26_MB-Workforce-Final-issuu

2025

Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry PHARMA

HEALTHTECH

MEDICAL DEVICES

LOGISTICS

R&D/TESTING

AGRI-BIOSCIENCES

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

Long-term growth amid a period of transition Michigan’s biosciences industry has demonstrated steady, long-term employment growth over nearly two decades, even as it navigates shorter-term cycles of expansion, contraction, and technological change.

Employment growth accelerated through the early and mid-2010s, rising to more than 41,800 jobs by 2014, before leveling off and briefly declining around 2020 amid industry consolidation and pandemic-related disruptions. Since then, the sector has rebounded strongly, reaching its highest employment level on record in 2024, underscoring the industry’s resilience and continued role as a cornerstone of Michigan’s innovation economy.

From January 2021 through December 2024, Michigan life sciences employers posted 74,674 job opportunities, reflecting sustained demand for skilled talent across research, manufacturing, logistics, and regulated production environments While job posting activity from 2021–2024 reflects a period of slower hiring growth and increased employer selectivity, these short-term signals should be viewed as part of a broader transition toward a more mature, productivity-focused life sciences economy.

Employers are shifting from rapid workforce expansion toward strategic hiring, incumbent worker upskilling, and technology-enabled efficiency, even as overall employment continues to climb. Taken together, these trends point to a biosciences sector that is growing in scale over time while evolving in structure, skill requirements, and talent strategy.

47,815

Jobs in 2024 INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS

42%

Increase Since 2006

74,000+ Job Postings (2021-2024)

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

TOTAL JOB POSTINGS AND HIRING TRENDS (2021–2024)

LEADING LIFE SCIENCES EMPLOYERS

Michigan’s life sciences job postings peaked in 2022, followed by a two-year decline consistent with national industry trends:

From 2021–2024, leading employers posting life sciences jobs included:

23,167 19,119

18,526 13,862

2021

2022

Michigan’s life sciences workforce demand is driven by a mix of global corporations, contract research organizations, diagnostics leaders, and specialized biotech firms.

2023

2024

This pattern reflects a cooling labor market rather than a contraction of the industry itself. Employers report greater ease in filling open positions, reduced turnover pressure, and more selective hiring practices. Importantly, life sciences continue to represent a disproportionately high share of Michigan’s total job postings, with Michigan’s share (1.78%) closely tracking the national average (1.99%), underscoring the state’s continued relevance within the U.S. life sciences landscape.

Stryker

Danaher

Pfizer

Zoetis

Merck & Co.

Quest Diagnostics

CSL

IQVIA

Johnson & Johnson

Takeda Pharmaceutical

Abbott Laboratories

ICON

Charles River Laboratories

Neogen Corporation

Labcorp This employer mix highlights Michigan’s dual strength in: ■ Advanced manufacturing and medtech ■ Clinical research, diagnostics, and

contract services

■ Animal health and agricultural biosciences

The presence of both multinational firms and specialized service providers reinforces Michigan’s importance within global life sciences supply chains.

Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

3

INDUSTRY COMPOSITION A Workforce Anchored in Manufacturing, Distribution, and Applied Science The distribution of job postings from 2021– 2024 highlights a structurally balanced life sciences economy, with strength across production, logistics, and research functions:

Medical Device & Equipment 23%

R&D/Testing & Medical Labs 23% Agricultural 4%

BioscienceRelated Distribution 31%

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Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

Pharmaceuticals 19%

MEDICAL DEVICES AND PHARMACEUTICALS together account for more than 40% of postings, reinforcing Michigan’s role as a manufacturing and regulatory compliance hub. Meanwhile, research, testing, and medical laboratories remain central to the ecosystem, supporting clinical trials, diagnostics, and quality assurance across the value chain.

AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL BIOSCIENCES remains a smaller segment, their presence signals ongoing opportunities to integrate biotechnology with Michigan’s agricultural and industrial strengths.

DISTRIBUTION AND LOGISTICS represent the largest share of job postings, reflecting Michigan’s strategic geographic position, advanced supply chain infrastructure, and the increasing complexity of life sciences distribution networks.

These roles are critical to ensuring the safe, compliant movement of pharmaceuticals, devices, diagnostics, and biologics.

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

JOB REQUIREMENTS Multiple Entry Points, Increasing Skill Expectations Michigan life sciences employers continue to value formal education, while also maintaining pathways for technical and production workers:

High school or GED 25%

IN-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS A Workforce Built on Skilled Technical Talent

Master’s 15%

The most frequently posted technical and production-related roles over the last four years reflect the industry’s operational and regulatory needs:

Associate’s 8% Ph.D. 6%

Bachelor’s 46% 3,366

Medical Technician Quality Assurance & Control

1,553

Degree Requirements

Data Scientist

991

General Research Scientist

950

7+ years

Production Technicians

855

4–6 years

Medical Scientist

751

2–3 years

Laboratory Technicians

697

Industrial Engineers

565

Regulatory Affairs

527

0–1 years No experience

Experience Requirements These roles emphasize quality, compliance, analytics, and applied science, rather than purely exploratory research. Growth in data science and industrial engineering roles reflects the increasing integration of automation, AI, and digital systems into life sciences operations.

These patterns suggest that while Michigan’s life sciences industry remains accessible to early-career and entry-level talent, employers increasingly value mid-career experience and specialized skills, particularly in regulated and technology-enabled environments.

Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

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SUBSECTOR HIRING TRENDS Subsector-level trends show a broad cooling of hiring activity from 2022 to 2024, with notable variation: PHARMACEUTICALS peaked in 2022 and declined steadily through 2024

WORKFORCE IMPACT Slower Growth, Smarter Hiring Employers are focusing on strategic hires, incumbent worker upskilling, and productivity gains, rather than workforce expansion.

Technology Transformation MEDICAL DEVICES & EQUIPMENT experienced the sharpest contraction after 2022

RESEARCH, TESTING & MEDICAL LABS saw sustained declines, reflecting slower clinical activity

DISTRIBUTION remained comparatively stable, reinforcing its structural importance

AI, machine learning, and industrial automation are reshaping job roles across R&D, manufacturing, and distribution. Large firms are leading adoption, while smaller firms face capacity and training challenges.

Workforce Development Priorities Companies are increasing investment in: ■ Upskilling and reskilling existing workers ■ Work-based learning and internships ■ Early student engagement and STEM

AG BIOSCIENCES declined in 2024 after modest stability

These trends indicate a shift away from expansionary hiring toward operational efficiency, automation, and workforce consolidation, rather than a weakening of Michigan’s life sciences base.

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Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

pipeline development

EMPLOYER INSIGHTS:

How Michigan Bioscience Companies Are Navigating Workforce Change While employment data and job posting trends provide an essential quantitative foundation, direct input from Michigan bioscience employers offers critical context on how workforce decisions are being made in practice. Across company sizes and subsectors, employers describe a workforce environment defined less by contraction and more by strategic recalibration - balancing growth, productivity, technology adoption, and talent development.

From Expansion to Precision Hiring Michigan employers consistently report a shift away from broad-based hiring toward more targeted recruitment focused on missioncritical roles. Rather than expanding headcount across teams, companies are prioritizing positions tied to quality systems, regulatory compliance, advanced manufacturing, data analytics, and specialized technical expertise.

This mirrors national findings indicating lower overall hiring volumes paired with greater ease in filling roles, as employers focus on fewer, higher-impact positions rather than rapid workforce expansion.

“We’re still hiring, but we’re being much more deliberate.

Every role has to clearly support regulatory, quality, or production efficiency goals.”

— MICHIGAN LIFE SCIENCES MANUFACTURER

Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

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Common employer themes include: ■ Fewer open roles, but higher skill expectations ■ Increased use of contract or project-based talent ■ Longer approval cycles for new hires ■ Greater scrutiny of role scope and return

on investment

Upskilling the Incumbent Workforce Is a Top Priority With moderated hiring and increased role complexity, Michigan employers report placing greater emphasis on developing existing employees. Upskilling and reskilling initiatives are increasingly viewed as essential to maintaining competitiveness and retaining talent.

Technology Is Reshaping Roles, Not Replacing Them

Employer investments frequently cited include:

Employers across Michigan describe rapid integration of automation, data systems, and AI-enabled tools—particularly in manufacturing, quality control, and research operations.

■ Cross-training across production, quality, and

Rather than eliminating jobs, these technologies are changing how work is performed, increasing demand for employees who can operate at the intersection of science, engineering, and digital systems.

Nationally, large life sciences firms are leading adoption of AI and advanced analytics, while smaller and mid-sized companies are progressing more selectively, often constrained by training capacity and implementation costs.

■ Support for credentialing and

■ Internal technical training programs

compliance functions

■ Leadership development for mid-career staff

continuing education

This aligns with national trends highlighting incumbent worker training as a central workforce strategy amid rapid technological and regulatory change.

“We don’t need fewer people—we need people who can work comfortably with automation, data, and regulated systems at the same time.”

— MICHIGAN MEDTECH EMPLOYER

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Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

E M P LO Y E R I N S I G H T S

“It’s faster and more effective to grow the skills of our current workforce than to compete for a shrinking pool of experienced candidates.”

— MICHIGAN CRO / LABORATORY SERVICES FIRM

Experience Matters - But So Does Adaptability Employers consistently note challenges in finding candidates with the right combination of technical experience, regulatory awareness, and adaptability.

While entry-level hiring remains important, many firms struggle most with mid-career roles requiring 3–7 years of experience, particularly in quality, engineering, and regulatory functions.

This reinforces the importance of workbased learning, internships, and early career exposure, which employers increasingly view as critical to developing job-ready talent.

Strengthening Michigan’s Talent Pipeline Across Michigan, employers express strong interest in deeper engagement with community colleges, universities, and K–12 STEM programs.

Early exposure to life sciences careers particularly in manufacturing, diagnostics, and quality systems - is seen as essential to sustaining long-term workforce growth.

A More Stable - but More Demanding - Workforce Environment Compared with the high turnover and intense competition of prior years, many Michigan employers now report greater workforce stability.

However, this stability comes with higher expectations for performance, flexibility, and continuous learning, as companies optimize operations and integrate new technologies.

Employer Insight Summary Taken together, Michigan employer perspectives reinforce the broader workforce trends highlighted throughout this report: ■ Long-term employment growth remains strong ■ Hiring has become more selective and

skills-driven

■ Technology is reshaping roles, not

eliminating them

Employers emphasize:

■ Upskilling incumbent workers is essential

■ Earlier awareness of non-academic

■ Early and sustained talent pipeline

■ Expanded internships, co-ops,

These insights underscore that Michigan’s biosciences workforce challenge is no longer simply about filling jobs, but about building a resilient, adaptable, and future-ready talent base—a theme that informs the strategic implications discussed in the following section.

life sciences careers and apprenticeships

■ Stronger alignment between curricula

and industry needs

■ Clearer career pathways for students

engagement is critical

and career switchers

Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

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Implications for Michigan’s Biosciences Future Michigan’s life sciences workforce is entering a more mature phase of development, where competitiveness depends less on rapid job growth and more on talent quality, adaptability, and alignment with emerging technologies.

SUSTAINING THE INDUSTRY’S LONG-TERM SUCCESS WILL REQUIRE: ▶ State-supported bio-industry workforce

initiatives competitive with other regions

▶ Stronger alignment between education

and employer needs

▶ Expanded access to work-based learning

▶ Strategic investment in digital and

regulatory skill development

▶ Retention of mid-career and technical talent

▶ A skilled, adaptable workforce as a linchpin

of Michigan’s life sciences economy

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Michigan Workforce Trends in the Biosciences Industry

MICHBIO WORKFORCE PARTICIPATING COMPANIES Akadeum Life Sciences

MMS Holdings Inc.

Alliance Analytical Laboratories

MT Endoscopy

Arbor Assays

Neogen Corporation

Bridge Organics

Northern Bio

Cayman Chemical Company

NSF International

Charles River Laboratories

NxGen MDx

Cytiva

Orchid Orthopedics

Daicel Arbor Biosciences

Piramal Pharma Solutions

Element Materials Technology Ann Arbor LLC

Resolve Surgical Technologies

Ferndale Laboratories, Inc.

Rockwell Medical

Grace

Terumo Cardiovascular

Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing

Thompson Surgical

Healthmark, A Getinge Company

Vericel

IFM Management

Wacker

Ionetix

Xoran Technologies

Medbio

Zoetis

Medtronic (Dexter)

MichBio is here to support Michigan’s bioscience researchers, innovators, and manufacturers, as well as those in the broader ecosystem that serve to sustain them. Through advocacy, programming, business services and initiatives, we help the state’s biosciences community thrive.

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