The life sciences industry is strong in Westchester County and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. In fact, life sciences is the fastest-growing sector in Westchester County, according to Bridget Gibbons, the director of economic development for Westchester County.
She attributes much of this growth to a $1.8 billion expansion for Regeneron in the next several years, with more than 1,000 full-time jobs that need to be filled. “Regeneron acts as a sort of magnet for other companies that want to be located close to them, resulting in a cluster of business growth in the life sciences around the areas of Tarrytown and Valhalla,” she says. In addition, the recent relocation of the New York Blood Center to Rye and the groundbreaking this spring of North80, a bioscience and technology campus, all point to a promising future for job seekers in the life sciences industry throughout the county.
“Regeneron is extremely important to Westchester County, our economy and our well-being, considering their role during COVID,” explains Gibbons. Regeneron currently employs 4,000 people here, but the life sciences sector employs 8,000 people overall in Westchester, representing more than 20% of New York State’s total life sciences employment. These jobs are available in everything from academic institutions, R&D startups, large manufacturers, and supply chain participants to several nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to science research and patient advocacy. The industry also supports jobs in many related services, such as consulting, marketing, and financing.
A job in the life sciences might be right for you if:
- You want to help discover medications that help people cure or manage their conditions.
- You’re interested in finding answers to scientific problems.
- You’re good with numbers and data.
- You’re good at putting people at ease [for certain Jobs that require interaction with patients or study subjects, such as phlebotomist).
In order to keep a pipeline of suitable job candidates, the County Executive’s office is undertaking a study to assess current job openings and what the expected demand for life sciences jobs will be in the future. The county government also wants to ensure that Westchester-based employees are trained properly and have the skills they need to get hired.
You Don’t Need a Doctorate
While many people may assume that all life sciences jobs require a master’s, medical, or doctorate degree, that is not the case. There are many opportunities for those with a bachelor’s degree or associate degree.
For example, clinical laboratory technicians typically require a Bachelor of Science degree, but some positions may only require an associate degree. The median salary for such positions in the county was almost $77,000 last year, according to a job-seeker report by the Westchester County Association. Clinical laboratory technicians perform medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases. Employment of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians is projected to grow 5% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. About 24,000 openings for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Another high-demand job available — usually with an associate degree — is a phlebotomist. Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. The mean salary for a phlebotomist in New York State is close to $47,000. Employment of phlebotomists is projected to grow 8% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations, and with the New York Blood Center opening and expanding in Rye, Westchester-based job seekers are sure to see many job openings here in the future. About 19,500 openings for phlebotomists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
“The life sciences sector is only going to keep growing and will have a tremendous impact on the entire ecosystem of the county,” concludes Gibbons.
Some Key Westchester Employers
- Cognition Therapeutics
- New York Blood Center
- Oligomerix
- Quadrus Medical Technologies
- Regeneron
For a more complete list of employers in Westchester’s life sciences ecosystem, view this map.
Related: Want to Attend a Job Fair in Westchester? Here’s How to Get Ready
