Top 5 Challenges of Hiring in the Highly Regulated Life Sciences Industry
From Chaos to Control: CMMI and the Power of Process Improvement
January 24, 2025
Hiring in life sciences is a constant race against change. Regulations keep changing, technology is advancing, and the talent pool? Well, it’s not getting any bigger. Finding specialists who know the ins and outs of compliance and regulatory demands is hard enough. Keeping them? Even harder.
We see it every day. Highly regulated companies are scrambling to hire compliance experts, digital validation pros, and regulatory specialists. Only to find that demand is far outpacing supply. Deloitte’s 2025 Manufacturing Industry Outlook confirms it: 60% of manufacturers are struggling to attract and retain talent, and in life sciences, the pressure is even higher.
So, what’s making hiring so difficult? Here’s a look at the biggest challenges we’re seeing and what companies can do about them.
1. The “Paperwork Paradox”
Regulations keep life sciences running. To be honest, no one gets into this field because they love drowning in CAPAs, SOPs, and endless validation protocols.
Great compliance professionals know the rules inside and out, but they don’t want to spend their entire career stuck in documentation mode. Meanwhile, other industries are offering more strategic, less bureaucratic roles. And, sadly, life sciences are losing top talent because of it.
- Try this: Look into digital tools that cut down on paperwork, so your team can focus on what really matters—quality and innovation. For example, if compliance tracking is eating up time, something like an AI-powered QMS can handle CAPA tracking, audit trails, and approvals, making workflows smoother and less of a headache.
2. The Best Talent Isn’t Looking for a Job
Everyone talks about hiring shortages, but here’s something you don’t hear as often: many seasoned life sciences professionals aren’t leaving their current roles at all.
Unlike tech or general manufacturing, where employees jump companies frequently, regulated industries encourage stability. These professionals know that staying put 1) keeps them in compliance with industry regulations, and 2) strengthens their credibility.
If you’re only looking at active job seekers, you’re fishing in a shallow talent pool. Meanwhile, the experts you actually need? They’re busy working.
- Tip: The best talent isn’t waiting around on job boards. You have to know where to look. Staffing firms that specialize in life sciences like Theoris have insider access to top professionals who aren’t actively searching, but are ready for the right opportunity.
3. Technology Is Outpacing Hiring Strategies
AI-driven compliance, cloud validation, and automated quality systems are a new reality. Highly regulated businesses are racing to implement them, but finding the right talent fast enough is proving to be a challenge.
A great example is the FDA’s new Digital Health Technologies (DHT) guidance. It’s driving demand for software validation, cybersecurity, and data integrity experts, as companies work to ensure compliance with new regulations. The faster technology moves, the faster hiring needs to adapt. Waiting too long to fill these roles puts compliance and innovation at risk.
- Try this: Stay ahead by prioritizing candidates with both regulatory expertise and digital skills. Hiring needs to be fast, strategic, and adaptable. Because as you know, compliance waits for no one.
4. When Hiring Takes Longer Than Compliance Itself
Finding the right person is most companies’ priority, but it’s also about proving they’re the right person. And that takes time… sometimes too much time.
Background checks, credential verification, experience with specific FDA, ISO, or EMA regulations. Every step adds layers of red tape. By the time a candidate finally clears the hiring process, they’ve already moved on to a faster-moving company.
- Try this: Speed things up by pre-vetting candidates and streamlining internal approvals. The best talent won’t wait forever, so don’t let slow hiring be the reason you lose them.
5. Legacy Experts Are Retiring Without a Backup Plan
Many of the most seasoned validation and regulatory pros are heading into retirement, taking with them decades of knowledge. Things like how to navigate tricky regulations, interpret FDA guidelines, and solve compliance puzzles before they turn into full-blown issues.
And here’s the kicker: there’s no structured way to transfer this knowledge. Companies are bringing in new hires, but they’re not capturing the expertise of those on their way out. So, the new hires are left trying to figure things out on their own…often the hard way.
- Tip: Set up mentorship programs and cross-training initiatives now. That way your senior experts can pass down their hard-earned knowledge before they walk out the door. Also consider enticing soon-to-retire experts to extend their role on a part-time basis as consultants so that their mentorship can continue.
Final Thoughts: The Stakes Are Higher Than Just Filling Roles
Hiring in life sciences is no walk in the park. You need more than box-checkers. You need professionals who understand regulations, can keep up with tech, and won’t bail after six months.
But with a shrinking talent pool, slow hiring processes, and seasoned pros retiring, finding the right people is getting tougher. And compliance? Well, it doesn’t wait around for you to figure it out.
Great talent is out there. But, if your hiring process drags or your search is too narrow, you’ll lose them to someone faster. The good news? You don’t have to go it alone.
Theoris helps life sciences companies find top-quality validation and compliance professionals – fast. Whether you need full-time employees or contractors, we have a deep network of vetted experts ready to step in when and where you need them.
Need a hiring strategy that works?
Reach out to us at info@theoris.com to learn more about how we can help you in finding the highest quality talent for your life sciences needs.
