Pharmaceutical Jobs | Monster.com

Few industries have such a direct and significant impact on people's lives as the pharmaceutical industry. Because of the size and complexity of the industry, there are a multitude of pharmaceutical jobs available—you can produce treatments capable of curing disease or greatly improving people's quality of life as a researcher or you can work in sales, regulatory, or strategy on the business side of the industry. Every day, pharmaceutical companies are also engaging in cutting-edge research to produce the next generation of medicines.

If you love science and want to play a role in developing new medicines, a job in the pharmaceutical industry might be a perfect fit for you. These are some of the positions you may consider working in:

clinical trial jobs
manufacturing jobs
quality assurance and quality control jobs
regulatory affairs jobs
sales and marketing jobs
supply chain jobs
business operations jobs

To work in the pharmaceutical field, you must prefer routines and standards over flexibility and improvisation. Every area of the industry is guided by rigid regulations. For example, sales representatives follow federal guidelines that dictate how they can promote their products and researchers adhere to strict standards for testing new medications. This generally creates a stable and conservative work environment.

If you're interested in other physical science jobs, you can also search for:

Education and Skills for Pharmaceutical Jobs

Most jobs in the pharmaceutical industry will require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some, such as clinical trial jobs, will require a Ph.D., while others, like business operations, may require a master's degree.

No matter what position you want to work in, you need to be diligent and meticulous, because this field leaves no room for mistakes. The ability to learn and memorize new procedures, routines, and standards quickly will come in handy. Technical and analytical skills are important as well, and many positions also require excellent math skills.

Learn more about some of the positions and skills involved in the pharmaceutical industry in these articles:

Update Your Pharmaceutical Resume

Does your resume need a check-up? Before you apply to any new jobs, be sure to update your resume to ensure it includes all of your relevant skills, education, and experience. You can get some tips from our pharmaceutical sales resume sample. We also prescribe taking a look at our sample cover letters and cover letter writing tips for any job application that needs a boost.

Interviewing for Pharmaceutical Jobs

With the vast amount of information available about the major players in the pharmaceutical industry, make sure to do your research in advance and prepare an answer for the common interview question "Why do you want to work for us?" Whether it's because of the company's exciting new research, corporate social responsibility contributions, or important products, choose an answer that reflects your genuine interests.

You should also have an answer for the questions, "What do you know about us?" and "What interests you about the pharmaceutical industry?" While many other questions will vary depending on the specific position you're interviewing for, there are several common interview questions you can prepare for in advance.

How Much Do Pharmaceutical Jobs Pay?

Jobs in the pharmaceutical industry range from entry-level to executive leadership positions. Companies tend to have competitive salaries. For example, a pharmaceutical manufacturing process engineer has a median salary of $91,963, a pharmaceutical sales rep makes a median salary of $84,450 and a pharmaceutical account executive has a median salary of $70,513.

Explore Monster's Salary Tools to find out more and search for local differences.

Find Company Job Descriptions on Monster

Start your first research project by learning more about the companies you might want to apply to. Monster's company profiles have information on organizations' headquarters, locations, and number of employees. Some profiles also discuss their benefits and have photos and videos of their company culture as well as job openings in your area.

Monster Can Help You Get Started in Your Job Search

Ready to look for pharmaceutical jobs? Start by creating a profile on Monster. When you make a profile, you can upload your resume, search and apply for jobs, and sign up for custom job alerts that will let you know as soon as new openings are posted that match your background and career goals.