Opportunities in Pharma

PharmaFest highlights numerous pathways into pharmaceutical industry

East Carolina University students attending PharmaFest on Wednesday sought just one thing.

Lawrence Newkirk, right, a senior biology student, talks to representatives of Novo Nordisk during PharmaFest on Wednesday. Newkirk said he came to the event to find a job or internship in the pharmaceutical industry. (Photo by Steven Grandy)

“I’m looking for an opportunity. It doesn’t really matter if it’s an internship or a job. I’m just looking for an opportunity,” said Lawrence Newkirk, a senior biology major from Wilmington.

Students learned about career pathways into the pharmaceutical industry during PharmaFest, an annual event put on by ECU’s Eastern Region Pharma Center with support from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

“After college, my plans are pretty vast, but I’d like to work in some sort of laboratory setting,” Newkirk said. “Pharma is a good industry to get into to start off and see where it goes from there.”

Indeed. According to the N.C. Biotechnology Center, more than 800 life sciences and pharmaceutical companies in the state employ more than 75,000 people with an average salary of about $112,000.

And if you think the industry is just for chemists and biologists, think again.

“My suspicion is that students outside of biology, chemistry and the bio-based engineering disciplines aren’t aware of the opportunities that they have in pharma,” said Dr. Loren Limberis, director of ECU’s pharma center and associate professor of engineering. “Pharma needs mechanical engineers. They need electrical engineers. They need all types of chemists, biologists, IT, cybersecurity, finance, risk management, supply chain and distribution. They are not aware of these opportunities, and PharmaFest is the event to help companies reach out to students to show them these opportunities.”

Dexter Taylor is one of those students. The sophomore from Goldsboro is a distribution and logistics major who said he attended PharmaFest out of curiosity.

“PharmaFest allows me to network and see a lot of different organizations and fields that I may look into growing a career,” he said.

Taylor spoke to several of the employers at the event.

“A successful day for me would be to get at least two employers to set up a second meeting, whether that is for an internship or possible career,” he said.

From right, Colleen Brady, Geovanne Rochin and Mitchell Steiner, representing Fresenius Kabi, speak to a student during PharmaFest. (Photo by Ken Buday)

Eduardo Gonzalez, human resources site leader at Fresenius Kabi in Wilson, said the company came to PharmaFest looking for workers.

“We’re here looking for interns and employees,” he said. “Currently we’re on a growth mode for our new facility as well as starting new lines, so we’re here recruiting.”

He feels that ECU and pharma are a strong match.

“The programs and majors ECU offers go hand in hand with our industry,” Gonzalez said.

Geovanne Rochin graduated from ECU in 2019 with an engineering degree and a concentration in bioprocess engineering. He has worked for Fresenius Kabi ever since. He helped recruit ECU students at last year’s PharmaFest and returned this year.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to let students know what’s out there and let them know what sort of career opportunities exist,” Rochin said. “Everyone has a different major, but you can choose a different career path than what you majored in.”

Five years removed from his time at ECU, Rochin shared advice for current students.

“I’d encourage them to take chances and put yourself out there,” Rochin said. “Show what you can and can’t do.”

ECU’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education and Career Services also contributed to PharmaFest.

The Eastern Region Pharma Center, with support from the Golden LEAF Foundation and ECU, was created in 2021 to promote workforce development and career pathways to meet pharmaceutical job needs in the region. Housed in ECU’s Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building, it supports students from ECU as well as partnering community colleges in the eastern North Carolina region known as the biopharma crescent. More information on the center and its mission can be found on its website.