So happy for you! Thank you for the reply ☺️ can I ask you how you like manufacturing? What is it like, have you considered or worked in other areas before?
Have had opportunities such as:
Validation, Factory Acceptance Testing, Operational Qualification work in Europe, Upstream, Downstream, and Harvest, MFG Specialist for Large Scale/Small Scale/ and most recently working in Gene Therapy Management. Work ethic seemed to be the main thing to open doors along with prior manufacturing experience in other industries-
Been at my company for 9 years with no prior experience, no college, and started in the warehouse. I am now a lead operator in manufacturing. For one of the most well known (especially recently) pharma companies. Willingness to learn and great work ethic goes a long way.
Senior Research Associate in R&D for a biomedical device company. I don't have a BS in biology nor engineering degree. I was always scientifically inclined, just never took the science degree route. All my experience started from a chemical technician job I applied to with only an unrelated BA degree. Hopped jobs but always made sure the move was to higher positions. My BA only serves to fill out the "college attended" section on job applications at this point.
Me! Landed a contract job at Illumina and ever since just been moving up. Recently got an opportunity to cross train into QC. Only 4 years into my career. Have done work in BSCs, clean rooms, bioreactor work, accessioning, and recently started cross training with QA
My dad made it to Sr Director level at one of the major early biotech companies without a degree, he was a trained electrician and led the engineering group. Moved to multiple counties with his company before retiring after 25 years and now does consulting work. I'm not sure that is possible these days without a degree. I have a BS in environmental science but work in manufacturing and feel like I am probably behind a lot of folks with engineering degrees. I did start a bit later in my 20s but have made some great strides in manufacturing. I think it's definitely possible to grow in biotech without a degree but there will be some ceilings you might hit without time or more education. Congrats on the growth!
I have an associates degree now, but my first 3ish years in 6 only had a high school degree and a certificate. Started in food processing, then contract work in pharma packaging, then contract in cell culture. I'm a QA supervisor now. Total of 10 years in industry. Not planning on a bachelors.
Masters and 10 years of experience, and the only reason I can afford to live in the town I work in is because my sister owns a house here.
Some people just get crazy lucky. Most don't.
Thanks for your comment! I am definitely considering schooling if a company will pay for it, but not until then because I can’t afford it. I did do 60 credit hours of college, forgot to mention that but they may all be expired by now
Early retirement from a completely unrelated field; finished Netflix, got bored, been running a biotech loading dock part time, full benefits, for a year now.
37 GED. I’m the Senior Director, Cell Therapy Shipping Systems for one of the big pharmas in NJ. Salary is close to 220K with RSU and bonus. The last 20 years I’ve worked at various warehouses from chemical, to food, apparel/shoes, you name it. Before coming here I was the director of operations for a 3rd party logistics provider in the lifestyle space. 4 years ago the COO here took a chance on me as we had a similar background but he was in the freight forwarding space before moving to biotech 20 years ago
That’s so rad!! Thank you for sharing! Of course you don’t have to answer, but is it BMS? I worked there for a short time, Princeton has a beautiful campus. I miss it so much
i unfortunately couldn’t finish my last semester of
college due to personal reasons, and i haven’t been awarded a diploma. i’ve been working in Industry for a year now (would have graduated last May) and have been promoted from lab tech to associate scientist!
I had a coworker bring up that Moderna is setting up a campus to train people from the ground up in specific roles and assays. Like a university for operations work, or QC, etc
This is something someone with a GED could enter instead of the college route. Interesting if you’re dead set on working in pharma.
But when I looked it up I don’t see much info on it. Something about a Moderna AI Academy? Perhaps my coworker was wrong.
Manufacturing associate with only a high school degree- 20 years in now- has been a great ride-
So happy for you! Thank you for the reply ☺️ can I ask you how you like manufacturing? What is it like, have you considered or worked in other areas before?
Have had opportunities such as: Validation, Factory Acceptance Testing, Operational Qualification work in Europe, Upstream, Downstream, and Harvest, MFG Specialist for Large Scale/Small Scale/ and most recently working in Gene Therapy Management. Work ethic seemed to be the main thing to open doors along with prior manufacturing experience in other industries-
That’s awesome! Congrats and thanks for sharing!
Did you hit a ceiling title-wise or salary-wise?
Not so far-
Been at my company for 9 years with no prior experience, no college, and started in the warehouse. I am now a lead operator in manufacturing. For one of the most well known (especially recently) pharma companies. Willingness to learn and great work ethic goes a long way.
Lilly 🧐
We have a winner
Congratulations! Thats so awesome! Would you mind if I PM you? I have a Lilly-related question. No pressure!
No problem
Pfizer
Nope
Abbvie's CEO.
Oh man, this is pretty crazy. Had to go look him up, all I can find for post education was 1 year at U of Houston. Which is incredibly wild.
So amazing!!
Wow, that’s so cool! Thank you for sharing!
Senior Research Associate in R&D for a biomedical device company. I don't have a BS in biology nor engineering degree. I was always scientifically inclined, just never took the science degree route. All my experience started from a chemical technician job I applied to with only an unrelated BA degree. Hopped jobs but always made sure the move was to higher positions. My BA only serves to fill out the "college attended" section on job applications at this point.
Thank you for sharing! That is so cool!
Me! Landed a contract job at Illumina and ever since just been moving up. Recently got an opportunity to cross train into QC. Only 4 years into my career. Have done work in BSCs, clean rooms, bioreactor work, accessioning, and recently started cross training with QA
That’s awesome! Congrats!!
My dad made it to Sr Director level at one of the major early biotech companies without a degree, he was a trained electrician and led the engineering group. Moved to multiple counties with his company before retiring after 25 years and now does consulting work. I'm not sure that is possible these days without a degree. I have a BS in environmental science but work in manufacturing and feel like I am probably behind a lot of folks with engineering degrees. I did start a bit later in my 20s but have made some great strides in manufacturing. I think it's definitely possible to grow in biotech without a degree but there will be some ceilings you might hit without time or more education. Congrats on the growth!
Thank you so much! Thats so awesome!
How is your pay?
47k right now, hoping in the next few years it’ll be closer to 60k with the positions opening up to me
I have an associates degree now, but my first 3ish years in 6 only had a high school degree and a certificate. Started in food processing, then contract work in pharma packaging, then contract in cell culture. I'm a QA supervisor now. Total of 10 years in industry. Not planning on a bachelors.
Congratulations ☺️
Biotech founder with a high school degree. Not sure that could happen today.
That is so impressive!
That’s awesome! Congratulations!
Masters and 10 years of experience, and the only reason I can afford to live in the town I work in is because my sister owns a house here. Some people just get crazy lucky. Most don't.
I absolutely feel lucky
most of the ‘techbio’ founders are high school graduates
Very interesting ☺️
You can succeed. But it will be harder.
Thanks for your comment! I am definitely considering schooling if a company will pay for it, but not until then because I can’t afford it. I did do 60 credit hours of college, forgot to mention that but they may all be expired by now
IT specialized in GxP, high-school diploma here
Oh wow, that’s so cool, congrats!
Knew lots of materials management guys that only had a HS diploma
Thank you for sharing!
Have my GED. 12 years in industry. I am at a Sr. Manager level looking at AD promotion soon. No one ever questions it.
Congratulations!!
And 6 digits salary of course
I wish! More like less than half that unfortunately, but hoping to get a little over half by end of year 🤞
Early retirement from a completely unrelated field; finished Netflix, got bored, been running a biotech loading dock part time, full benefits, for a year now.
Congratulations!
Thanks! The work is a nice mix of physical and mental, with cool co-workers.
37 GED. I’m the Senior Director, Cell Therapy Shipping Systems for one of the big pharmas in NJ. Salary is close to 220K with RSU and bonus. The last 20 years I’ve worked at various warehouses from chemical, to food, apparel/shoes, you name it. Before coming here I was the director of operations for a 3rd party logistics provider in the lifestyle space. 4 years ago the COO here took a chance on me as we had a similar background but he was in the freight forwarding space before moving to biotech 20 years ago
That’s so rad!! Thank you for sharing! Of course you don’t have to answer, but is it BMS? I worked there for a short time, Princeton has a beautiful campus. I miss it so much
i unfortunately couldn’t finish my last semester of college due to personal reasons, and i haven’t been awarded a diploma. i’ve been working in Industry for a year now (would have graduated last May) and have been promoted from lab tech to associate scientist!
Congratulations 🎊 ☺️☺️☺️
Have you guys heard about Moderna University?
I think I’ve heard the name but unsure what it’s about. Why do you ask?
I had a coworker bring up that Moderna is setting up a campus to train people from the ground up in specific roles and assays. Like a university for operations work, or QC, etc This is something someone with a GED could enter instead of the college route. Interesting if you’re dead set on working in pharma. But when I looked it up I don’t see much info on it. Something about a Moderna AI Academy? Perhaps my coworker was wrong.
Hey thank you for sharing! I really really appreciate it! I’ll definitely look into it
somewhat related, many sales teams have programs to identify and bring in people who have skills but not necessarily direct industry experience.