Securing critical scientific expertise during a challenging hiring landscape
How we helped Proteovant Therapeutics (now SK Life Science) overcome market mistrust to secure a Chemoproteomics/Proteomics Scientist in New York.
90
Days Open Before Engaging Us
1
First Candidates Presented Hired
1
Critical R&D Hire
Building Trust to Unlock talent
Proteovant Therapeutics, a China-based biotech, was looking to expand their footprint in the US at a particularly difficult time — during the rollout of the BioSecure Act.
The Act created widespread concern that Chinese companies in the US could be transferring sensitive employee or citizen data back to China. This sparked mistrust among candidates and US companies, creating a significant barrier to talent attraction.
Proteovant’s internal talent team had struggled to fill a key R&D role — a Chemoproteomics/Proteomics Scientist based in New York — for over 90 days. With the work being covered by existing team members, the business risked burnout and potential resignations if they couldn’t resolve the gap.
The Challenge
Proteovant faced several hurdles:
Negative market perception — Candidates were reluctant to engage with Chinese-owned companies during the BioSecure Act scrutiny.
Exhausted internal reach — After 90 days, their internal talent team had already approached much of the market without success.
Business-critical vacancy — The backfill was essential to relieve pressure on existing staff and prevent further attrition.
Having already engaged other agencies without success, they needed a partner with an established and trusted network.
Our Approach
We leveraged our previous working relationship with Proteovant and quickly acted to reposition them positively in the market:
Proactive Outreach
After seeing the vacancy remain open for 90 days, we approached Proteovant directly offering support.
Targeted Candidate Engagement
We created tailored marketing materials that highlighted Proteovant’s science, culture, and long-term plans to counteract the negative perceptions circulating in the market.
Trusted Network Access
We tapped into our existing network of specialist R&D scientists who trust our insight and recommendations, making them more willing to consider the opportunity.
The Results
Our partnership delivered immediate and measurable impact. One of the first profiles we shared perfectly matched the requirement — and ultimately became the successful hire.
Role Filled
Chemoproteomics/Proteomics Scientist placed in New York.
Time Saved
Delivered after the role had been open for 90+ days with no prior success.
Team Pressure Relieved
Allowed the business to redistribute workload and reduce risk of burnout among existing team members.
The Impact
This single placement removed a critical bottleneck in Proteovant’s R&D team, reducing pressure on current staff and allowing the business to continue its US growth plans without disruption.
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