Looking for advice — navigating a messy employment situation while job hunting in life sciences ?(London)
Looking for advice — navigating a messy employment situation while job hunting in life sciences (London)
I'm a recent MS graduate (Distinction, Russell Group university) currently in a difficult situation and could really use some perspective from people who've been through something similar.
The situation:
I joined a small London-based deeptech startup in late 2025 as a Product and Strategy Analyst. The role involved competitive intelligence, market research across multiple regions, stakeholder coordination with academic partners, and supporting investor documentation and government grant applications. The work has been substantive and I've developed real skills - but the company has serious funding challenges and I've been working unpaid.
The situation was formally escalated through ACAS, resulting in a COT3 settlement agreement (back pay plus compensation) that the employer actually initiated. Payment is pending but tied to external funding that's outside the employer's direct control. No clear timeline on when it resolves.
The added pressure is that I'm on a Graduate visa that expires next year. So I need a job that sponsors a Skilled Worker visa, ideally before the end of the year to give myself enough buffer. I have no backup offer -this job hunt is everything right now.
The job hunt:
I've been actively applying to roles in life sciences research, competitive intelligence, HEOR, and scientific communications. My background includes a strong MSc in infectious disease and immunology (my dissertation produced novel findings currently being developed for publication by my supervisor's lab), a pharmaceutical industry internship, and recent hands-on experience in research synthesis, investor documentation, and stakeholder management. I'm also currently completing the McKinsey Forward Programme.
Applications out so far at a major global CI consultancy, a pharma data analytics company, a strategic communications firm, and several other life sciences organisations.
What I'm looking for:
- Has anyone navigated a COT3 settlement while actively job hunting? Any realistic sense of timelines?
- How do I handle the unpaid/messy employment situation in interviews without it tanking my chances?
- Any advice breaking into life sciences consulting or HEOR from a pure research background?
- Anyone been in a similar visa pressure situation — how did you manage the timeline?
- Honestly just any morale if you've come out the other side of something like this
I'm keeping my head down and the applications are moving, but the combination of the visa clock and the unresolved financial situation is genuinely stressful. Any perspective appreciated.