Maryland Life Sciences Job Postings Surge, Outpace National Average Through 2022, MTC Report Shows
Over the past four years, life sciences job postings in Maryland have seen a 39% increase, significantly outpacing the rest of the nation.
By Alex Keown
August 15, 2023
(This article was Edited on 8.16.23 to reflect that the report references job postings not actual jobs)
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Maryland is home to a thriving life sciences ecosystem that employs more than 54,000 people. Since 2019, the state’s life sciences industry has seen a massive surge in new job postings, with the addition of thousands of new employees.
Over the past four years, there has been a 39% increase in new job postings in Maryland’s life sciences industry. In 2022 alone, Maryland’s life sciences industry posted 22,117 new jobs, a 12.5% increase, which outpaced the national average. During the same period of time, U.S. life sciences job postings increased by 10.4%, according to a new jobs report.
The national report, commissioned by 20 state bioscience associations, including the Maryland Tech Council, highlights the economic importance of the life sciences across the nation, and in individual states. The U.S. life sciences industry is expanding at a rapid pace, outperforming other sectors of employment. Data from the report shows the U.S. life sciences industry has increased employment by just over 8%, outpacing the 6.9% growth in other sectors. That growth is fueling an ongoing competition for talent, including in Maryland, which recently snagged the title of the third-largest biotech hub in the United States.
Kelly Schulz, chief executive officer of the Maryland Tech Council and former Maryland Commerce Secretary, told BioBuzz that the report highlights the importance of the life sciences in the state. Not only does the industry have an economic impact of about $20 billion, salaries are significantly higher than the statewide average. Annual incomes in the life sciences average $128,800 across the state, almost $60,000 more than the $68,900 statewide average for all industries.
“This is an industry that’s obviously growing, it’s growing in Maryland faster than the rest of the U.S. It’s time for Maryland to step up and embrace this growth,” she said, noting the MTC is working to educate the state’s policymakers on the importance of the industry. “Maryland needs to understand this is a significant factor for economic growth and we all need to support it.”
There are more than 2,700 different life sciences companies that call Maryland home. The state is also home to multiple federal research institutions, as well as the FDA. In all, the life sciences industry contributes nearly $20 billion to the state’s economy each year.
Despite the recent downturn in the economy, the growth of life sciences in Maryland is expected to continue. The number of employment opportunities is expected to increase within the next several years. An analysis from the Workforce Development Task Force that was commissioned by Maryland’s Life Sciences Advisory Board, estimated that thousands of new positions will be available over the next few years due to the expansion of the life sciences industry within the state.
In Maryland, approximately 40% of the life science job postings since 2019 have been for research and testing positions, the report shows. About 34% of the life science jobs have been in the pharmaceutical sector and 17% have been in medical technology. Bioscience distribution jobs came in at 7%, while the remaining jobs were in the agricultural and industrial biosciences.
A breakdown of the 2022 jobs data shows 8,437 were for research, testing and medical labs, while 8,863 were in the pharmaceutical industry. There were 3,213 new jobs for medical device companies and 1,352 for bioscience-related distribution companies. Agricultural and industrial bioscience companies posted 252 new jobs.
“The bio industry can be biotech, it can be med tech in Maryland, we’re in a great spot to service and satisfy both,” Schulz said.
Companies in Maryland that have led the way with new job postings include AstraZeneca, Thermo Fisher Scientific, BD, Emergent BioSolutions, Catalent, Novavax, GSK, Charles River Laboratories, IQVIA, Quest Diagnostics and more. Some of these companies are currently hiring.
The report shows the life sciences industry is open to people of all educational backgrounds. Nearly one-fourth of jobs posted since 2019 have been open to individuals with a high school diploma or GED. Additionally, about 40% of all industry job postings required one year or less of industry experience.
Schulz noted the state’s largest life science employers are in need of people to fill entry-level manufacturing roles. Those roles, which can have starting salaries of $60,000, are capable of changing lives, Schulz added.
“The majority of the job openings are for non-required bachelor degrees. That’s why we’re moving forward with our BioHub Maryland, to ensure employers can find the talent to meet their rising demand in the state,” Schulz said.
BioHub Maryland is an online portal designed to meet the workforce development needs of Maryland’s rapidly growing life science industry. The website, which launched last year with support from Montgomery County, the state of Maryland and the U.S. government, provides individuals of varying academic histories, from high school diplomas to Ph.Ds., with a roadmap for landing a job in the rapidly expanding life sciences ecosystem. One of the primary bottlenecks for life sciences companies has been finding well-trained employees who are capable of filling the required roles, and that’s what BioHub Maryland will address.
BioHub allows job seekers to find potential careers based on educational background. It will also inform candidates with information regarding the required skills and knowledge for that position as well as the activities you will need to perform on the job. The portal also offers information about similar positions in order to help job seekers broaden their search and discover additional options.
The web portal is just the beginning, Schulz said. The vision is to provide future training programs for job candidates that are expected to be supported by industry partners. For now, though, BioHub Maryland is a gateway for job seekers, a gateway to a future in a thriving industry that is an economic cornerstone for Maryland.
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Alex Keown is a freelance journalist who writes about a variety of subjects including the pharma, biotech, and life science industries. Prior to freelancing, Alex has served as a staff writer and editor for several publications.
