Biotech companies and contract research organizations offer distinct work environments, according to insights shared by industry professionals on Aug. 6. Ali Pashazadeh, founder and CEO of Treehill Partners, said the differences often depend on company size. At large global contract research organizations (CROs), employees typically provide input into studies but do not make principal decisions about which studies are run or how they are conducted.
“When you’re sitting within a biotech, you’re the one driving the bus. You’re the one making the decisions,” Pashazadeh said. He added that at small biotechs, employees must accomplish as much as possible with limited resources, making their future closely tied to the success or failure of their company.
Egle Pavyde, vice president of business development at APICES—a European CRO—said she values the variety her role offers: “One day you’re discussing an oncology first-in-human trial, the next it’s a rare disease gene therapy or a metabolic disorder.” She also pointed out that CROs offer more stability because they support hundreds of programs rather than relying on a single pipeline. “A CRO... supports hundreds of programs, so you’re not living or dying by one clinical readout,” Pavyde said.
Pavyde noted that working at a biotech provides opportunities for deeper investment in a single mission: “You’re not just helping develop a therapy—you’re helping build a company around it.” She emphasized that biotech employees often have greater influence over strategic decisions due to smaller team sizes.
When advising those choosing between CROs and biotechs, Pavyde asks whether they prefer variety or depth in their work experiences. “If you’re energized by solving new problems every month...a CRO is probably the better fit,” she said. “If...you want to dedicate years to a single molecule or platform...biotech is likely where you’ll thrive.”
Pashazadeh concluded that individuals well suited for biotechs enjoy high-intensity settings with small teams and budget-driven decision-making from day one. He observed that while movement between sectors is relatively uncommon, some professionals do transition based on their evolving career goals.
