OVERVIEW

The United States spends over $2 trillion on Healthcare each year and the job market continues to flourish. Seven of the twenty fastest growing occupations are Healthcare related. The biotechnology sector has also been rapidly growing throughout the past two decades. Typically, Heinz students pursuing a degree in this area will seek employment in:

HEALTHCARE:

• Healthcare Consulting 
• Healthcare Finance
• Healthcare Administration
• Database Management for Healthcare Systems
• Operations Management for Healthcare Systems

BIOTECHNOLOGY:

• Marketing & Sales Management
• Production Management
• Regulatory Affairs
• Healthcare and Life Science Consulting
• Biotechnology Management

Students interested in these sectors should focus on their problem solving, management, and leadership skills. Employers will want you to demonstrate these during an interview. Employers are also searching for these skills:

• Strong written and oral communication skills 
• The ability to multitask and work in a fast paced environment 
• The capacity to lead and work within a team oriented environment 
• Strong problem solving and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of current trends in healthcare and government regulations as they pertain to hospital and medical management

COMMON JOB TITLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Team / Project Lead

Assist with and support program management of assigned projects. Support operational enhancements and process improvements and day to day field operations. Support quality assurance programs and regulatory compliance activities. Provide management pertinent and relevant information on an ongoing basis.

Operations Manager

Responsible for business and market development. Provide operational leadership to all associated departments. Ensure quality care, efficient operations and patient satisfaction.

Business Analyst

Serve as a liaison between lines of business and project teams by assisting the organization in identifying, understanding and documenting business needs. Closely work with project managers to contribute towards project plans.

Administrative Fellow

HCPM: Serve as an entry level administrative fellow in a hospital or health system. Rotate among key departments and perform special projects as needed.

Regulatory Affairs Specialist

BTM: Make sure the organization is strictly adhering to government rules and regulations. This role can be in pharmaceuticals, energy or medical devices. Often interacts with regulatory agencies.

Policy Analyst

Interact with clients, conduct research, and evaluate health policy. Perform detailed analysis of proposed legislation, and assess its potential impact.

Consultant

Work on special projects for clients in health care, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, government, and/or non-profit organizations.

Budget Analyst

Provide in-depth analytical, budget, and special project work for the organization. Interact with department management and Finance staff on issues regarding financial reporting and analysis. Assist in the development of the annual capital and operating budgets.

Researcher

Help design and conduct research projects in a team-oriented environment. Conduct research that applies rigorous impartial data collection, analysis, and reporting using quantitative and/or qualitative techniques. Help develop proposals for new research projects. Represent the organization's expertise through various mechanisms that reach beyond clients, such as publications and conferences.

Lobbyist

Communicate the organization’s position before the Administration, Congress and federal agencies. Educate the organization’s membership about issues and their status in the legislative, regulatory, and judicial process.

SEARCH STRATEGIES:

• Site visits, including informational interviews
• Participation in networking events 
• Practical experience, such as internships or the systems synthesis project
• Involvement in healthcare policy challenges and consulting challenges
• Web research, including targeted searches at specific company websites and general searches at websites such as http://www.healthjobsusa.com/ and http://www.healthcarejobbank.com/.

Due to time and budget constraints, nonprofit organizations rarely recruit on campus (with the exception of the Public Service Fair and the Pittsburgh Nonprofit Job & Internship Fair). However, they will post opportunities regularly through the Career Office on TartanTRAK and other online resources. Applying for opportunities online will generally not be enough; you must be proactive in your search. You need to use your network to connect with people in the organization. A good rule of thumb with nonprofits – the more proactive you are and the more you use your network, the better you will be.

How to build your network – attend conferences and networking events, conduct informational interviews, join a professional organization (take advantage of student rates!), volunteer, sign-up for newsletters, join online networking communities (e.g. LinkedIn), identify and contact alumni in the organization.

RESOURCES

• Career Services (Hamburg Hall A002) has dozens of books and career guides available for loan, in addition to a subscription to Hospitals & Health Networks and Modern Healthcare.
• Search the online job listings and resources