Healthcare, pharma hiring requests rise 20 pc as firms seek specialised talent: Report

 Hiring requests from the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector rose 20 per cent in April-September this year, with mid-career professionals accounting for 60 per cent of demand, according to a report.

Professionals with 4-8 years of experience drove most demand, with regulatory affairs, data analytics, AI/ML, operational excellence, complex generic R&D, supply chain, and global capability centres (GCCs) emerging as key drivers, according to the report by Spectrum Talent Management.

The shift aligns with a strong policy push to invest in India's pharmaceutical manufacturing and research sectors, the report said.

The government's pharma production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme has attracted Rs 46,744 crore and created over 1.21 lakh jobs as of June 2026, while the bulk drugs scheme has commissioned 39 projects across 28 active pharmaceutical ingredients and key starting materials, it added.

Atanu Banerjee, Chief Executive Officer at Spectrum Talent Management, said pharma and life sciences are moving from adding capacity to adding capability. Companies are increasingly using contract and flexible talent to meet these needs, while continuing to hire permanently for core roles.