Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Recruiters
Niche Expertise, Making the Impossible, Possible
Pharma & Biotech Search Experts
Smith Hanley Associates is a leading pharmaceutical and biotech recruiting firm with decades of experience placing senior leaders to individual contributors across the drug development lifecycle. From drug discovery and preclinical research to clinical operations, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, commercial, field sales, and market research, our recruiters bring deep functional expertise to every search. We act as a true extension of your team- developing targeted candidate strategies, managing the full interview process, and providing structured reporting at every stage.
Our industry network and consultative approach ensure you’re seeing the right talent, not just available talent. We invest the time to understand not only the technical qualifications but also the leadership style, soft skills, and cultural fit that define long-term success. We are trusted by venture-backed startups, mid-size biotech, and global pharmaceutical companies to deliver high-impact professionals in the roles that matter most.
Contact Eda Zullo at ezullo@smithhanley.com or 203-319-4309 to discuss your hiring needs or your next career move.
Areas of Expertise
Drug Discovery & Clinical Development
- AI/ML Driven Drug Discovery
- Computational Biology
- Bioinformatics & Clinical Data Science
- Precision Medicine
- Clinical Research & Project Management
- Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
- Drug Safety & Pharmacovigilance
- CMC & Biomanufacturing
Regulatory & Medical Affairs
- Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance
- Health Economics & Outcomes Research/RWE
- Market Access Analytics
- Medical Science Liaison (MSL)
- Scientific Communications
- C-Suite & Executive Leadership
Commercial Analytics
- Brand & Sales Analytics
- Forecasting & Performance
- Data Science — ML/AI
- Data Management / Data Governance / MDM
- Omnichannel Analytics
- Field Sales & Launch Strategy
Market Research & Intelligence
- Competitive Intelligence
- Commercial Insights
- Customer & Digital Insights
Recent Placements
- Chief Business Officer- Clinical Stage Biotech
- VP, Medical Affairs- Mid-Size Pharma
- Executive Director, Enterprise Data Analytics/AI- Mid-Size Pharma
- Director, Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) - Big Pharma
- Director, CMC Regulatory Affairs - Biotech
- Director, Forecasting-Mid-Size Pharma
- Director, MDM Practice Lead, -- Pharma Consulting Firm
- AI/ML Engineer – Big Pharma
- Associate Director, M/L Analytics- Mid-Size Pharma
- Associate Director, Incentive Compensation- Big
- Principal Biostatistician- VC Backed Biotech
- Sr. Manager, Commercial Analytics- Big Pharma
- Key Account Manage - Big Pharma
- Sr. Medical Science Liaison (MSL)— Specialty Pharma
Our Pharma Biotech Recruiters
Lindsey Bartlett
Division: Market Research & Consumer Insights, Pharmaceutical Commercial AnalyticsEda Zullo
Principal
Division: Pharmaceutical Commercial Analytics
Eda Zullo joined Smith Hanley in 2000 and has since become a driving force in the confidential recruitment of Commercial Analytics professionals across the Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Life Sciences, and Healthcare industries. With a sharp focus on data science, marketing science, sales analytics, forecasting, and data management, Eda is known for delivering high-impact talent that fuels business success.
Clients value her unmatched industry insight and her ability to identify candidates who excel both technically and culturally. One client shared, “Eda has a tremendous understanding of our hiring needs. She not only understands the job requirements, but also the ‘soft skills,’ which are just as important. It’s a true partnership. She’s placed most of our group—Eda is the BEST of the BEST!”
Before entering executive search at Smith Hanley Associates, Eda spent over 20 years in sales and marketing at the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), covering the NY Tri-State area. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Rosemont College and brings a rare combination of empathy, expertise, and results-driven focus to every search.
Nihar Parikh
Executive Recruiter
Division: Life Sciences
Nihar joined Smith Hanley Associates in 2013 and brings more than a decade of recruiting experience. He specializes in placing mid-level and senior-to-executive talent across the drug development lifecycle. Nihar’s success is rooted in his ability to build strong client relationships and demonstrate genuine empathy—qualities that have earned lasting trust. Outside work, he cherishes family time with his newborn daughter, capital markets, and travel.
Lindsey Bartlett
Principal
Division: Market Research & Consumer Insights, Pharmaceutical Commercial Analytics
Lindsey Bartlett leads the Market Research & Consumer Insights area. With a decade of experience recruiting in this niche, Lindsey has proven successful in making the match. Her highly consultative nature combined with her dedication to excellence pushes her to swiftly and successfully find you the best talent. Lindsey is a strong recruiter and highly personable, staying abreast of new industry trends by attending a variety of conferences and participating with our affiliations. Offer her an oat milk latte and a good conversation and she’ll always be in your corner.
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Testimonials
We were thrilled with how well Nihar handled the search for a Biostatistician. We’d been looking for a suitable candidate for ages! I’ll be singing Smith Hanley’s praises for a while now…Of course, we’ll be going back to Nihar for future hires too.
I reached out to Smith Hanley for several searches during our start-up phase. As we scaled our workforce, I worked closely with Nihar who was a great talent partner in finding the right candidates with the right level of experience who could assimilate quickly into our fast-paced, evolving environment. Nihar is a great communicator who […]
Eda is amazing and very resourceful! With her comprehensive network and most importantly, her persistency, she can consistently provide exceptional candidates in a very timely manner during the past 10 years. I have been having several challenging openings in analytics and forecasting areas and Eda can always help me to fill them in no time.
I’ve had the opportunity to partner with Eda over many years, and she’s been a consistent, high-impact recruiter in the commercial data and analytics space within the biotech and pharma industry. What stands out is her ability to quickly understand the need and deliver candidates who are truly aligned—her submissions were consistently “spot-on,” and she […]
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