About this episode

The episode discusses the current state of the biopharma talent market, focusing on hiring trends, the impact of AI, and the implications of a K-shaped recovery.

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Real Pharma, hosts Na-Ri Oh and Ian Wendt sit down with Kristiaan Rawlings, Executive Director at EPM Scientific, to unpack what is really happening in the biopharma talent market right now. From the surprising resurgence of market access hiring to the growing influence of AI in recruiting and candidate preparation, this conversation explores the forces reshaping commercial talent strategy in 2026. The group also digs into salary inflation, title compression, M&A-driven hiring shifts, hybrid work expectations, and why communication skills and executive presence may matter more than ever. What We Cover Why market access has re-emerged as one of the hottest hiring areas in biopharma How companies are responding to policy shifts, competition, and launch pressure What the current K-shaped hiring market means for candidates in high-demand vs. lower-demand functions Why specialists in forecasting, analytics, and insights may need to broaden their skill sets How AI is affecting interviews, candidate prep, and recruiting workflows The continued importance of presentation skills, executive presence, and storytelling How M&A activity is influencing…

People in this episode

Hosts: Na-Ri Oh, Ian Wendt

Guest: Kristiaan Rawlings

Topics covered

• biopharma talent market
• AI in recruiting
• market access hiring
• salary inflation
• M&A-driven hiring
• hybrid work expectations
• communication skills

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: EPM Scientific

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