Regeneron Pharmaceuticals tops Science Careers' survey of the best biotech and pharmaceutical employers.
"Our vision focuses on three things: teamwork, innovation, and translation. We believe being committed to all three is the best way to do science," George Yancopoulos, the president of Regeneron, tells Science Careers. Last year, Regeneron was ranked second in the survey, though it has taken home first before that.
Novo Nordisk and Moderna Therapeutics round out the top three employers.
To create their rankings, Science Careers emailed some 25,000 individuals from around the world to invite them to take a survey. It asked them what they considered to be the characteristics of a top employer as well as what defines a bad employer. The respondents said that top employers are innovative leaders, treat their employees with respect, and have a work culture that matches that of their employees, among other characteristics. They also typically function as meritocracies and have adequate resources.
The respondents further said that ineffective leaders, too much politicking, and poor ethics mark companies that aren't good places to work.
The firms were then ranked based on these characteristics. Science Careers also contacted 400 people working in human resources at industry firms.
According to the rankings, Regeneron is considered an innovative leader, is socially responsible, and has a clear vision. It, along with runner-up Novo Nordisk, also "recognize that fast-paced work carries a higher risk for employee exhaustion, so they encourage taking personal time and working from home when possible," Science Careers adds.
Other companies in the top 10 include Eli Lilly, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Novozymes, Genentech, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Biocon, and Roche.