Talent management

Thermo Fisher Scientific attracts exceptional talent at every stage and uses innovative technology and results-driven programs to help colleagues grow their skills and build rewarding careers.

Talent acquisition
Talent development

Talent attraction and acquisition

At Thermo Fisher, our talent attraction strategies are designed to effectively reach candidates at all career levels. To secure the expertise essential to advancing our Mission, we continuously enhance our understanding of the global talent marketplace and partner with regional and industry-specific organizations to build and maintain a diverse pipeline of high-quality candidates across scientific innovation, manufacturing excellence and global customer support.

Enhancing the candidate experience

Delivering a seamless candidate experience is central to attracting exceptional talent. We invest in digital solutions that enable increased transparency and responsiveness, keeping applicants and interviewees informed and engaged throughout the recruitment process. Our global career site offers nine regional experiences with localized content, helping prospective colleagues understand how their skills can contribute to scientific advancement and customer impact.

Accelerating hiring with AI

We have applied AI across the candidate lifecycle to reduce friction, expand access and improve the experience. AI-supported capabilities have helped Thermo Fisher streamline screening, strengthen interview insights and save more than 9,000 administrative hours through automated scheduling.

By accelerating screening and reducing administrative barriers, we have meaningfully improved time-to-hire for critical roles that support manufacturing, research, customer service and innovation—ensuring our teams can deliver for customers without delay.

Read more about our AI use and award "Best use of AI Automation"

Cultivating early talent

Our early career initiatives are designed to attract, engage and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, business leaders and innovators. Through partnerships with academic institutions, faculty and membership organizations, we introduce students to the wide range of career pathways possible at Thermo Fisher. By supporting emerging talent early, we strengthen our long-term capability to deliver innovation and operational excellence.

Internship and co-op program

Our global internship and co-op programs provide hands-on experience aligned to real business priorities. Interns and co-ops contribute to impactful work—from automation and data science to manufacturing optimization and marketing strategy. Career development sessions and unique networking opportunities connect these colleagues with experts and executive leaders from across the organization creating a purpose-driven experience that supports their transition from academia to industry.

“This internship pushed me to innovate and adapt. I explored new machine learning methods, built automation tools and presented fresh ideas—strengthening my creativity and problem solving in work and life.”

Lucy T.

2025 Data Science Intern

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“This summer, I embraced every learning opportunity, overcame challenges and connected with colleagues across the company. Staying involved and curious helped me grow personally and professionally, and I am grateful for the opportunities I have received.”

Anna L.

Marketing Intern

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“My co-op experience at Thermo Fisher has been integral for my professional growth as an engineer. Throughout my co-op, I have had the opportunity to lead several impactful, cross-functional projects. Through these projects, I was able to immerse myself in the manufacturing and operations environment, solving real-world problems and implementing solutions that improve our manufacturing capabilities.”

Abby P.

Intern II Manufacturing Engineering, Pharma Services

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Welcoming new colleagues

Our New Colleague Onboarding program is designed to instill confidence, competence and connection to our Mission. We provide tools, training and structured 90-day plans to enable new hires to contribute effectively from day one. Through supplemental learning opportunities focused on customer experience, our PPI Business System and CSR, colleagues can gain a broader understanding of our culture, operating model and Mission.

Recognizing the critical role managers play in early success, we also equip leaders with tailored resources to accelerate integration and productivity. In addition, our New Colleague Ambassador program pairs recent hires with experienced colleagues who provide personalized support during the first few months.

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Talent development

With vast opportunities that span our differentiated capabilities and global organization, we encourage all our colleagues to design a path at Thermo Fisher that uniquely fulfills their ambitions. While colleagues determine the vision for their careers, managers, supervisors and HR partners play an active role in encouraging all colleagues to maximize these opportunities, both through the annual formal performance management and development (PMD) process and career conversations taking place throughout the year.

On-demand learning

Thermo Fisher University—our AI-driven learning platform—offers colleagues at all levels access to leadership, management and professional development that can be completed at their own pace and in the way best suited to their learning style. Through Thermo Fisher University, colleagues receive personalized content based on their individual development needs and aspirations, empowering colleagues to develop management, leadership, business, technology and other specialized skills that are needed to grow their career.

Structured programming

Building on our on-demand learning options, we offer focused management and leadership development for colleagues at various stages of their careers. These programs include both open enrollment opportunities1 for all leaders and specialized offerings for high-potential talent in critical roles.

We continue to evolve these programs to support our Mission and strengthen the capabilities our colleagues need to deliver for customers and patients. We use colleague input, evidence-based learning design, disciplined measurement and technology to improve effectiveness and scale high-quality development experiences.

To further increase engagement and accelerate on-the-job application, we integrated advanced learning technology in 2025. A cohort-based, experiential learning platform streamlined the learner journey and enabled deeper collaboration, practical application and stronger alignment to real business challenges—reinforcing our commitment to continuous improvement through our 4i Values of Integrity, Intensity, Innovation and Involvement.

Our full-time, multi-year rotational programs—several of which have been established for more than 20 years—help us attract and develop early-career talent through meaningful, hands-on experiences across critical functions, including operations, digital, finance, human resources and general management. These programs provide structured development, broad exposure to our business and opportunities for participants to build foundational skills that support long-term career growth.

The impact of these programs is reflected in the strong internal mobility and leadership pipeline they help create. Program alumni have advanced into a wide range of leadership roles across Thermo Fisher, including as division presidents, functional vice presidents and members of the company leadership team.

“The Finance Leadership Development Program has been a formative experience in shaping my early professional career. Through my rotations, I’ve had the opportunity to lead and contribute to high-impact projects which strengthened both my business acumen and analytical toolkit. This program enabled me to build a strong network of mentors and cross-functional partners while cultivating the confidence and leadership skills necessary to drive results and pursue my aspiration to become a finance leader.”
Jason Drago
Class of 2026, Finance Leadership Development Program, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Developing a robust, inclusive and engaged associate population remains a strategic priority. Across North America and Europe, comprehensive talent plans, first piloted in 2023, guide an enhanced, end-to-end colleague lifecycle for associate talent and the managers who support them. These plans have increased transparency and access to skill-building opportunities, improving the overall colleague experience and expanding pathways for internal mobility. In 2026, we plan to extend this proven approach to Asia, completing the program’s global rollout across key markets where we have a significant associate presence.

AI in talent programs

By leveraging advanced AI capabilities, we are developing tools that support colleagues and people leaders across the organization—helping strengthen performance management and development and making guidance and insights more accessible at scale. Read more >>

Talent mobility

Providing our colleagues with a variety of work experience is one of the most effective ways to help them build rewarding careers. We actively manage our talent through unique opportunities for professional development across our businesses, functions and geographies to enable colleagues to share knowledge and broaden their skills. Talent mobility is also a key component of our continuous succession planning process.

Succession planning

Thoughtful and deliberate succession planning is essential to our continued success. It reinforces our values, supports leadership continuity and helps ensure we have the depth and capability to adapt and compete in a dynamic environment.

High-potential talent readiness We recognize the importance of preparing our high-potential talent for future roles. Our business leaders are actively engaged in the development of these colleagues, including shaping the programs that help advance career progression and internal mobility. Executives assess talent readiness, identify critical development needs and ensure alignment with current and future business priorities. Many also contribute directly to program delivery, sharing their practical insights and real-world leadership experience.

Working in partnership

University of California - San Diego (UC San Diego)

Thermo Fisher has partnered with UC San Diego in a 10-year strategic collaboration3 to help accelerate scientific innovation, advance environmental sustainability and strengthen the pipeline of future STEM talent. Thermo Fisher and UC San Diego’s partnership goals include creating a collaborative research framework to drive innovation in emerging scientific fields, engaging current colleagues in the program and developing a pipeline of STEM talent from all backgrounds.

Laboratory Plastics Essentials training

Thermo Fisher’s Laboratory Products business collaborates with community colleges, vocational schools and universities around the world to support workforce development aligned to local needs. Our Laboratory Plastics Essentials program is co-developed and delivered with educational partners near our sites. Through this training, Thermo Fisher colleagues and local students build foundational manufacturing and technical capabilities that support operational excellence, strengthen our talent pipeline and create long-term value in the communities where we operate.

Biotechnology Research and Technology Training

Our St. Louis, Missouri site established an apprenticeship partnership with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to deliver hands-on, industry-aligned training across critical bioprocessing domains, including downstream processing, buffer preparation, tangential flow filtration purification, good documentation practices and upstream processing. The program builds on the legacy of our former Biotechnology Research and Technology Training program, modernizing its strengths to meet current operational needs.

Engineering co-op program

For more than 20 years, our Engineering Co-Op Program has provided undergraduate students from local universities with practical, rotational experience across Thermo Fisher. Our Cincinnati, Ohio site partners with several regional universities to recruit students into the program, offering meaningful, hands-on opportunities within their respective engineering disciplines. Many program graduates have transitioned into full-time roles across our engineering, operations and quality teams, strengthening our talent pipeline and supporting long-term growth.

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Inclusive culture

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Benefits and wellbeing

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Endnotes:

  1. “Open” means training programs offered to any Thermo Fisher colleague.
  2. Associate talent represents our colleagues who are non-salaried, hourly workers.
  3. Learn more about this collaboration here.

Last updated: July 2026

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.

For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com

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