Pharmaceutical and health-tech firms are beefing up research and development teams, to enhance innovation, meet regulatory norms, including in overseas markets, extend capabilities in growth areas, and deliver high-quality, commercially-viable biosimilars across key therapeutic areas.
Firms like Lupin, Biocon Biologics, CitiusTech, Cipla, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Sanofi, and Novartis are scaling up R&D teams, said industry officials and recruitment firms. Companies are focusing among other things, on research in cancer and targeted therapies, neurology, and rare and metabolic diseases.
A key driver has been the surge in investments from private equity firms in pharma and health-tech firms, injecting not only capital, but also encouraging a greater focus on innovation and product development.
Companies are also exploring applications of AI and machine learning in diagnostics, predictive analytics, and personalised care. Research in digital therapeutics, remote monitoring, and health platforms is also on the rise.
Lupin is sharpening focus on complex generics and biosimilars, particularly in respiratory, injectables, and women's health.
“Our novel drug discovery programmes require specialised talent who can advance our research from early-stage development through to commercialisation. We're also investing in next-generation pharma technologies, including novel drug delivery systems and targeted therapies,” said Yashwant Mahadik, president – global human resources, Lupin.
At Biocon Biologics, the R&D team plays a central role in driving innovation and delivering commercially viable, high-quality biosimilars across areas such as diabetes, oncology, ophthalmology, and autoimmune diseases. The company has several upcoming programmes in biosimilar product development which is fuelling the need for more R&D talent.
“We are hiring principal scientists, associate scientists, and research associates across various specialisations. These include candidates with Master’s degrees in biotechnology, chemical engineering, as well as PhDs and post-doctoral researchers with experience in areas such as molecular biology, process development, analytical sciences, and regulatory sciences,” said a spokesperson. Their hiring strategy covers both lateral and campus hiring.
CitiusTech is investing in healthcare informatics R&D. The firm is hiring for roles in generative AI, cloud and large-scale computing, and agentic AI — especially where they intersect with healthcare applications.
Healthcare is transforming rapidly, and the adoption of digital technologies and agentic AI is opening up new possibilities for improving patient experience, clinical outcomes, and therapy research, said Sudhir Kesavan, COO, CitiusTech.
Uptick in hiring
The trend is echoed at recruitment firms like Adecco and Page Executive, which are seeing a sharp uptick in hiring for R&D roles, with compensation at the upper levels going up to Rs. 1-2 crore and above, depending on specialisation and seniority.
Over the past year, Page Executive has seen a 15-20% rise in hiring for R&D roles across both pharma and health-tech sectors, with firms in oncology, AI diagnostics, and digital health experiencing the sharpest increase.
“We’re seeing an uptick in Indian firms, along with multinational corporations, prioritising the expansion of their R&D teams, particularly by setting up global capability centres (GCCs) and research hubs within India,” said Nupur Mehta, partner at Page Executive.
Firms are building capabilities in AI, data science, and regulatory affairs to enhance drug development and market readiness, and R&D hiring is central to driving innovation, ensuring compliance, and maintaining competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, said Karthikeyan K, director – permanent recruitment, Adecco India.
“We have seen a 20% increase in CXO hiring, 50% for junior to mid-levels, and about 35% in senior-level hiring. Specialised R&D talent remains limited, especially in high-demand areas like life sciences and advanced technologies, where deep expertise is required,” he added.
Talent is being sourced from institutes like IISc, the IITs, NIPERs, and universities abroad, especially those known for life sciences, bioengineering, and medical research. Indian-origin researchers from abroad are also being encouraged to return to India, said hiring firms.
Firms like Lupin, Biocon Biologics, CitiusTech, Cipla, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Sanofi, and Novartis are scaling up R&D teams, said industry officials and recruitment firms. Companies are focusing among other things, on research in cancer and targeted therapies, neurology, and rare and metabolic diseases.
A key driver has been the surge in investments from private equity firms in pharma and health-tech firms, injecting not only capital, but also encouraging a greater focus on innovation and product development.
Companies are also exploring applications of AI and machine learning in diagnostics, predictive analytics, and personalised care. Research in digital therapeutics, remote monitoring, and health platforms is also on the rise.
Lupin is sharpening focus on complex generics and biosimilars, particularly in respiratory, injectables, and women's health.
“Our novel drug discovery programmes require specialised talent who can advance our research from early-stage development through to commercialisation. We're also investing in next-generation pharma technologies, including novel drug delivery systems and targeted therapies,” said Yashwant Mahadik, president – global human resources, Lupin.
At Biocon Biologics, the R&D team plays a central role in driving innovation and delivering commercially viable, high-quality biosimilars across areas such as diabetes, oncology, ophthalmology, and autoimmune diseases. The company has several upcoming programmes in biosimilar product development which is fuelling the need for more R&D talent.
“We are hiring principal scientists, associate scientists, and research associates across various specialisations. These include candidates with Master’s degrees in biotechnology, chemical engineering, as well as PhDs and post-doctoral researchers with experience in areas such as molecular biology, process development, analytical sciences, and regulatory sciences,” said a spokesperson. Their hiring strategy covers both lateral and campus hiring.
CitiusTech is investing in healthcare informatics R&D. The firm is hiring for roles in generative AI, cloud and large-scale computing, and agentic AI — especially where they intersect with healthcare applications.
Healthcare is transforming rapidly, and the adoption of digital technologies and agentic AI is opening up new possibilities for improving patient experience, clinical outcomes, and therapy research, said Sudhir Kesavan, COO, CitiusTech.
Uptick in hiring
The trend is echoed at recruitment firms like Adecco and Page Executive, which are seeing a sharp uptick in hiring for R&D roles, with compensation at the upper levels going up to Rs. 1-2 crore and above, depending on specialisation and seniority.
Over the past year, Page Executive has seen a 15-20% rise in hiring for R&D roles across both pharma and health-tech sectors, with firms in oncology, AI diagnostics, and digital health experiencing the sharpest increase.
“We’re seeing an uptick in Indian firms, along with multinational corporations, prioritising the expansion of their R&D teams, particularly by setting up global capability centres (GCCs) and research hubs within India,” said Nupur Mehta, partner at Page Executive.
Firms are building capabilities in AI, data science, and regulatory affairs to enhance drug development and market readiness, and R&D hiring is central to driving innovation, ensuring compliance, and maintaining competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, said Karthikeyan K, director – permanent recruitment, Adecco India.
“We have seen a 20% increase in CXO hiring, 50% for junior to mid-levels, and about 35% in senior-level hiring. Specialised R&D talent remains limited, especially in high-demand areas like life sciences and advanced technologies, where deep expertise is required,” he added.
Talent is being sourced from institutes like IISc, the IITs, NIPERs, and universities abroad, especially those known for life sciences, bioengineering, and medical research. Indian-origin researchers from abroad are also being encouraged to return to India, said hiring firms.
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