#437: MedTech Talent Reset: AI, Skills, and the Hidden Job Market

The MedTech talent landscape has undergone a significant "reset" in the two years since Elena Kyria, founder and CEO of Elemed, last joined the podcast. Driven by factors like the rise of AI, economic volatility, and post-pandemic shifts, the dynamic has swung from a "war for talent" (many jobs, few candidates) to a market flooded with applicants, often overwhelming internal recruitment teams. This shift, exacerbated by simple application processes like LinkedIn's Easy Apply, makes it challenging for good candidates to cut through the noise and for companies to manage high application volumes.

To thrive in this new environment, MedTech professionals, particularly those in Quality Assurance (QA) and Regulatory Affairs (RA), must expand their focus beyond technical competence. Elena stresses the growing importance of transverse skills (the essential human skills like communication, negotiation, and leadership) and, critically, AI literacy. With the pressure on companies to "do more with less," AI is creating an environment where smaller, highly productive teams are favored. This doesn't mean roles will disappear, but professionals must embrace technology to eliminate tedious tasks and focus on high-value, strategic work.

Navigating the job market now requires a more intentional and proactive approach, especially to access the hidden job market where the best unadvertised roles reside. Tactics include direct networking with hiring managers and active professional branding. Furthermore, the global regulatory environment's fragmentation—especially between the US (FDA) and EU (MDR/IVDR)—is impacting how companies build their teams, favoring remote work and strategic location choices that factor in the local talent pool and employment laws.

Key Timestamps

• 1:50 - The MedTech Talent Shift: From "War for Talent" to a "Reset"
• 4:45 - The impact of high volume and "easy apply" on candidate experience
• 6:15 - Immediate disqualification criteria and "gaming" the application system
• 7:35 - Strategies for accessing the hidden job market (networking and strategy)
• 9:20 - The controversial impact of AI on QA/RA roles and the need for efficiency
• 11:30 - Future-proofing your career: Why leaders and junior professionals must embrace AI
• 13:55 - Understanding transverse skills (soft skills) and business acumen
• 15:40 - The QA/RA role in the age of AI: Focusing on the 30% of high-value expertise
• 17:00 - Tactics for achieving AI literacy: Small wins, experimentation, and habit stacking
• 19:45 - Why the "hidden job market" exists (confidentiality, exclusivity, and pipeline)
• 21:30 - Positioning yourself externally: The power of active contribution on LinkedIn
• 23:45 - The importance of speaking at industry events (e.g., RAPS) to build credibility
• 24:55 - Strategic advice for founders building remote, global teams
• 26:15 - The impact of US vs. EU regulatory fragmentation on talent selection

Quotes

“It's not going to be enough to just be good at your job. You're going to need to have a little bit more understanding of how to position yourself, how to brand yourself, how building skills outside of just your technical competency [is important].” - Elena Kyria

“This is a massive opportunity... to step up and get started... you can use the technology but then you're focused on strategy, relationships, [and] the human side of it versus the people that are still very manual.” - Elena Kyria

Takeaways

• Prioritize AI Literacy: MedTech professionals must proactively experiment with AI tools (like note-takers and regulatory intelligence systems) to automate up to 70% of tedious tasks. Waiting for formal company training risks falling behind competitors who are already seeing a compounding effect from daily micro-improvements.
• Master Transverse Skills: Beyond technical QA/RA knowledge, focus on building "hard soft skills" like negotiation, communication, leadership, and financial/business acumen. These are the differentiating skills that AI cannot replicate and will define the strategic value of the future professional.
• Shift from Lurker to Contributor: Use LinkedIn strategically. Instead of passively scrolling, actively engage by adding meaningful, subject-matter expert comments to relevant posts. This builds credibility and positions you as a known contributor, enhancing your professional brand.
• Tap into the Hidden Job Market: Rely less on mass applications and more on strategic networking, building long-term relationships, and direct outreach to hiring managers. The best, often confidential, roles are frequently filled through these non-advertised channels.
• Global Teams Require Legal Due Diligence: Founders building remote teams must be acutely aware of local employment laws and benefits (e.g., maternity leave differences) in each geography. Talent decisions shouldn't just be based on cost or tax benefits but must factor in the available skill density in that location.

References

• Elemed: Elena Kyria's consultancy focused on MedTech executive hiring and recruitment strategy.
• RAPS (Regulatory Affairs Professional Society): Mentioned as a key platform for professional development and speaking opportunities within the MedTech regulatory field.
• Greenlight Guru QMS & EDC Solutions: Greenlight Guru's Quality Management System (QMS) helps MedTech companies simplify compliance, while their Electronic Data Capture (EDC) platform streamlines clinical trial data management.
• Etienne Nichols' LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/etiennenichols

MedTech 101 Section

Transverse Skills vs. Technical Skills

In the MedTech industry, we often talk about technical skills—the specific knowledge needed for a job, such as knowing the difference between the FDA's 510(k) and the EU's MDR requirements.

Transverse Skills (historically called "soft skills") are the human abilities that apply across all roles and industries, and they are becoming the most critical skills for MedTech professionals in the age of AI.

Simple Analogy: Think of a medical device engineer:

• Technical Skill: Being able to design a circuit board or write a V&V protocol.
• Transverse Skill: Being able to clearly communicate the risks of that circuit board design to the management team, or negotiate with a supplier on quality specifications.

As AI takes over tasks like drafting initial documents or summarizing regulations, the uniquely human skills—like critical thinking, ethical judgment, leadership, and strategic communication—are what add true, irreplaceable value to a MedTech company.

Feedback Call-to-Action

Did this episode shift your perspective on AI or the job market? Your feedback helps us shape future content. We are committed to providing personalized and actionable advice to MedTech professionals globally. Please send your thoughts, reviews, or suggestions for future topics directly to podcast@greenlight.guru.

Sponsors

This episode of the Global Medical Device Podcast is brought to you by Greenlight Guru. In a market where MedTech talent must be highly productive and efficient, your tools should support that goal. Greenlight Guru offers solutions that help your teams do more with less: our industry-specific QMS streamlines your compliance and quality processes, while our EDC solution digitizes and simplifies your clinical data capture. Visit greenlight.guru to learn how you can upgrade your system to match your highly skilled workforce.