Career Outlook: Cell and Gene Therapy

Cell and gene therapy is part of a revolutionary field of therapies designed to treat, prevent and potentially cure a range of diseases and health conditions. It is a rapidly growing sector in biopharmaceutical manufacturing with demonstrated job growth over the past several years. That growth is projected to continue, making it an exciting and rewarding career choice.  

There is high demand for a qualified workforce in cell and gene therapy, since it is an emerging industry experiencing rapid growth. According to Lightcast, a leader in labor market analytics, from January 2019 to January 2023, cell and gene therapy job postings grew around 400%, and the specialized skill of cell therapy is expected to see a 75% increase in demand in the next two years.  

Building a Specialized Workforce

Cell and gene therapy roles and job titles can vary quite a bit from company to company, and many often require on-the-job training. However, a foundational knowledge of cell and gene therapy is highly coveted because companies don’t need to train their workforce from scratch. With a background in cell and gene therapy, there are a variety of career opportunities available from hands-on specialist and technician roles to tangentially related positions in sales and marketing. Some areas to consider include:

• Regulatory and compliance
• Quality assurance and quality control
• Process development
• Upstream and downstream processing
• Research and Development
• Cell culture
• Manufacturing
• Packaging
• Automation  

Entry-level positions are widely available, according to Lightcast, with one-third of all job postings in 2022 requiring little to no experience. The majority of job postings do require a Bachelor’s degree and all are looking for cell therapy as a specialized skill. Other top skills include good manufacturing practices, cell cultures, biology and cell biology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, process development and biochemical assays. Being detail oriented and self-motivated are also key, as is having strong communication, writing, research and problem-solving skills.  

There are several professional associations that promote the advancement of the industry and development of a skilled workforce. Association members also have access to networking opportunities, professional development, education and training resources, job boards, funding opportunities and more. These organizations include, California Life Sciences, National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing of Biopharmaceuticals, BioMade , CA Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Alliance for Regenerative Medicine.

Getting Started

Due to the specialized nature of cell and gene therapy work, those with a highly relevant background in the field will be more competitive and better prepared to excel in their careers. As a foundational program designed to meet the demand for a skilled workforce in biotechnology, our Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Specialization provides fundamental scientific knowledge and practical skills to meet the needs of a diverse audience, including:

• Current biotech employees involved in biomanufacturing who need specialized training in cell and gene therapy production
• Recent graduates interested in biotech careers and looking to gain highly marketable skills in this emerging field
• Industry professionals in non-manufacturing roles who need a general understanding/technical know-how of this subject to better communicate with their teams and clients or those interested in transitioning to a manufacturing role
• Biotech companies looking for onboarding training for employees
• Investors, policymakers or anyone needing a broad understanding of cell and gene therapy and applications for health  

Designed to quickly bring anyone up to speed on cell and gene therapy manufacturing, the online program provides a general overview of both therapies and their applications for health, regulatory considerations, production methods and quality control, various techniques for maintaining and manipulating cells in the lab, and stem cells for regenerative therapies. 

Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Specialization Details

• Complete in as few as 2 months
• 4 online classes: $2,000 total