Talent management
From interns and early career professionals to managers and executive leaders, we aim to attract exceptional talent and help build colleagues’ skills and knowledge, enabling access to rewarding career opportunities ahead. Through the use of innovative technology, paired with results-driven programming, we can create an unmatched colleague experience every step of the way.
Talent attraction and acquisition
At Thermo Fisher, our talent attraction strategies are designed to reach candidates at all career levels. To secure the expertise essential to advancing our Mission, we appeal to a wide range of candidates by leveraging an AI-powered, evidence-based tool to create job postings with inclusive language. We continuously gather new insights to enhance our understanding of the talent marketplace and enable us to build and maintain a pipeline of high-quality candidates. In addition, we proactively partner with regional and industry-specific organizations to expand our candidate reach as we promote job opportunities.
Enhancing the candidate experience
Delivering a seamless candidate experience is key to attracting exceptional talent. We have enhanced key stages of the recruiting and hiring processes by implementing digital technology solutions that provide greater transparency and responsiveness to candidates, keeping them informed and actively engaged while pursuing employment with Thermo Fisher. In addition, our global career site offers nine regional experiences with localized content, providing prospective colleagues with tailored information relevant to their interests and skills.
In 2024, we transformed the candidate experience for our frontline workers. Our approach now incorporates video job descriptions showcasing “a day in the life,” along with AI-driven intelligent interviewing. These enhancements have made Thermo Fisher accessible to a broader talent pool while also unlocking faster, data-driven hiring decisions that saved over 9,000 hours through automation. Receiving praise from hiring managers and candidates alike, Thermo Fisher was recognized by a third-party for Best Use of Generative AI in HR.
Cultivating early talent
Our early career initiatives are designed to attract, engage and inspire a pipeline of future talent in science, engineering, business and management. To reach high-potential individuals at the onset of their professional journey, we establish strong partnerships with leading academic institutions, faculty and membership organizations to introduce students to our culture, colleagues and the multitude of career paths available to them at Thermo Fisher.
Internship and co-op program
Our internship and co-op program offers valuable hands-on experience. Career development sessions and exclusive networking opportunities allow these colleagues to connect with experts and executive leaders from across the organization. With continuous engagement that supports a seamless transition from academia to the workplace, our interns and co-ops receive rewarding and purpose-drive experience while contributing to company priorities.
“My internship at Thermo Fisher has taught me so much, both at the bench and outside. However, the most important thing I have learned here is the importance of effectively communicating my work. Being on three different, concurrent projects has also taught me the importance of experimental planning and effective time management if I want to truly be a multifunctional scientist.”
— Shean Fu Phen, Sr. Intern, Cell Biology, Life Sciences Solutions Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Welcoming new colleagues
Our New Colleague Onboarding program is an immersive learning experience designed to instill confidence and competence in new hires and internal transfers and align them with our Mission and culture as they transition into their roles. We offer a range of assets that equip colleagues at all levels with the tools and information necessary to lead and contribute effectively from day one.
Recognizing the important role managers play in the success of the onboarding experience, we provide them with a series of resources and guidance for success, including the development of customized 90-day onboarding plans. Content includes modules on the customer experience, our PPI Business System, CSR strategy and more.
In addition, our New Colleague Ambassador program matches most new hires with an established colleague who offers personalized support during the critical first 90 days. For current colleagues, serving as an ambassador provides a valuable career development opportunity to strengthen their leadership, mentoring and influence skills while building great networks and contributing to the company’s long-term success.
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 formal performance management and development (PMD) process and periodic 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. As an example, LinkedIn Learning™, one of many resources offered through Thermo Fisher University, is an online education platform that empowers colleagues to develop business, technology and other specialized skills that are needed to grow their career and contribute to our Mission.
Structured programming
Building on our on-demand learning options, we also offer targeted management and leadership development for colleagues at various levels and experience. These programs include both open enrollment and nomination-based offerings for high-potential talent in critical roles.* Often, our executive sponsors and CLT members contribute by teaching or overseeing these courses.
Emerging leaders
Our full-time, multi-year rotational programs, some of which have been offered for more than 20 years, are a way for individuals entering the workforce to gain impactful and dynamic work experiences supporting critical functions such as Product Engineering, Operations, IT, Data Science, Finance, HR and General Management. Alumni of these programs have held a variety of roles across the company, including Division Presidents, Functional VPs and members of the CLT.
“Participating in the HR Graduate Leadership Development Program has been instrumental to my growth. During my first rotation, I have engaged in a diverse range of projects, gaining valuable insights early in my career. With these experiences and my team's support, I have successfully led impactful initiatives, such as facilitating people leader training sessions. This has bolstered my confidence in becoming the HR leader I aspire to be.”
Gigi Haddad, Class of 2026, HR Graduate Leadership Development Program at Thermo Fisher Scientific
Associate talent**
Developing our associate talent pipeline is another critical focus area. In 2023, we deployed talent plans across North America to strengthen the end-to-end colleague life cycle for our associate population and their managers. In 2024, we broadened the program and deployed talent plans across Europe. These talent roadmaps drive greater engagement and improvements in the total colleague experience, including recruiting, onboarding, job readiness, developing capabilities, building high-performing teams, optimizing the work environment and workforce planning. One outcome of the program is enhanced skills-based hiring, which has improved the internal advancement opportunities for our associate colleagues.
AI in talent development
By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, we have developed a number of tools and agents to support colleagues and enhance the formal PMD process. In 2024, this included the creation of PMD co-edit agents, designed to facilitate more meaningful and comprehensive dialogues between colleagues and managers. This AI-driven tool supports richer and more insightful performance discussions by prompting colleagues to provide detailed information on their achievements, focusing on metrics and impact. Additionally, by standardizing the way performance data is collected and discussed, the agent helps reduce bias, promoting fairness and objectivity in performance management. This not only fosters a culture of continuous improvement but also drives higher engagement and productivity across the organization.
Talent mobility
Providing our colleagues with a variety of work experiences 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 integral to current and future success. It safeguards our values, promotes leadership continuity and strengthens the adaptability and competitiveness of our organization.
High-potential talent readiness
We recognize the importance of preparing our high-potential talent for future roles, and our business leaders are actively engaged in the development of these colleagues. Our core offerings include development programs for General Manager, Operations and Sales Leader roles.
These programs are regularly reviewed by our sales and operations leadership councils who discuss the performance and potential of emerging and incumbent talent for each of the functional areas. The councils assess talent preparedness for executive responsibilities, review risk and mitigation plans and support the ongoing career development of top sales and operations leaders.
Working in partnership
University of California - San Diego (UC San Diego)
In partnership with UC San Diego, we have embarked on a 10-year strategic collaboration designed to accelerate research and technology innovation, cultivate the best future talent, and meet ambitious sustainability objectives. 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, while also 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 globally. Our laboratory plastics essentials program is co-developed and delivered in partnership with institutions that neighbor our sites, from Mexico to Finland, and beyond. Through this technical training, current Thermo Fisher colleagues as well as local vocational students learn to operate heavy equipment while also developing manufacturing skills.
Biotechnology research and technology training
Our Thermo Fisher site in St. Louis, Missouri has a strong partnership with the local community college. Together, we developed the Biotechnology Research and Technology Training (BRaTT) program, which has been honored as Saint Louis Community College’s Innovation of the Year. The program is now hosted in-house at Thermo Fisher and provides colleagues—often new to the field—with comprehensive training on the biomanufacturing process, good laboratory practices, and quality assurance so they can excel in a biological production environment.
Engineering co-op program
For more than 20 years, our Engineering Co-Op Program has provided undergraduate students from local universities with practical experience through rotational positions within Thermo Fisher. Our Cincinnati, Ohio site has partnered with several local universities to recruit undergraduate engineering students into the program. With substantial opportunities for hands-on experience in their respective fields, graduates of the program have been successfully integrated into full-time roles across our engineering, operations, and quality teams.
Endnote:
* “Open” means training programs offered to any Thermo Fisher colleague. “Nomination” means colleagues must be nominated by a Thermo Fisher leader to be accepted or considered into the training.
** Associate talent represents our colleagues who are non-salaried, hourly workers.