SciVida

Vault’s Verdict

If you’re looking for a boutique consulting experience in the life sciences industry, SciVida has a lot to offer. Insiders highlight its purpose-driven culture, including its commitment to donating a portion of profits to charity, and the opportunity for rapid career advancement at a fast-growing company as two key draws.

Insiders describe the firm’s culture as highly supportive, from senior leadership down. With mechanisms in place to track hours and prevent burnout, protected and unlimited PTO, and transparency about the firm’s business pipeline, most of the firm’s consultants enjoy an above-average work-life balance. However, the firm is growing, so hours can sometimes get long as the company onboards new projects and clients. 

On the other hand, the firm’s growth offers ample opportunities for consultants to fast-track their careers and compensation. Each employee has a personalized development plan and one-on-one feedback from leaders, with semiannual performance reviews offering chances to get promoted quickly. Base salaries start high and escalate rapidly, and the firm offers end-of-year bonuses with built-in accelerators for exceeding expectations. With respect to the firm’s business outlook, the future is bright. SciVida is growing at an astonishing rate, according to insiders, and the firm is extremely busy at a time when many other firms are not.

Employee Reviews

Firm Culture

• “Our firm has an excellent team culture. I appreciate the work-life balance, as well as leadership’s approach to trying to avoid burnout.”
• “Taking time off is highly encouraged. Travel requirements are limited for most team members. Work can be very busy, but the team makes a concerted effort to cover for other team members when PTO or other time commitments outside of work crop up.”
• “The firm places a lot of emphasis on making sure prospective team members fit in with the established culture.”
• “Great culture and team. The company is purpose-driven and donates 5 percent of annual profits to patient-focused charities.”

Quality of Life

• “Consistent focus on burn for the team, with flex to add team members to projects when needed. We have a four-day-per-week in-office expectation, which is a barrier for some folks. Hours are normal for boutique consulting, at about 50 hours per week.”
• “We don’t have to travel much, which is good, but there is a fair amount of evening and weekend work when we are busy. We have unlimited PTO, and pretty much everyone takes week-long or two-week-long vacations multiple times a year, which helps keep us from burning out.”
• “Leadership is transparent about business development opportunities and team capacity, so it’s clear that work-life balance matters to leadership. Travel is minimal, but we have strong client interactions with long-term projects.”
• “Travel is fairly limited for delivery team members. An in-touch leadership team and truly unlimited PTO policy enables individuals to cool off when burning hot and raise concerns if quality of life issues arise.”

Career Development

• “The firm has a set transparency and open feedback policy where individuals are actively aware of their performance and progress towards promotion. Individuals also meet with development managers and internal leadership on a regular basis to discuss any and all aspects of life at the firm.”
• “SciVida has a dedicated learning and development group that offers a wide range of formal training to consulting staff at all levels; the firm also is focused on informal training and mentoring, with consistent access to managers and senior leaders to support professional development. The organization expanded outside the U.S., so there are opportunities to work with our ex-U.S. colleagues. Formal performance reviews are conducted twice a year, so there are opportunities for rapid advancement for strong performers.”
• “Everyone at the firm is incredibly encouraging of professional development and structures are in place to ensure that employees at all levels in the organization identify and discuss targeted development goals before and throughout projects. Employees are encouraged to share development plans with leaders at regular one-on-one meetings, which are another big part of the culture. People across the firm are happy to offer training, mentoring, or coaching in various areas of their expertise.”
• “As a boutique firm, we offer greater personalization of training, professional development, and mentorship. Standards for promotions are clear and transparent.”

Compensation

• “Attractive/competitive base with high bonus potential tied to performance. With performance reviews twice a year and regular promotion opportunities, rapid escalation in compensation is a reality for many.”
• “Highly attractive base with strong upside performance-based bonus (accelerators in bonus for exceeding expectations). Raises have been very good along with fast promotion opportunities.”
• “No sign-on bonus was offered at the time of starting employment. Generous end-of-year bonuses. Leadership has extended other financial recognition for performance throughout the year.”
• “SciVida offers gym reimbursement (including when traveling), a wide range of healthy snacks/beverages/foods in offices, on-site gym at offices, sit-stand desks, and walking pads for desks.”

Inclusion

• “Strong presence of women on management and leadership team and active, genuine efforts to increase gender and racial diversity among delivery team (which is rapidly improving).”
• “All consultants have equal opportunity within SciVida. Our leadership team is primarily women. All races and genders are treated equally when it comes to career advancement and opportunity.”
• “Opportunities at SciVida are entirely merit-based. Employees of all demographics can and do succeed here. If you put in the work and communicate your goals, you'll be given a full runway to achieve them!”
• “Everyone is treated fairly and judged only on the quality of our work. We get all sorts of candidates; no group is excluded.”

Business Outlook

• “We are growing at an astonishing rate, and our leadership is taking careful precautions to maintain our strong trajectory. Monthly briefings keep us updated on the firm’s progress, and we have many opportunities to continue growing that our leadership is considering. We’re beating all of our staffing and revenue goals, so the future is bright.”
• “The firm is extremely busy in a time where many other firms are not. Client satisfaction surveys sent out after each engagement support the strong and ongoing relationship that SciVida has built with each client. The entire firm is presented with business updates monthly showing the status of pipeline opportunities. This keeps the team aware of upcoming work and of how well the firm is doing as a whole.”
• “Company size has close to tripled in the last three years and continues to expand.”
• “Very strong growth during market downturn.”

Hiring Process

• “Round 1: Recruiter screen. Round 2: Market sizing + behavioral. Round 3: Case interview + behavioral. Round 4: Four-to-five hour in-person interview with behavioral, lunch, and 1.5- to 2-hour case that involves analyzing data, making slides, and presenting.”
• “Interviews are comprehensive and include multiple cases, calls with leaders, and an on-site final round. We are seeking candidates who are genuinely passionate about the mission of life sciences—to save and improve lives—and who can leverage their expertise to add value to both projects and the firm overall. As a smaller firm, we want candidates who will actively contribute to our culture and help us build the company as we grow.”
• “Talent acquisition team aims to respond to all candidate outreaches/applications. Ideal candidates have advanced degree(s) from a top institution, strong IQ and EQ, align with our core values, and are excited to shape the future success of the firm.”
• “Combination of case questions and behavioral interviews. All candidates meet with team members at all levels, including multiple partners. We’re looking for well-trained, smart life science consultants who are committed to building a top-tier consulting firm and helping our clients deliver health to patients.”

Interview Questions

• “What stands out about SciVida to you? How would you make a difference in your role and at the firm? What professional growth areas would you address (and how)? What is required to ensure a successful fit and enduring career with our firm? Typical case-based questions related to our project work.”
• “Two virtual cases (one market sizing and one more freeform) and an on-site PowerPoint case.”
• “Evaluating a pharmaceutical company’s potential barriers to market for an early-phase rare disease therapy.”
• “Typical consulting casing is used in the interview process.”