals and how to cultivate a talent…
Biotech and AI: Drug discovery and beyond
AI is revolutionizing biotech and biopharma research. But what is the state of Ai in drug discovery and the emerging hubs? Let’s dive into market…
Recruitment bias: How to avoid them
Have you ever heard about biases in recruitment? The most common hiring bias with scientific explanation and how to avoid them in your processes.
Recruitment issue: effective hiring processes
Are your hiring processes no longer efficient? Here are the 3 main recruitment problems and how to solve them with an unbeatable tool that improves…
5 common situations for recruiters and candidates
Recruitment and dating have so much in common: let’s talk about ghosting, catfishing, spamming, multi-dating and how this affect your recruitment process.
Entering 2023: Life sciences edition
Where did 2022 leave the life science industries?
Back to school: September 2022
What happened in the life science industries this summer?