The significant growth for demand for nanotechnology workers that began in 2007 stopped in October 2008 and is yet to recover. However, according to a survey by recruitment companyNisha Groupdespite the crisis in global markets, nanotechnology companies have not laid off employees. The survey was carried out ahead of Nano-Israel 2009 which in collaboration with "Globes," will take place at Jerusalem's Inbal Hotel on March 30 and 31.
Director of Nisha Biotech Lizi Shuv London said, "There is currently no rise or fall in the number of layoffs in the nanotech sector. The reason is that many of the companies are still start-ups and there is a balance between vacancies, layoffs, and the number of candidates available."
The survey, which was based on the activities of some 100 nanotech companies in Israel, found that in terms of characteristics and organizational structure, the nanotech companies were almost identical to the country's other technological companies.
The survey also found that over the past two years there has been a 10% growth in demand for chemists and chemical and R&D engineers. According to Shuv London there has been a real difficulty is locating experienced candidates in these sectors. She said, "When a company seeks an employee, it looks for very precise characteristics. For example, if it is looking for a candidate with five years experience, it won't compromise on a candidate with three years experience."
Regarding salaries, compared with previous years, payment in early to mid 2008 rose by 5%, but from October 2008 that trend stopped and there has been a fall in the average salary offered candidates. Shuv London said, "Companies expect that salaries will be lower because there are so many layoffs. In fact because it is so difficult to find employees with specific skills, those employees are not prepared to compromise over pay. It is not the same situation that we see in other sectors."
Thus a chemist who is starting out can earn a gross salary of NIS 7,000 to NIS 9,000, while the gross salary of a chemist with three years experience is NIS 10,000 to NIS 16,000. Chemical and materials engineers can start out earning gross salaries of NIS 10,000 and after three years they should be earning over NIS 12,000.
Demand for mechanical engineers in the nanotechnology sector over the past two years has been very high, while there are a relatively small number of candidates. The greatest demand is in plastics and optics. A mechanical engineer with just two years experience can earn a gross salary of NIS 15,000 to NIS 20,000 and with five years experience NIS 20,000 to NIS 25,000. In this sector salaries have remained unchanged over the past two years.
The co-chairs of Nano-Israel 2009 are the former president and CEO of Yissum, the Technology Transfer Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Nava Swersky Sofer, Director of the Israel Nanotech Initiative (INNI), Israel's national nanotech project, Dan Vilenski, and Director of the Nanoscience Research Group at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Prof. Uri Banin.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 9, 2009
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