The best candidates in life sciences aren’t scrolling job boards. They’re not refreshing their CVs or responding to mass LinkedIn messages.

Why?

Because they’re busy. They’re leading research projects, pushing the boundaries of research, and being headhunted long before they even think about leaving.

If your hiring strategy is built around active job seekers, you’re only scratching the surface. The real game-changers, the ones driving innovation, aren’t actively looking. But they will move for the right opportunity.

So, where do you find them?

1. The Talent Hiding in Plain Sight: Passive Candidates

Many of the most skilled scientists, bioinformaticians, and drug discovery specialists aren’t job hunting. Not because they wouldn’t consider moving, but because they don’t need to. They’re too busy making an impact where they are.

But here’s the secret—passive candidates move when the right role finds them.

How to Reach Them:

• Build relationships before you need them. Engage with top scientists now, not just when you have an open role.
• Personalise your approach. A generic recruiter message won’t cut it. Speaking to their work, their expertise, their ambitions.
• Leverage specialist headhunters. Generalist recruiters don’t have access to the networks where top-tier talent moves.

2. The Rising Stars in Academia

Too many companies overlook postdocs and early-career researchers, assuming they lack industry experience. Big mistake.

Academia is packed with brilliant minds hungry for commercial opportunities, especially in AI-driven drug discovery, bioinformatics or the Omics.

The challenge? Many hesitate to leave because they don’t see a clear path into industry.

How to Attract Academic Talent:

• Develop research partnerships. Collaborate with universities and research institutions to spot rising talent early.
• Offer clear career pathways. Many scientists stay in academia because they don’t know where they fit in the industry. Show them.
• Hire for skills, not just experience. A scientist trained in cutting-edge research can learn the business side - but they need the opportunity first.

3. Competitor Organizations: Where the Best Talent is Already Working

Your competitors have already identified, trained, and nurtured top-tier scientists, analysts, and AI specialists. The talent is there - it’s just not with you (yet).

It’s not easy to pull them away, but the right approach makes all the difference.

How to Win Over Competitor Talent:

• Make the next step obvious. What can your company offer that their current employer can’t? Maybe it’s innovation, culture, or faster career progression. Find it and sell it.
• Use confidential outreach. High-caliber candidates won’t risk their current position for a speculative conversation. Be discreet.
• Move fast. The best candidates don’t wait. A slow hiring process hands them to your competitors on a silver platter.

4. Scientists Moving into New Fields

The rise of AI in life sciences means some of the best talent isn’t coming from biotech at all. Physicists, mathematicians, and engineers are transitioning into bioinformatics, computational biology, and AI-driven drug discovery.

They may not have a traditional biotech resume—but they have the skills, the analytical mindset, and the problem-solving ability that modern life sciences companies need.

How to Leverage Cross-Disciplinary Talent:



• Look beyond job titles. Many of today’s best computational biologists didn’t start in life sciences.
• Offer mentorship and upskilling. Scientists pivoting into biotech may need industry-specific training—but their potential is worth it.
• Prioritize problem-solving ability. A deep understanding of biological systems is great. The ability to solve complex problems across disciplines is even better.

Winning the Hidden Talent War

If you’re struggling to find top-tier life sciences talent, it’s not because they aren’t out there. It’s because they aren’t looking for you.

The best candidates aren’t waiting on job boards, they’re excelling elsewhere. They won’t apply, but they will listen—if you make the right offer.

Need help finding hidden talent?

At Symbiotica, we specialize in sourcing elite candidates in Omics, Analytical, Drug Discovery, Bioinformatics, and AI.

Let’s connect.