It's the close of Q3 and fall hiring is officially underway. Regulatory and Clinical Development job postings continue to rise, while we're also seeing activity pick back up in functions that had been relatively quiet or frozen over the past year (cough, cough... Clinical Operations). That momentum is showing up in offers, too. The Trebla team has seen a 65% increase in extended offers compared with this time last year. As we head into Q4, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: biotech is back!
T R E N D S
Here's what we're seeing in the biotech hiring landscape right now
Trebla's Take
We finally have the numbers to back up what we've been feeling in the market. Biotech and Pharma job postings on BioSpace increased 17% from January to August, while August's job postings were up 34% year-over-year.
More jobs don't necessarily mean easier searches. We're seeing hiring become increasingly specialized. Therapeutic area, stage of development, and submission experience are carrying more weight than ever. If I had a dollar for every hiring manager wanting "late-stage submission experience" I'd have a few thousand!
We're also seeing the return of searches in functions that were much quieter throughout 2025 and early 2026, particularly Clinical Operations, which, in our opinion, is one of the more encouraging signs that companies are beginning to think beyond immediate survival and more about the long term.
M&A Boom
Biotech M&A continues to be a double-edged sword: integration and restructuring can put great talent on the market, while retention packages can make some of the most attractive candidates harder to pull away. One trend that was interesting this month: it seems like small biotechs are back in the game. It's not the laundry list of Lilly and AbbVie acquisitions that we saw earlier in 2026.
Lisata Therapeutics → Marea Therapeutics
Announced a reverse merger focusing the company on Marea's cardio-endocrine pipeline.
Lexeo Therapeutics → Mantle Therapeutics
This acquisition brings the private clinical-stage biotech into the portfolio, adding multiple rare genetic disorder (Friedreich ataxia) programs and modalities.
Revvity → Human Cell Design
Revvity announced the acquisition to expand in diabetes, obesity and metabolic disease.
Trimming their Trials
Hiring is improving, but workforce reductions haven't disappeared. September continued a trend we've been watching closely. Rather than broad reductions across every function, companies are laying off in one therapeutic area while aggressively hiring highly specialized talent in another (a result of the RIFs coming from larger organizations rather than small biotech).
Here's the list we thought would be the most helpful:
TScan Therapeutics (Waltham, MA)
Announced a 75% workforce reduction after pausing its clinical hem-onc and autoimmune programs.
Sionna Therapeutics (Waltham, MA)
Following disappointing clinical results from its cystic fibrosis program, Sionna announced plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 46%.
Enanta Pharmaceuticals (Watertown, MA)
The antiviral company eliminated 37 positions to reprioritize into immunology indications.
Novartis, Novo, Merck, and BMS (Northeast USA)
Each large pharma cut over 100 positions across the Northeast.
T R E B L A
A behind-the-scenes look at what Trebla's been up to this month
Website Makeover
Our new Trebla Talent website is officially live! Take a peek: www.treblatalent.com
Trebla's Pick
Are you hiring? We have you covered!
Regulatory Pick · Candidate #7590
Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs- PharmD; 10+ years of Regulatory Affairs experience
- Current Global Regulatory Lead on Myasthenia Gravis program
- Interactions with FDA, EU, Japan, Canada
- Experience developing treatments across Neurology, Autoimmune, and Neuroimmunology
- Successfully led IND, CTA, NDA and BLA filings
- Based in San Francisco Bay Area
Clinical Pick · Candidate #12318
Executive Medical Director, Clinical Development- MD; Board-certified Oncologist
- 15 years of Clinical drug development experience
- Deep oncology background across ADCs, stem cell therapy, hematologic malignancies, and solid tumors
- Bulk of experience in a small biotech setting
- Based in San Francisco, CA
Offers for the Month
Recent Compensation Packages
Executive Medical Director, Clinical Development
- Base Salary: $380,000
- Annual Bonus: 30%
- Equity: 40,000 stock option units
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Company Stage: Pre-IPO
Senior Director, Drug Safety & Pharmacovigilance
- Base Salary: $390,000
- Annual Bonus: 25%
- Equity: 70,000 stock option units
- Sign-on: $60,000
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Company Stage: Public
Vice President, Clinical Operations
- Base Salary: $335,000
- Annual Bonus: 27%
- Equity: 27,400 stock units
- Location: Boston, MA
- Company Stage: Pre-IPO
Director, Clinical Quality Assurance
- Base Salary: $290,000
- Sign-on: $25,000
- Location: Madison, WI
- Company Stage: Non-profit
Active Searches
Open Roles
Regulatory Affairs
- Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs – Autoimmune (Waltham, MA)
- Vice President, Regulatory Affairs – Oncology (Remote USA)
- Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs – Oncology (Boston, MA)
- Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs – Neurology (South San Francisco, CA)
- Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs – Autoimmune (Remote USA)
- Associate Director, Regulatory Ad/Promo (Boston, MA)
Clinical Development
- Vice President, Clinical Development – HemOnc (Remote USA)
- Executive Medical Director, Clinical Development – HemOnc (Remote USA)
- Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development – Autoimmune (Remote USA)
- Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development – Rare Disease (San Francisco, CA)
Medical Writing
- Senior Director, Medical Writing – Rare Disease (San Francisco, CA)
- Senior Director, Medical Writing – Rare Disease (Remote USA)
T R I B E
Here's what the Trebla team's been doing off the clock
Brandon has been soaking up the fall colors and last bits of good weather with Jessica and Finn in the Colorado Rockies. Dakota is in the home stretch of training for her first marathon, taking on NYC on November 1! And Natalia is officially back to being a true SF local, settling into Bay Area life and becoming a familiar face around SSF/Oyster Point. If you're nearby, give her a ping for coffee or lunch!
