Kubo Recruitment meets MK Storm

At a recent MK Lightning match, some of the staff at Kubo Recruitment managed to meet a few of the players of the new under 16s girls' ice hockey team - MK Storm.



Kubo meet some of the girls from MK Storm 

Kubo are sponsoring the girls shirts, so it was nice to see them proudly wearing them, sporting the Kubo Recruitment logo. Kubo really enjoyed meeting the girls and watching them in action during their demonstrations in the breaks of the MK Lightning-Guildford Flames match.



It looks like the girls managed to recruit two more players, as the daughters of the Kubo staff were keen to get in on the action and support the girls.

Kubo sponsor MK Storm under 16s girls ice hockey team!

The Milton Keynes Junior Ice Hockey Club (MKJIHC) has been able to enter an Under 16s girls team in the league, proving that the MK girls certainly can play ice hockey!

Kubo are the proud sponsors of the new girls team and will be attending the Milton Keynes Lightning home game this Saturday at 7pm. During one of the breaks, the girls will run a demonstration to display their skills and encourage more girls to take up the sport.

Tickets for the MK Lightning home match against the Guildford Flames are available online now at www.mk-lightning.co.uk/tickets, in person from the Arena reception or by phoning 01908 540020.

We look forward to seeing you at Phuse next month!

Kubo are pleased to announce that we will be at the 2015 Phuse Conference in Vienna from the 11th - 14th of October!

The theme of the 2015 PhUSE Annual Conference in Vienna will be “Clinical Data Science - From Data to Knowledge”.

Throughout the 3 days conference there will be seminars, debates, hands on workshops and 3 very inspirational keynote speakers talking about their achievements both inside and outside of business. 

Keynote Speakers

Alex Flynn Previously a Lawyer, after being diagnosed with the degenerative disease Parkinson's in 2008, Alex Flynn set himself a '10MillionMetres' challenge. He completed the gruelling Marathon des Sables (250km race across the Sahara Desert), ran in excess of 135 miles across  the Bavarian Alps and ran from London to Rome in 30 days to meet the Pope. 

John Sall John Sall is co-founder and Executive Vice President of SAS, leading the development of JMP, serving scientists and engineers with an easy-to-use graphically interactive statistical software. John is a fellow of both the American Statistical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also an elected member of the International Statistical Institute.

Simon Weston
Simon Weston headed out to the Falklands war in 1982 unknown, and returned following the bombing of the Sir Galahad recognised by the world, not only for the 46% burns he endured, but for the optimism he radiates. Simon's message is one of the single-minded determination to not only accept what is, but to turn that to your advantage, his own career demonstrating how a positive mental attitude can achieve great business goals. 




The Phuse Conference looks set to be a great event that will motivate and inspire not only those  in in the life sciences industry, but those who admire the dedication and courage of others! 

Kubo will be continuing our support of World Cancer Research Fund, by donating for every business card we receive at the event. so make sure you stop by stand 26 and drop your business card into us! We look forward to seeing you there!

Kubo meet their new MK Lighting player!

As you know Kubo are avid sponsors and supporters of the MK lighting Hockey team. Every year we are proud to sponsor one of the team. Last Monday Kubo braved the bank holiday rain and met our new MK lightning player forward Markku Tahtinen, this season we will be sponsoring Markku's "Away" shirt. 

After meeting and having our photo taken with Markku, the kids had a chance to ask him and the other players a few questions before we were treated to seeing the team take to the ice for a team practice, lead by GB men’s coach Russell.

It was a great chance to meet everyone and have a catch up, as this will be our 3rd consecutive year sponsoring the team.

We look forward to seeing how the new team get on this upcoming season and we wish them luck in their first game today against the Basingstoke Bisons!

Lack of young talent in the life sciences industry is worrying!

Mature workers greatly outnumber newer employees in the UK life sciences sector – which could possibly lead to a shortage of essential skills, according to a new survey.

Figures by Cogent Skills from the national Labour Force Survey in the past 12 months show that in life sciences, there are 28% more employees aged 40-64 than 16-40. New or recent school leavers and graduates make up only 5% of the total workforce. More than 80% of companies in the industry have vacancies affected by skills shortages with more than 70% struggling to attract applicants with the skills they need to satisfy “hard to fill” vacancies.

Mark Botting, board member of the Science Industry Partnership, says: “The age gap across the life sciences sector is a clear signal that science sector companies need to have succession planning along with skills and talent development on their agenda now. Skills shortages ultimately affect an organisation’s ability to compete in an increasingly global market.
“The figures we have collated suggest that a greater proportion of people currently working across industrial and life sciences will be leaving the workforce in the next 25 years than those remaining behind. The sector needs to do something now to address the brain drain. 

Cogent Skills, the UK’s strategic body for skills in the science industries, highlights Actavis’ Trailblazer apprenticeships – which are bespoke for the company’s skills requirements – as an example of how this can be addressed. Actavis' Technical Transfer Manager Hilary Jeffrey's said "Though employers may previously have struggled with the concept of employing apprentices rather than graduates, they are now understanding the opportunity apprenticeships offer to individuals and the company, 

Hilary continued “The qualifications combined with the experience apprentices gain are very relevant to employers. With bespoke apprenticeships such as the Trailblazer we will develop people with the right skills because we’ve been directly involved in defining and shaping what is required to enable the employee to do the role by the end of the course.”

This all seems a bit worrying for the future of the life sciences industry and shows just how important new talent really is. Maybe we need to be going right back to the start of the process and telling children about the life sciences sector and what is involved, when they are thinking about their career options at school? I remember talking to my teenage brother about the industry when i first started at Kubo and he had no idea about how much went into the prescriptions and healthcare he takes for granted everyday. Maybe its a lack of knowledge in the industry rather than a lack of interest? 

Lack of engagement from employees is having a major affect on businesses!

Research conducted by gallup.com showed that 15% of workers in Germany are disengaged in their jobs. A more worrying report by Gallup reported only 13% of employees are actively engaged in the US. Disengagement is not as simple as saying someone is unhappy at work, disengaged employees take less pride in their work, have less loyalty to their company and take more time off, thus costing businesses billions every year! 

Disengaged workers costs the German economy 73 billion to 95 billion euros annually in lost productivity. Each day when someone is away from work in Germany it costs a business 252 Euros! Disengagement costs the US $2,246 per disengaged employee per year!

Seeing those figures should surely make any company sit up and be more aware of their employees. So why are people feeling disengaged? 

Employee disengagement is primarily driven by how supervisors - from team leaders to line managers - manage people. Given the state of employee engagement in Germany today, it's evident that most managers aren't creating environments in which employees feel motivated. 

The main reasons for disengagement as reported by staff were; 

• Stress and isolation, 
• Lack of training,
• Skills and accomplishments going unrewarded. 
• No raise or financial incentives,
• Lack of respect,
• Lack of communication within the company.
• Too many restrictions and rules. 

You might think staff leaving and moving on might be a good thing if they are disengaged. However, the cost of staff training and the fact that employees have desirable skills and knowledge, is enough reason to keep staff within your company.  If you don't take full advantage of your employees another company or competitor will! 

Word of mouth and social media all play a part on how staff express their disengagement with a company. If customers are considering a service or product, they will take recommendations from their friends, family, media and digital technology. If they are seeing negative feedback about a company that will affect their decision. 

So can companies really afford not to take employee disengagement seriously?

Best, Worst and most Stressful jobs in the UK?

A study conducted by search engine Adzuna.co.uk in September 2013, analysed over 2,000 job titles to highlight the best, worst, most stressful
in the UK. Each job title was scored based on 25 different criteria including earning potential, working conditions, competitiveness, unemployment rates and job security. These scores were then combined to produce an overall list of the top 10 best and worst jobs in the UK.

So what were the results? 


The Worst Jobs of 2013 – Miners and Couriers have the worst jobs in the UK the study has shown. High-pressure deadlines, the lowest income growth potential in the survey and long hours pushed these roles to the top the of  the“worst” list.  Sous chefs, Electricians and HGV Drivers round out the rest of the worst jobs.

The Best Jobs of 2013 – On a positive note the best jobs on the market are Translators, Web Developers and Surgeons. These roles boasted the highest levels of job security in the study, some of the highest average salaries (exceeding £85,000 p.a.) and excellent income growth potential of up to 8 times starting salary. Lack of competition, employer demand, rising wages and excellent working environments also resulted in Web Developers being voted one of the most stress free jobs in the UK today.

The Most Stressful Jobs – And finally the most stressful jobs have been revealed unsurprisingly to be Pilots & Oil Riggers, with doctors and fireman making an appearance on the list, scoring top for emotional and physical stress. Journalists rank as the 4th most stressful career choice, primarily due to highest pressure working environments and a deadline driven culture. Low levels of competition, few deadlines and little physical work have resulted in Librarians and Translators being named the least stressful jobs on the market.

Which list would you put your job in? 

References- Adzuna.co.uk

Great to see you all at PSI last week!

Last week Kubo exhibited at the annual PSI conference at the Millennium Gloucester hotel in London. With over 280 delegates, 20 exhibitors and 62 speakers it was a busy and packed few days!

Kubo spoke to professionals across the 3 days, some looking to progress their career, some looking to fill new roles or some that just wanted to chat about the industry.

Rachel Keay and Andi Brown from Kubo attended the quiz night and barn dance Gala dinner and no, thankfully, there are no pictures we will be sharing of the event!

Before PSI 2015 Kubo said we would be donating to World Cancer Research Fund, our 2015 sponsored charity. For every business card we received at this event we would donate to the charity. We are please to announce that on Monday we made a donation on behalf of everyone that took the time to stop by our stand and drop in their business cards. Kubo would like to extend our thanks to those that helped us support World Cancer Research Fund and as a result, support the work that this amazing charity does to research and prevent cancer.

How will the UK General Election effect your pocket?

The UK Election has kicked off and the parties have released their 2015 Manifestos. How will what their proposing effect wages and jobs?

All parties have said that they want to help people see more of their money. How do they plan to do this? The Conservatives have said that they will raise the minimum wage tax threshold to £12,500 and 40% tax on £50,000 plus. The labour party have said they will raise minimum wage to £8 by 2019 and re-introduce a 10% starting tax and 50% on earnings over £150000. The Liberal Democrats have also said that they would raise the income tax threshold to £12,500 while UKIP would raise it to £13,500 and introduce a 35% tax on earnings between £42,000 and £55,000.

Therefore what about Jobs and young people starting out in the job market?
Labour have said that they want to offer apprenticeships for every school leaver who gets the grades. The Conservatives have said that they want to aim for full employment where "anyone who wants a job is able to get a job". They also want to further fund their apprenticeship schemes and offer 3 million more places. The Green party want to create 1 million public sector jobs and introduce a maximum 35 hour working week.

It seems that all the parties are offering a lot of promise within the job market and all want to boost our economy. This would be great for everyone if we could see the unemployment figures drop even further and see more money in our pockets.

For the 2nd year running Kubo will be at the PSI Annual Conference next month!

Kubo are proud for the 2nd year running will be exhibiting at the 2015 PSI conference between the 10th and 13th of May at The Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London. 

This year the PSI Annual conference theme will be "Relevant Applications in a Changing Environment", with a focus on case studies and collaboration.  This will the 38th consecutive annual event which is regarded as the principal annual event for statisticians in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry in Europe. 

The conference is held over a 3 day period and made up of plenary sessions, parallel sessions (including breakout sessions and sessions for career young statisticians), poster sessions and the annual general meeting. Sessions include data transparency, meta-analysis, estimands, risk-based monitoring, data visualization and many more with speakers from industry, academia and regulatory agencies.

There will 60 speakers over the 3 days a pub quiz and a barn dance! I'm not sure if Kubo will be donning our cowboy boots just yet, but im sure that the event will have a lot to offer and will be a great success!

If you will be attending the event next month make sure you stop by our stand and say hello!

Is it time spent with family or time spent away from work you are looking forward to most this Easter break?

Summer is upon us, the days are finally longer and the Easter break is very nearly here. Is it the time spent with your family and friends you are looking forward to most or just the time spent away from work! If it's the latter then maybe its time to start looking for something different?

Kubo have been overwhelmed with the number of new job roles that have arisen over the last few months from companies looking to expand. It seems business is good and companies are looking to fill those much needed positions. 

Take a look at some of the new opportunities that Kubo currently have!

Team Leader, Data Management- UK
An exciting opportunity has arisen within one of the largest functional biometrics suppliers in Europe providing global pharma, biotech and medical device partners with innovative, cost effective development services. Our client is currently looking for a Team Leader responsible for the Provision of line management services to the Data Management function. The successful candidate will provide line management to their assigned Data Management team including the provision of performance and development planning and management, training, mentoring and coaching. 

Statistical Programmer II- US
Our client a global CRO that provides high quality global clinical research support and strategic development services to pharmaceutical, device, and biotechnology companies is currently looking for a qualified statistical programmer II for their office in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing company which offers real career potential, as well as a dedicated team environment and competitive compensation. 

Proposals Manager- Anywhere in Europe
Do you want to work for a global top 10 CRO? Our client is a full-service clinical research organization, providing the full range of Phase I to IV clinical development services for the world’s pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries across six continents. Our client is currently recruiting for a Proposal Manager who will cooperate with internal and external stakeholders to create proposals in order to win new and repeat business. The Proposal Manager functions as proposal lead in support of business development for assigned projects and also participates in internal proposals meetings and meetings with customers. Previous experience in proposal preparation in the CRO/pharmaceutical industry essential.

Senior Biostatistician- Italy- Home based working negotiable
Our client a global CRO is looking for a senior‐level professional with at least 3 years experience and able to work independently on requested activities. The person we are looking for will work autonomously in preparing Statistical Analysis Plans and writing statistical methodology and results sections of reports. The successful candidate will provide statistical input to the study design and write and review the stat section of Protocols and review Case Report Forms. He/she will also prepare and deliver training to staff and/or clients on statistical methodology and statistical principles and produce and validate statistical analysis using SAS.

To see all our latest job opportunites or to apply for a role please visit www.kuborecruitment.com or email info@kuborecruitment.com. 

Help Kubo Support World Cancer Research Fund at the ACDM next week!

We announced last year that Kubo have chosen to support World Cancer Research Fund as our nominated charity for 2014 through to 2015. World Cancer Research Fund, champions research on the effects of diet, nutrition, body composition and physical activity on cancer prevention and survival. 

Cancer currently affects one in three people in the UK but about a third of the most common cancers could be prevented through eating a healthy diet, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight. That’s around 81,000 cancer-free lives. This vital research is an important part of their vision of living in a world where no one develops a preventable cancer.

We will be supporting World Cancer Research Fund  at this year's ACDM in Brussels at the Hotel Husa President Park on Wednesday March 18th. For every business card we receive we will make a donation to World Cancer Research Fund.

If you are planning to be at the ACDM next week, why not stop by the Kubo stand and 

give us your business card to help us support the fantastic work that World Cancer Research Fund UK do. 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

690,000 people are employed by the pharmaceutical industry in Europe!

New figures have been released showing the impact that the pharmaceutical industry makes within Europe. 

 Methods are evolving and there are many promising prospects on the horizon for research and development. Many cancers are being controlled and even cured and figures show that European Citizens are living up to 30 years longer than they did a year ago. Its not just the improved impact on our health that the pharmaceutical industry is responsible for. It is also one of Europe's top performing sectors.

Including drug sales the overall pharmaceutical revenue has reached almost one trillion U.S. dollars across the globe, at present with Europe contributing $260-$280 billion to that figure. Research and Development invested an estimated € 30,630 million in Europe and directly employs 690,000 people and a further 3 to 4 times more in indirect employment in Europe alone. The sales of drug-device combination sales are set to increase by 7.1% worldwide to an estimated $31 billion by 2019!

By the time a medical product reaches the market it has undergone a lengthy and costly process. Estimates show that it takes 12-13 years for a product to reach the market at an estimated cost of  €1,172 million. With only 1 or 2 of every 10,000 substances synthesised in laboratories passing all development stages, it is clear to see why there is such a major investment from R & D. 


Figures on behalf of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. http://www.efpia.eu/

Record number of job vacancies in the UK as unemployment falls to lowest in 6 years!

Last week new figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that unemployment fell by 58,000 to 1.91 million between September and November last year. Unemployment hasn't been this low since 2008 when the recession began.  

As we hear of the positive National Statistics just released, Apple announced today quarterly profits of $18bn, the largest in history. They sold 74.5 million iPhones in the 3 months before Christmas. Meaning 1 for every person in the UK!
 Its clear to see that businesses are flourishing at the moment. Job openings are at their highest in 14 years. There are more than 700,000 job openings compared to only 127,000 last year.

This is great news for people looking to start or further their career, not only are there more jobs out there, figures show salaries are rising too! Earnings are up by 1.8% over the last 12 months overtaking the 0.5% inflation rate. Economists suggest wages are on the rise as workers have been reluctant to change jobs after the recession, this is now changing. 

Although everything is looking psitive at the moment, the fact that job vacancies keep rising could show that companies are not finding the right candidates. Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight said: ‘On the face of it, it looks encouraging that more jobs are available for workers, however it is less positive if it reflects a significant mismatch between jobs available and the skills of people looking for jobs. Or a mismatch between the jobs available and the type of jobs people are looking for.’

The statistics are welcome news for businesses and candidates looking for work. As Kubo enters its 4th year of trading, there has been a noticeable increase in new job openings across Europe and the US. If you are looking for a new opportunity within Life Sciences, please visit our website at www.kuborecruitment.com 

This year getting you down already? See what new opportunities we have!

Its cold, the days are short, Christmas and the festivities of December are over and sometimes you think "I just need a change!" So while you have the momentum behind you why not do something about it?

Whether you just need a change of pace, or a change of scenery, Kubo have lots of new opportunities for you. Many companies get their new budgets in January and have funding for new positions. They now have the time, as wrapping up the end of the year is over, to focus on recruitment. As Kubo enters our 4th of business, year we have built up a solid client base and are recruiting for jobs across Europe and the US on a contract and permanent basis. We are bound to have something to suit you so take a look at our new opportunities.

Principal Biostatistician - UK South East England (Home Based Negotiable) 

We are looking for a senior‐level professional to work for a major CRO. The successful candidate must be able to work independently on requested activities, taking responsibility for the statistical outputs produced and overall Sponsor satisfaction, as well as oversee the work of junior resources they cooperate with. The person we are looking for will work autonomously in preparing Statistical Analysis Plans and writing statistical methodology plans as well as the results sections of reports. He/she will also prepare and deliver training to staff and/or clients on statistical methodology and statistical principles.

Vice President- US
As a member of the senior leadership team, the VP, Sales effectively leads the sales and business development organization to ensure that our client continues their growth trajectory. The VP, Sales will lead the Sales team and the development, execution, and attainment of our client’s annual global sales strategy focusing on business development, customer excellence, and channel partnerships. The successful candidate must have a Minimum of 10-15 years’ industry-related sales experience; minimum 8 years’ sales leadership experience
Position Location: Strong preference for this position to be located in Chicago, IL. Will also consider Cleveland, OH; Cary, NC; or other locations.

Senior Database Programmer- Homebased, UK or Italy
We are looking for a senior‐level professional  to work for a major CRO. The successful candidate must be able to work independently on requested activities and oversee the work of junior resources they cooperate with. The person we are looking for will build the database and program the computerized checks or SAS checks to ensure clean, accurate and complete clinical data can be delivered to customers at the highest quality in accordance with the project plan.

Head of Statistics- UK
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Head of Statistics to join an expanding CRO. The successful candidate will support the continued growth of the stats function based on a responsive, high quality service and to further enhance the already high reputation that our client has within the industry. They will  ensure that the clients’ expectations and Stats and programming aspects of the business are delivered to a high level of quality and contribute to the profitability of the Company. The successful candidate will also provide overall management to the Stats and Programming department via structured management approach with strong and effective team structures.

Business Development Director- US
The primary purpose of this role is to sell our client’s software, services, and training through strategic and consultative selling. The individual will generate sales through personal contacts, prospecting, business case justification, demonstrations, phone calls and written proposals. This role will require complete sales cycle activities from lead identification through contract negotiation, account transition to Clinical services, ongoing support and follow on sales. The position will maintain relationships with existing customers within assigned accounts and/or territory. The individual will serve as a liaison between all of our client’s departments and the customer to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction with all levels of customer contacts. Position location: Home office based with frequent travel. The position is ideally based in Northern New Jersey, or the metro Boston, Philadelphia, or Chicago areas. Other locations will be considered. 

If you would like more information on any of the roles featured or to apply please email Andi Brown directly at andi.brown@kuborecruitment.com.