2026 NAMs Workforce & Hiring Trends Survey

Purpose: To understand current challenges & skills gaps, detect market trends, and anticipate future hiring needs related to New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in therapeutics/drug development and safety assessment.

This survey was distributed to NAMs practitioners and leaders, and the responses reflect hands-on experience and real operational needs. The goal was to uncover shared challenges and emerging needs, not to benchmark individual companies.

Note: this survey was conducted in Q1 2026. The blog site went up later, so keep in mind this data may have already shifted.

New Approach methodologies recruiting

Covalent Recruiting is your go-to for New Approach Methodologies talent.

We've placed bench scientists with expertise in:

• Cell sourcing & manufacturing scale-up

• Organoid development

• Microphysiological systems/organs-on-chip

• Media/biomaterials/matrix development

• Analytical & imaging capabilities

• Bioreactor engineering, perfusion, & other niche platform technologies

• Automation integration

• AI, computational modeling, simulation

• In vitro/in vivo translation

As NAMs technologies and teams mature, so do the leadership needs. We fill those roles too, from technical department heads to the C-suite.

Please reach out for anything NAMs-related via our contact page here!