The UK is still one of Europe’s strongest life sciences markets. It combines world-class universities, global pharma, a dense biotech startup scene and a relatively mature investment ecosystem. Attractive roles, however, are not spread evenly. They cluster in a handful of cities and regions that have built critical mass in research, talent and infrastructure.

For candidates considering relocation, the choice often comes down to a trade-off: higher salaries and visibility in the traditional “Golden Triangle” of Cambridge, Oxford and London, or better value for money and faster progression in newer hubs such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and the wider North West and South West.

This guide walks through the main UK hotspots, based on current data on clusters, salaries and growth.

Why Location Still Matters

Biotech and pharma hiring follows infrastructure. Labs, incubators, hospitals, manufacturing facilities and venture investors concentrate in a few places, and jobs follow.

The “Golden Triangle” is still the dominant UK cluster. Savills and other analysts consistently rank it among the top three life science ecosystems globally, driven by Cambridge, Oxford and London’s research institutes and investment flows. London alone accounts for about 11% of all UK life sciences employment and has seen a 29% increase in life sciences jobs between 2018 and 2022. 

At the same time, regional hubs are catching up. Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Liverpool and the wider North West and South West are investing heavily in life sciences campuses and infrastructure, often with lower costs and less competition for each role. 

The Golden Triangle

Cambridge

Cambridge is the most concentrated biotech cluster in the UK. It hosts hundreds of life sciences companies, from early spinouts to global names like AstraZeneca, and generates roughly 1.4% of UK life sciences output while employing 7.5% of the national life sciences workforce. 

Recent reports show strong, long-term growth in life sciences employment and turnover, even if vacancy numbers dipped in 2023 after a very strong 2022. Lab space is tight, with demand pushing prime rents higher and driving significant new development. 

Typical salary picture

  • Entry-level biotech / life science scientist roles in Cambridge tend to sit around the high 20s to low 30s (£28k–£32k) based on survey and job data. 
  • Mid-level roles in the wider South East (Cambridge/Oxford) commonly pay £38k–£50k.
  • Senior scientists or managers often earn £55k–£85k, with some leadership roles higher. 

Upside

  • Very dense biotech ecosystem
  • Strong VC presence and spinout pipeline
  • Multiple career paths: early-stage biotech, scale-ups, big pharma

Trade-offs

  • High housing and commuting costs
  • Competitive market for each step up

Oxford

Oxfordshire is described as one of Europe’s most successful life sciences clusters, with a long track record of creating and attracting world-leading businesses. The ecosystem combines the university, major hospitals and a large base of research-driven companies.

Oxford has seen strong real estate and lab demand, similar to Cambridge, although job vacancy data indicates a slowdown in 2023 after a peak in 2022, so candidates should expect more competition for roles than the raw “growth” headlines suggest. 

Typical salary picture

  • Entry-level salaries in the South East are often in the mid-20s to low-30s.
  • Mid-level life sciences roles: roughly £38k–£50k.
  • Senior roles: roughly £55k–£85k and upwards for leaders. 

Upside

  • Academic environment with strong translational research
  • Good links to London and Heathrow
  • Strong spinout culture

Trade-offs

  • Cost of living not far behind London
  • High demand for limited lab and office space

London

London is both a political and commercial centre for UK life sciences. It hosts major pharma, CROs, medtech, digital health and health data companies, as well as the Francis Crick Institute and multiple university hospitals.

Life sciences employment in London has grown from around 19,400 roles in 2008 to 34,800 by 2022, and now represents about 11% of national life science employment and £11.6 billion in turnover. The main constraint is space: demand for labs is high and tight supply keeps rents and operating costs elevated. 

Typical salary picture

  • Entry-level biotech roles in London: around £28k–£35k
  • Mid-level: £40k–£55k
  • Senior: £60k–£90k+ 

Upside

  • Highest salary ceiling in the UK market
  • Wide variety of roles and company types
  • Strong international connectivity and cultural offer

Trade-offs

  • Highest cost of living in the UK
  • Commute and housing pressures
  • Intense competition for top roles

Growing Regional Hubs

Manchester and the North West

Manchester and the surrounding North West corridor have become the largest life sciences cluster outside the Golden Triangle. The region includes Manchester’s universities and hospital trusts, plus Alderley Park in Cheshire, the UK’s largest single-site life sciences campus with over 1 million square feet of labs and more than 200 science companies on site. 

Liverpool has also grown into a major vaccine and biologics hub, with thousands employed and significant new investment planned. 

Typical salary picture

Biotech salary data for the North West shows:

Trade-offs

  • Fewer very high-paying senior posts compared with London
  • Some specialist roles still concentrated in the Golden Triangle

Edinburgh and Scotland

Edinburgh’s BioQuarter is a 100-acre campus that combines the Royal Infirmary, university institutes and over 25 life science companies working on health innovation. Around 9,000 people work or study on site today, with plans to become Scotland’s largest single-site health and life sciences development over the next decade. 

Scotland as a whole has a £4.9 billion life sciences sector, with multiple “BioHubs” connecting industry, academia and healthcare across cities such as Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. 

Typical salary picture

  • Mid-level biotech roles in Scotland: £32k–£40k
  • Senior roles: £45k–£65k 

Upside

  • Strong emphasis on human health, data-driven medicine and medtech
  • Lower housing costs than most Golden Triangle locations
  • Good balance between city life and access to outdoor space

Trade-offs

  • Fewer roles at very high compensation levels
  • Some specialist areas still limited in scale

Bristol and the South West

Bristol and the wider West of England region have a growing life sciences footprint that spans medtech, synthetic biology and digital health. It is described as a “centre for world class life sciences excellence” with a cross-sector ecosystem connecting academia and industry. 

The local cluster is still early compared with the Golden Triangle, but there is visible momentum in spinouts, digital health platforms and diagnostics, with more formal regional cluster work underway. 

Salary bands in the South West are typically slightly below the South East, often comparable with the Midlands or North West for similar roles. 

Upside

  • Lower living costs and strong lifestyle offer
  • Emerging cluster where progression can be faster in smaller teams
  • Growing scene in digital health and tech-enabled life sciences

Trade-offs

  • Fewer large pharma or late-stage biotech employers
  • Need to be flexible on role type and company size

Salary Patterns vs Cost of Living

The competitor figures you might see online for “entry, mid, senior” by city are often simplified. Current aggregated data for biotech and life sciences in the UK shows the following rough pattern: 

  • London: highest salaries at all levels, highest costs
  • Cambridge / Oxford: just behind London on pay, close to London on housing costs
  • North West, Midlands, Scotland, South West: 5–15% lower salaries on average, but significantly cheaper housing and day-to-day expenses


Net take-home position can be similar or even better outside the Golden Triangle once rent and commuting are factored in.
Some of the specific “15% job growth in Cambridge” or “10–12% growth in jobs” claims used in marketing copy do not match recent vacancy data, which shows a sharp drop in posted roles across the Golden Triangle in 2023 after a very strong 2022. The underlying clusters remain strong, but candidates should treat simple growth percentages with caution and look instead at long-term ecosystem strength.

How To Choose Your Hub

When you decide where to base your biotech or pharma career, trade-offs are unavoidable. In simple terms:

  • If you want maximum choice of employers, exposure to global pharma and the highest salary ceiling, the Golden Triangle is still the most straightforward choice.
  • If you want a better cost-of-living balance and potentially faster responsibility growth in smaller teams, Manchester, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Bristol and the wider regions are credible alternatives.

Each cluster has its own mix of science focus, company types and lifestyle. The best choice is the one that aligns with your technical interests, salary expectations and tolerance for cost and competition.

For candidates who want a realistic view of roles and growth prospects across these hubs, InCertBio maps talent and opportunities across the UK life sciences market, from traditional centres to emerging clusters.

If you want tailored insight on career opportunities or hiring across UK life sciences hubs, get in touch with InCertBio.

Email: contact@incertbio.com