Job Market Overview for Statistical Programmers in the Pharmaceutical Industry (October 2024)

Europe: The demand for statistical programmers in Europe is currently low, with approximately 35 open positions across various countries. However, opportunities are scarce in many Western European nations, such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands, where almost no positions are available. The notable exception is the UK, where companies like Abbott, ICON, Johnson & Johnson (JnJ), MMS, IQVIA, and Parexel are actively hiring.

Beyond the UK, the majority of available roles are in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and Romania, where demand remains relatively stable.

Pharmaceutical Companies Hiring in Europe:

  • AstraZeneca: Hiring for office-based roles in Poland and Spain.
  • Johnson & Johnson, Abbott: Hiring primarily in the UK.

India: India remains a central hub for hiring in the pharmaceutical and contract research organization (CRO) sectors. Most companies, including major and smaller CROs (Syneos, IQVIA, Parexel, Fortrea, ICON, Precision for Medicine, Cytel, Novotech), are recruiting actively. The total number of open positions for statistical programmers on LinkedIn is approximately 80.

Pharmaceutical Companies Hiring in India:

  • Sanofi: Hyderabad
  • Johnson & Johnson: Bengaluru, Andhra
  • Pfizer: Chennai (on-site)
  • Alcon: Hybrid roles
  • AstraZeneca: Remote roles

North America (USA & Canada): The job market for statistical programmers in North America is also experiencing a downturn, with around 50 open positions. This marks one of the most challenging periods for programmers in recent history. Many large CROs, such as ICON, Parexel, and Syneos, have halted hiring in the U.S., with only a few exceptions like IQVIA and Cytel maintaining openings. Some pharmaceutical companies are still hiring, but the number of available roles remains limited.

Pharmaceutical Companies Hiring in North America:

  • Takeda, Alnylam, Regeneron, SunPharma, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Merck, Novartis

In summary, while the demand for statistical programmers varies significantly by region, the overall market has slowed, especially in Western Europe and North America. However, opportunities still exist in the UK, Eastern Europe, and India, with a few pharmaceutical companies continuing to recruit in these regions. We hope that in the near future the job market and the number of jobs for statistical programmers will increase.