As biotechnology platforms diversify and M&A reshapes pipelines and revenue streams, more pharmaceutical leaders are being measured by their ability to open markets quickly, hire globally, and keep critical programs on track. At the same time, chief human resources officers (CHROs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) are facing challenges in finding skilled professionals, forcing them to cast a wider net to fill these positions. This makes expanding globally in full compliance with local laws even more challenging.

When you can’t find specialized talent in the usual places, it undermines timelines for R&D, clinical trials, and commercialization. But there are other locations that employers can explore when looking to fill specialized roles such as machine learning engineers/data scientists, Quality assurance (QA)/validation specialists, bioprocess engineers, clinical pharmacologists, and clinical project managers.

Around the globe, there are “hidden gem” talent hubs that can be successfully tapped using artificial intelliegence (AI)-driven workforce optimization tools augmented by knowledge from on-the-ground local experts. This combination of AI and human expertise can quickly and accurately assess talent locations and find the ideal blend of English proficiency, STEM pipelines, and favorable operating costs.

Workforce optimization offers advantages and risks

The tandem of AI-based workforce optimization tools and local experience can drive faster growth and higher EBITDA by ensuring that you’re hiring in the right places globally. It provides faster speed to market and scaling of operations, plus the ability to rapidly upskill talent. But this approach to global hiring also comes with major risks if not conducted properly, including:

• Inconsistent onboarding and contracts.
• Fragmented payroll and benefits administration.
• Siloed or inadequate compliance tracking and reporting. (Compliance penalties in many countries can be severe and expensive.)

The promise of emerging ‘hidden gem’ talent hubs

There are many talent hubs in unheralded locales around the world that offer cost-effective alternatives for specific role clusters. The following is a global snapshot by talent category:

Machine learning engineers and data scientists

Hidden gem: Portugal

According to a recent Georgetown University article, the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors are among the five industries most in need of data scientists. Machine learning engineers are also in high demand because they build and maintain critical AI systems.

India, Poland, and Canada all offer attractive pools of data sciences talent. But Portugal is a country that may not be on most companies’ radar. Since 2017, Portugal’s pool of pharmaceutical and biotech talent has grown by 2.2% annually, according to a report from AICEP and EY-Parthenon.¹

Portugal has an ample supply of data science candidates because it offers generous tax credits for R&D. Labor costs here are lower than in many other Western European countries, and the English fluency rate is high.

Organizations that employ Portuguese professionals need to be aware of Law 83/2021, commonly referred to as the “Telework Law,” which prohibits employers from contacting employees outside of their regular working hours.

Quality engineers, QA specialists, and validation engineers

Hidden gem: Puerto Rico

It’s often difficult to find quality and validation engineers for the pharma sector because they require an engineering background as well as pharmaceutical expertise.

Ireland, India, and Singapore are traditional talent hubs for quality engineer, QA specialist, and validation engineer roles. Nineteen of the world’s top 20 biopharma firms already operate in Ireland. India is the world’s largest supplier of generic medicines and home to a large pool of pharma professionals. On a per capita basis, Singapore had a larger number of biomedical researchers than the US as recently as 2021.

While Puerto Rico may not be top of mind when it comes to finding life sciences talent, it has unique strengths. Puerto Rico’s pharma industry operates under full oversight of the FDA, and its life sciences companies have relatively lower operating costs than those in the US.

Biopharma organizations can find the QA and engineering talent they need in Puerto Rico, providing they can navigate its regulatory framework and offer competitive compensation.

Bioprocess engineers, process development engineers, and automation engineers

Hidden gem: Spain

Bioprocess, process development, and automation engineers are often found in some familiar locales, including Switzerland, Ireland, and Singapore.

Switzerland has long been hailed as one of the pacesetters in process engineering. However, strong demand for specialists in bioprocessing, automation, and translational sciences is driving salary expectations higher.

While Ireland is one of Europe’s premier pharma manufacturing hubs, it’s vital to have a good understanding of Irish employment law, which is a complex mix of common law, EU directives, and national statutes.

Likewise, Singapore has a strong pool of talent for these roles, but when certain skill sets are required (such as proficiency with the DeltaV automation platform), the search can become more difficult.

Spain is a bright spot in specialized engineering talent thanks to life sciences ecosystem that includes new innovation centers, reputable universities and research institutions and the presence of industry juggernauts such as Pfizer, Novartis, and AstraZeneca. And the Spanish government is working hard to promote investment in the life sciences sector.

Clinical pharmacologists, biomarker leads, and translational scientists

Hidden gem: the Netherlands

The US and UK are still dynamic players in this category. In America, programs such as the NIH’s Clinical and Translational Science Awards provide significant funding for professionals in this field. There’s intensifying competition for these scientists and often an eight-to-16-week timeline for hiring talent.

The UK has a wealth of talent in this sector, but employment regulations have changed significantly since the country departed from the EU. It’s helpful to have local expertise to meet compliance obligations.

The Netherlands is often an overlooked source for talent in this area. The nation’s infrastructure for biomarker scientists and biobanks is highly regarded. Dutch translational scientists are supported by an environment that draws on both academic and industry research to foster innovation. However, harnessing the talent pool in the Netherlands requires local experience. Dutch labor laws are very strict, with anti-discrimination laws, protections against dismissal, and mandatory severance pay among the compliance matters employers need to be aware of.

Clinical project managers and clinical operations leads

Hidden gem: Czech Republic

Poland, Spain, and the UK have long been hubs for hiring clinical project managers and operations leads.

Poland’s competitive labor costs make it an attractive source for hiring, and government initiatives such as the National AI Strategy and the National STEM Education Program have contributed to the development of pharma talent in the country.

Spanish clinical project professionals are every bit as qualified as their Northern European counterparts, and salary expectations are relatively lower.

In the UK, 35% of the professionals who enter the pharma and life sciences field start their careers in clinical operations, according to research conducted by the CK Group.

The Czech Republic is a promising new locale for talent in this sector because of its medical education system and clinical research infrastructure. Additionally, the costs associated with running clinical trials are lower in the Czech Republic than in the US and Western Europe.

Pharma manufacturing and logistics

Key locations: Singapore and the Netherlands

Singapore is a major Asia-Pacific hub for pharmaceutical logistics and manufacturing. The country has a highly advanced logistics infrastructure that includes specialized cold chain solutions. Amgen, AbbVie, and Roche already have large manufacturing facilities in Singapore.

The Netherlands also has a strong ecosystem for pharma logistics and manufacturing. There are specialized cold chain and temperature-controlled facilities near Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport. Thanks to the Pharma Gateway Amsterdam and Vaccines Gateway Netherlands programs, the country now exports more medicines, vaccines, and medical devices than cheese, flowers and meat, according to Invest in Holland.

An executive-level strategy for maximizing the potential of emerging hubs

For CHROs, CFOs, and other executives, it’s essential to combine AI-driven workforce modeling with on-the-ground expertise when planning M&A deals, new trial sites, or manufacturing expansions. There are now AI-driven platforms that give executives the insight to act with confidence, drive EBITDA, and scale with purpose.

These platforms are expert-informed and outcome-focused. Executives can ask strategic questions in plain language and get data-backed answers instantly. This allows senior management to rapidly explore hiring options in prospective locales to see how each scenario impacts the bottom line.

An AI platform provides a solid foundation for a variety of key offerings such as employer of record services, entity setup, contractor management, and benefits administration. It’s imperative for AI insights to be augmented by local experts with wide-ranging experience in compliance, HR, tax, and legal matters.

The combination of an AI platform and local know-how is invaluable in finding new hiring locales and identifying risks. For example, The UK’s IR35 contractor classification rules are ambiguous and require human interpretation to avoid compliance violations.

Hiring the right people in the right location

When companies rely on both AI insights and local expertise, they can find top talent in “hidden gem” locales that might have otherwise eluded them. There are pros and cons to hiring pharmaceutical talent in any nation, yet there are some countries that offer an ideal blend of first-class education, favorable wage/benefits demands, and easy-to-navigate compliance requirements.

The ideal pharma candidates may be in Puerto Rico, Portugal, or the Czech Republic. Now CHROs have the tools and local guidance to find them.

Bjorn Reynolds is founder and CEO of Safeguard Global

Reference

1. Invest in Portugal: Health Industry Report. AICEP and EY-Parthenon. 2024. https://www.portugalglobal.pt/media/umxnlu5f/health-industry-report.pdf