The 7 Best Life Science Companies to Work for in 2018

Glassdoor has ranked the top companies to work for each year for the last 10 years. The companies range all over the board, from tech companies to consulting and healthcare to retail. This year’s list was topped by Facebook, but there were seven life science companies on the list.

7 Best Life Science Companies to Work for in 2018

1. Boston Scientific

Based in Marlborough, Mass., Boston Scientific ranked number 35 on Glassdoor’s list. The company is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices, including interventional radiology and cardiology, neuromodulation, cardiac surgery, endoscopy, oncology and others. In 2016, Boston Scientific reported $8.386 billion in revenue and employed 27,000 people. On Dec. 11, 2017, the company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved its Vercise Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System, used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

On Glassdoor, the company averaged a rating of 3.9 stars out of four, with 98 percent approval of the company’s chief executive officer, Michael Mahoney, making him the third highest-rated CEO of 2017. Eighty-four reviews indicated that work-life balance is good, and 73 said the company had good benefits and nice people to work with.

An example of a current job is R&D Engineer II in Valencia, Calif. This position will collaborate across project teams, prepare design concepts and conduct engineering design reviews. It calls for a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering or equivalent, and two or more years of related work experience.

2. Johnson & Johnson

Usually considered the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, Johnson & Johnson, has headquarters in New Brunswick, N.J. It reported $71.89 billion in revenue in 2016. Johnson & Johnson ranked 38 on the Glassdoor list, with 86 percent of reviewers saying they would recommend the company to a friend. Out of 3,283 reviews, the company averaged four out of five stars.

On Nov. 18, 2017, the company celebrated the grand opening of its new Center for Device Innovation at Texas Medical Center. The facility is a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Houston’s Texas Medical Center. The center will focus on developing breakthrough medical devices to help make surgery less invasive.

A current job opening is for Associate Scientist I - Neuroscience Drug Discovery in San Diego, California. The position calls for a Master’s Degree in life sciences with one or more years of experience or a Bachelor’s Degree in life sciences with two or more years of experience, and experience in molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry preferred. The candidate will work in a multidisciplinary drug discovery team.

3. Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly ranked at number 52 on the Glassdoor list. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Lilly reported net sales in 2016 of $21.222 billion and employed 41,224 people worldwide. The company has more than 9,000 employees working in research and development, which it conducts in 55 countries. The company received an average of 3.9 stars out of five in the Glassdoor reviews, with 77 percent recommending the company to a friend.

On Dec. 14, 2017, Lilly announced that it and Atlanta-based Rimidi had signed a non-exclusive agreement to integrate Rimidi’s diabetes management software platform with Lilly’s integrated insulin management system that is currently in development. Lilly has two platforms it is developing for the Connected Diabetes Ecosystem, which is being developed to make diabetes management easier.

An example of a current job opening at Lilly is Associate – TS/MS Laboratory-Downstream in Branchburg, New Jersey. This position supports commercial and late-stage clinical manufacturing by developing and using small-scale models. It calls for a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Biology or Biochemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biology or a related field with a minimum of five years of experience in a cGMP biopharmaceutical manufacturing and/or development arena.

4. Monsanto

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Monsanto is a multinational agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology company. The company employs over 20,000 people globally with facilities in 69 countries. In response to receiving the Glassdoor award, Steve Mizell, the company’s executive vice president and chief human resources officer stated, "Monsanto has been very deliberate in creating a work culture where our employees feel valued and that encourages them to take care of themselves by balancing work and career, taking advantage of professional development opportunities and receiving support from our business resource networks. These are the same values many have positively echoed in their Glassdoor reviews of Monsanto."

In December 2016, Bayer AG made a bid to acquire Monsanto. Originally expected to close by the end of 2017, the final date has been pushed back to early 2018 when the European Commission will make a final decision on the acquisition. It is reported to be for $66 billion.

Monsanto has numerous jobs worldwide. An example is Agronomic Research Specialist in Stonington, Illinois. This individual will be part of a Field Testing Team managing daily operations related to comprehensive corn and soybean breeding and testing. It calls for a Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy, Agriculture or a related field, or equivalent experience, and two to three years of relevant experience in industry or academic research. It also calls for the ability to work extended hours during the peak planting, pollinating and harvest seasons.

5. Roche

Based in Basel, Switzerland, Roche ranked 59 on the Glassdoor list. Roche has two divisions, Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. It owns the U.S. biotechnology company Genentech, Japanese biotech Chugai Pharmaceuticals and U.S.-based Ventana. In 2016, Roche reported about $50 billion in revenue and employed about 94,000 people worldwide.

The company received four out of five stars, with 84 percent indicating they would recommend the company to a friend. On Dec. 12, 2017, Roche announced Phase III clinical trial data indicating that the combination of Venclexta/Venclysto and MabThera/Rituxan compared to bendamustine and MabThera/Rutixan in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has a significantly reduced risk of disease progression or death.

An example of a job is Senior Scientific Researcher, Immunology Discovery, Genentech Research in South San Francisco. The position will study human airway biology in homeostasis and disease. The qualified candidate has a PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Developmental Biology or Biochemistry and experience with animal models. It also calls for a track record of success shown by a strong publication record, patent authorship and other metrics.

6. Procter and Gamble

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Procter and Gamble landed as number 62 on the Glassdoorlist. Proctor and Gamble, or P&G, is an international company with 10 product categories and approximately 65 brands. The company’s 10 categories include baby care, fabric care, family care, feminine care, personal health care and others. Well-recognized brands include Bounty, Crest, Tide, Always, Charmin and Pampers. In 2016, the company reported $65.29 billion in revenue and approximately 95,000 employees worldwide.

The company received four out of five stars from 4,693 reviewers, with 85 percent saying they would recommend the company to a friend. The company was noted for excellent career advancement systems, excellent salary and profit sharing.

Examples of a career at P&G include Manufacturing Quality Control Chemist in Chicago, Illinois. The position calls for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry or closely-related field and a minimum of one year of QC laboratory experience. The candidate will perform analytical procedures on raw material, finished goods and perform sample analysis.

7. Stryker

Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Stryker is a medical technology company best known for implants used in joint replacement and tools for surgery. The company employs approximately 33,000 people worldwide and in 2016 reported net sales of $9.946 billion. On Dec. 7, 2017, Stryker announced it was acquiring Entellus Medical for an equity value of about $662 million. Entellus is a global medical technology company that designs and markets devices for minimally invasive treatments for ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases.

Stryker ranked 76 on the Glassdoor list. Out of 1,505 reviews, it received an average of four out of five stars, with 78 percent recommending the company to a friend. A top review stated, "This company has an unsurpassed culture. Very inclusive and has a wonderful work-life balance. This is a workplace where your efforts and strengths are celebrated."

An example of a current job is Staff Engineer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The candidate will design and develop requirements, prototypes and solutions for mechanical designs related to robotic surgical applications. The position calls for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering with five or more years of relevant experience.