-
Unlocking Opportunities: Life Science & Engineering Job Market Overview 2024
Unlocking Opportunities: Life Science & Engineering Job Market Overview 2024
Are you a professional seeking exciting opportunities in the thriving fields of Life Sciences and Engineering? As we step into 2024, the Life Science and Engineering sectors are buzzing with diverse opportunities and trends that could shape your career path.Life Science Sector in Ireland:Ireland's Life Science sector remains a beacon of innovation, covering pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and healthcare. The country hosts several multinational companies engaged in cutting-edge research, development, and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical products.Dive into roles such as bioprocess technicians, quality control analysts, regulatory affairs specialists, clinical research associates, and production managers. The sector thrives on research, innovation, and compliance with stringent regulatory standards.Current Trends and Challenges:1. Sustainability and Green Engineering: Both Life Science and Engineering sectors emphasise sustainable practices, valuing professionals with expertise in environmentally friendly technologies.2. Healthcare Innovation:The intersection of Life Sciences and Engineering is creating new frontiers in healthcare innovation, with a focus on developing medical devices and technologies to enhance patient care.3. Regulatory Compliance: Navigating evolving regulatory standards, especially in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, remains a key challenge and a crucial skill in demand.4. Biopharmaceuticals:There's a particular emphasis on the production and development of biologics and biosimilars, driving demand for specialists in this niche.5. Health and Safety: Both sectors prioritize health and safety, making professionals with expertise in occupational health and safety essential for securing work environments.Skills in Demand:Life Sciences: Bioprocessing, regulatory affairs, quality control, clinical research, and expertise in biopharmaceuticals.Engineering Sector: Pioneering the FutureIreland's Engineering job market spans various disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, chemical, and environmental engineering. Manufacturing, energy, and environmental sustainability contribute to the demand for engineering professionals.Explore roles like manufacturing engineers, process engineers, environmental engineers, and maintenance engineers. The sector is increasingly focused on sustainable engineering practices.Current Trends and Challenges:1. Sustainability and Green Engineering: A growing emphasis on sustainable practices, especially in industries beyond construction.2. Health and Safety: Continued prioritization of health and safety, particularly in manufacturing environments.Skills in Demand:Engineering: Depending on the field, skills may include project management, environmental impact assessment, manufacturing process optimization, and expertise in sustainable engineering practices.Salary Insights: Rewarding Your ExpertiseSalaries in the life science and engineering sectors in Ireland are often competitive, reflecting the importance of these industries to the country's economy. Salaries can vary based on factors such as experience, education, and the specific sub-sector or discipline. Professionals in roles such as research and development, regulatory affairs, quality control, and bioprocessing may command competitive salaries. Senior positions and roles requiring specialized expertise, such as in biopharmaceuticals, may attract higher compensation. Salaries for roles in health and safety, project management, and sustainable engineering practices can also be competitive. Salaries are expected to increase by around 3% to keep pace with inflation. However, highly sought-after professionals may witness salary rises of up to 10 to 15%.The Rise of Remote Work: A Paradigm ShiftCompanies have tightened up on remote working but still offer some flexibility where possible. Some companies have returned to fully on-site models but are struggling to attract and retain talent on that basis. 90% of candidates expect the option to work from home at least 1-2 days a week (unless the particular position does not allow for that) and if the same position presented itself but one was fully on-site, the candidate would choose to apply for the company offering the hybrid approach.Contractor OpportunitiesDue to economic uncertainty, we've seen an increase in demand for contractors in 2023 and this trend is set to continue into 2024 as employers prefer the flexibility of a contingent workforce. Skill gaps and demand for talent are important factors in the increase in demand also with companies looking to contractors to fill gaps in their teams in tandem with permanent positions - another trend we foresee continuing throughout 2024.It is no longer just large organisations leaning on contractors. SMEs are also now tapping into the contractor talent pool as a way of supplementing their workforce- especially now that permanent salaries are catching up with contractor hourly rates due to market inflation.In terms of skills, we foresee an increase in demand of contract roles across QA/QC, Regulatory Affairs, Validation, Automation & Control, Commissioning & Decommissioning and Manufacturing. Contractors are brought in to address specific manufacturing challenges, improve efficiency, implement new processes, ensure processes meet industry standards, assess, and improve quality systems, conduct audits or to assist with compliance and navigate regulatory processes.As a result of the increase in demand, contract rates have been on the rise and will continue to increase in 2024. It is now common practice for a contractor to ask and receive rate increases when their contracts are up for renewal. Recruitment and retention therefore remain high priorities for companies using contractors.With organisations now comfortable with remote work arrangements, the market has opened up to all areas of Ireland and further afield. A big trend is seeing Contractors based in the regions now being able to work for the large organisations in the cities and even in other countries. Therefore, rates in the regional areas of Ireland are now catching up with those of the main cities.The Life Science and Engineering job markets in 2024 present abundant opportunities for skilled scientists, engineers, and specialists. For help with your job search contact technical@sigmar.ie.
-
Sigmar Scoops Best in Practice Pharma, Engineering & Science at the ERF Awards 2023
Sigmar Scoops Best in Practice Pharma, Engineering & Science at the ERF Awards 2023
Sigmar was honoured to win “Best in Practice in Pharma, Engineering & Science” at the 2023 Employment & Recruitment Federation Awards on Friday. Commenting on the achievement, Mike McDonagh, COO of Sigmar Recruitment said:“Our Life Sciences, Engineering and Technical team are a brilliant example of how specialist recruitment should be done. They immerse themselves in the fields they recruit in which means they have a great understanding of where both their clients and candidates are coming from. They can react quickly, manage processes carefully and to a successful conclusion and they can fill those hard-to-fill jobs where others can’t. They also don’t give up, which I think gives them that last 1% you need. I’m immensely proud of the team and delighted they have received this recognition.” A huge well done also to our recruitment consultants Marcel Skolimowski and Fiona Joyce on being shortlisted for Permanent & Temporary Recruitment Consultant of the Year on the night also. The ERF awards took place in the Shelbourne Hotel and was attended by over 360 guests. The awards are designed to identify and reward excellence in recruitment in Ireland and is judged by an independent panel, including representatives from the international recruitment sector, the National College of Ireland and CIPD.A huge congratulations to all of our fellow ERF Award winners and nominees. Visit the Employment & Recruitment Federation website to see a full list of the 2023 winners.
-
Women in Engineering Day 2023: Challenges & Opportunities
Women in Engineering Day 2023: Challenges & Opportunities
Today is International Women in Engineering Day – a global initiative to raise awareness about the accomplishments, contributions, and challenges women face in engineering. Almost 44% of Ireland's 287,500 scientists and engineers were female in 2021 according to Eurostat. This is a little above the EU average of 41%. Despite this, female engineers are still severely underrepresented in Ireland. According to the latest figures from the Higher Education Authority from 2022, only 23% of the engineering graduates in Ireland were female. Why are More Women Needed in Engineering?With the growing demand for engineers in Ireland, and globally, by tapping into a broader talent pool and attracting more women to engineering, it helps bridge the skills gap and ensures a sustainable pipeline of engineering professionals for the future.Increasing the representation of women in engineering promotes diversity and inclusion in the field. Engineering, like any other profession, benefits from having a wide range of perspectives, ideas, and experiences. Encouraging more women into the field will help to create a more balanced and inclusive work environment.Engineering is a field that requires creative problem solving and innovation. Including more women in engineering brings fresh perspectives and approaches to tackling complex challenges. Diverse teams are more likely to develop innovative solutions and make better decisions by considering a wide range of viewpoints.Main Barriers for Aspiring Female EngineersGender stereotypes and societal expectations often associate STEM fields with masculinity, while the lack of female representation may hinder girls’ aspirations. An unsupportive educational environment can further discourage girls from pursuing STEM. This is backed up by a CWIT study which revealed that 59% of secondary school girls still do not know enough about STEM and 22% of them believe that STEM subjects in school match ‘male careers’. This is why it is so important to encourage young girls in Ireland to embrace subjects like Maths, Science and Engineering during their school years. Providing access to STEM programmes and initiatives at an early stage of their education can play a vital role in fostering their interest in these fields. In Ireland there is still a need to challenge this prevailing stereotype that engineering is primarily a male dominated profession. Traditional gender stereotypes and biases can discourage women from pursuing careers in this field. Society’s perception of engineering as a male dominated sector can create a sense of exclusion and make it more challenging for aspiring female engineers to feel supported or encouraged.The underrepresentation of women in engineering, both in academia and the industry can be demotivating for potential female engineers. Engineers’ Ireland estimates that just 12% of Irish engineers are female and there has been no increase in this figure since 2019 (CSO, 2019). The lack of visible female role models can make it harder for women to envision themselves succeeding in the field.Unconscious bias in the recruitment and promotion processes can also limit the opportunities available to women interested in pursuing a career in engineering. Biased hiring or the perception that women may just not fit into the existing engineering culture can hinder their progression in the sector. Encouraging and Supporting Women in EngineeringIn 2021, Engineers Ireland launched a Women in Engineering Group to help address the industry’s gender gap. At the time, the group chair, Georgina Molloy, stated that its mission was to support women who were already in the sector and to encourage young girls to consider a career in engineering. By building a network of support, it will hopefully prevent women from leaving the profession for other more gender-balanced industries, along with enticing girls to choose to study engineering.The STEPS programme is a scheme funded by the Department of Education to promote engineering to children who may someday consider it for a future career. During STEPS Engineering week, engineering lessons will be taught in primary and secondary schools throughout Ireland. The main aim of this scheme is for those working in engineering careers to become a role model for kids who may have the right skillset to pursue engineering but may not realise the various employment opportunities the field can provide.International Women in Engineering Day provides an opportunity to celebrate the significant contribution women in the engineering sector make around the world. This day provides an opportunity to reflect on what more must be done to develop clearer pathways for women into the engineering industry. Breaking down barriers and encouraging young girls to enter and remain in the engineering sector is crucial. More must be done between engineering organisations, professional bodies and within the education sector to support the female talent within the industry.Advice for Aspiring Female EngineersPursue a passion: Choose a field of engineering that truly interests you. Follow your passion and focus on developing your skills and knowledge in this area.Education is crucial in engineering. Ensure you have a solid foundation by pursuing relevant courses, degrees, and certifications. Take advantages of opportunities for internships, placements, or apprenticeships to gain practical hands-on experience. Engineering is a rapidly evolving field, embrace continuous learning by staying updated with latest trends, technologies, and research. Consider pursuing advanced degrees or certificates to enhance your expertise.Seek mentorship and networking: There may be fewer female engineers out there but there are still some truly inspiring ones. Connect with other professionals in the field. Seek mentorship from experienced engineers who can guide you and provide valuable insights. Attend industry events, join engineering organisations, and participate in networking opportunities.Be confident and assertive: Believe in your abilities and skills as an engineer. Express your ideas, ask questions, and contribute to discussions. Cultivate self-confidence and assertiveness as these qualities will help you succeed in a male-dominated industry.Break barriers and challenge stereotypes: Be aware of the existing gender biases and stereotypes in engineering but don’t let them discourage or limit you. Challenge these barriers, prove your capabilities and be a role model for future generations of female engineers.Opportunities in Engineering and Manufacturing:Commissioning EngineerLeixlip€40,000-55,000Quality EngineerGalwayNegotiableQuality Team LeadCork€45,000-60,000As a female engineer in Ireland your journey may have its unique challenges but with determination, perseverance, and a supportive network, you can achieve your goals and make a significant impact in the engineering industry.Contact our Engineering and Manufacturing team at technical@sigmar.ie or on 01 4744 600.