Life Sciences Consultant
What this job does:
Provides deep domain expertise to pharma, biotech, and medical device companies on commercialization strategy, market access, pricing, launch planning, and portfolio optimization. Unlike generalist management consultants, hired specifically for scientific and therapeutic area knowledge. Day-to-day involves analyzing clinical trial data, building commercial forecasting models, conducting physician and payer advisory boards, evaluating competitive pipelines, and advising clients on how scientific evidence translates into commercial and market access outcomes.
This job is similar to these lab/research tasks:
Critically evaluating clinical evidence and mechanisms of action, contextualizing data within broader research landscapes, synthesizing literature reviews, writing grant proposals that frame scientific significance
Typical starting salary range
$110k to $160k
Salary estimate represented as 25th to 75th percentile. Gathered from recent job postings, Glassdoor.com, and Salary.com
Daily task breakdown
- Domain-specific analysis: clinical data evaluation, pipeline assessments, therapeutic area deep dives (30%)
- Commercial strategy and market analytics: market sizing, forecasting, pricing and market access (25%)
- Primary research design and execution: KOL interviews, advisory boards, survey design (20%)
- Report writing, deliverable creation, and client presentations (15%)
- Other: internal capability building, business development support, mentoring (10%)
Skills you'll use in this job:
Deep life sciences domain knowledge (oncology, immunology, rare disease, etc.); understanding of drug development and regulatory landscape; ability to interpret clinical trial data and translate it into commercial implications; quantitative analytics and forecasting (Excel, R, Python, SQL); primary market research design; scientific and business writing; client relationship management; understanding of market access, pricing, and reimbursement; data visualization; comfort managing multiple projects independently
Talk about these PhD skills in your resume and interview:
Talk about your ability to critically evaluate clinical evidence, understand mechanisms of action, and contextualize data within therapeutic area landscapes - skills built through years of reading papers, journal clubs, and writing literature reviews. Talk about your therapeutic area expertise and how you frame scientific significance for non-specialist audiences.
Alternative job titles to search:
Pharma Consultant; Biotech Strategy Consultant; Healthcare Consultant - Life Sciences; Commercial Strategy Consultant; Biopharma Consultant; Engagement Manager - Life Sciences; Life Sciences Management Consultant; Consulting Analyst - Life Sciences
*Note:
-Job titles are inconsistent between companies. Try various keywords.
-PhDs tend to undershoot seniority level. Target higher than you think.
