Hi there!

 

I'm Sian Kneller, and I work in Global Medical Affairs at a Fortune 500 company. Having worked at two of the largest biopharma companies in the world, I’ve had quite a non-traditional journey into pharma—and I want to share my story to show you that breaking into this industry isn’t always a straight path.

 

My Background

I started out as a bioscience graduate, earning a biochemistry undergraduate degree followed by a master’s in biomedical sciences. Like many science grads, I initially thought my career would be in the lab. So, I spent about a year working in a lab… and quickly realized that it really wasn’t for me.

I knew I wanted something more creative, so I started exploring other possibilities. That’s when I stumbled upon the world of competitive intelligence—a role that let me attend conferences and analyze market trends in the industry. It was a great introduction to the business side of science, but I still wanted something with more creativity.

 

My First Step Into MedComms

One day, I came across an Associate Medical Writer role at a medical communications (MedComms) agency. It was an entry-level role where I got to write scientific materials like abstracts and posters, symposium slides and business pitches. It sounded like the perfect mix of science and creativity—so I jumped in!

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From there, I worked across various agencies—including advertising, MedComms, and PR—even trying my hand at freelancing. It was an amazing learning experience, but eventually, I decided I wanted to move beyond working with pharma clients and actually be part of the industry itself.

 

Going In-House

That’s when I made the move in-house and landed a role in Global Scientific Communications at one of the biggest pharma companies, with over 100,000 employees worldwide. It was a completely different experience—one that showed me the full scope of how science, strategy, and business come together in pharma.

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Breaking Into Biotech & Pharma

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there are so many ways to break into biotech and pharma—you don’t have to take the traditional route. Of course, if you’re a recent graduate, there are entry-level roles or you may want to consider bridging roles to gain experience. But if you’re coming from a different background or want to pivot, there are opportunities in medical communications, competitive intelligence, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, and beyond.

I’m here to help demystify the process and show you how you can leverage your skills in industry—because if I did it, you can too!