CONTACT Archive

Information about the CONTACT job fairs 2014-2024:

CONTACT2023 marked a significant milestone as it was the first CONTACT job fair to take place without any COVID-19 restrictions since 2019. The fair was a busy hub with a diverse range of exhibitors from different industries - biotech, pharma, healthcare, journalism and consulting. Numerous talks, workshops, application portfolio checks and application photo shoots took place throughout the day. During the panel discussion, company representatives shared their valuable expertise on the topic of "How to grab the attention of an employer?" and provided participants with important knowledge and new perspectives. Among other topics, questions about the abilities and required soft skills, as well as social media presence and possible additional qualifications were discussed.

One of the highlights of the fair was the presence of an ice cream van, which provided a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the fair. Participants could be seen enjoying their ice cream, chatting with other visitors and making new contacts.

Another successful aspect of the event was the accompanying, extremely effective social media campaign. The organizers used multiple digital platforms to keep participants and interested people informed with live updates, behind-the-scenes insights and interactive visitor comments. The job fair visitors also actively supported this campaign and posted diligently in front of the social media wall and the BioContact picture frame.

In summary, CONTACT2023 was a complete success. The lack of COVID-19 restrictions, the rich exchange of knowledge through lectures, workshops and discussions, the delightful ice cream van and the social media campaign helped to make this event a wonderful experience. We hope that the participants were able to gain valuable insights and came a step closer to finding their dream job.

Many thanks to all the committed company representatives, the motivated visitors and the team of BioContact e.V.! Together we enabled an inspiring exchange between companies and scientists.

CONTACT 2022

	CONTACT2021 Our 20th anniversary job fair, the CONTACT2021, took place on the 28th of April 2021. Our team has done an outstanding job the months before to organize with great success our first virtual job fair. Numerous visitors, including natural scientists from various fields as well as medical professionals, took the opportunity to virtually interact with company representatives from the life science, pharmaceutical, biotech, and consulting industries at the booths. In our well-attended online presentations, many open questions were addressed and perspectives in the industry were highlighted by different companies. In addition, there were numerous workshops on successful online and offline application, soft skill training and professional appearance, which were very popular and almost completely booked out. The panel discussion – a highlight of the CONTACT – was again hosted to discuss the question "How to start a successful career in industry?" with representatives from six companies. The lively exchange between audience and company representatives was remarkably well received on both sides and offered participants exceptional insights for their career start in industry. As an anniversary special, exclusive prizes were drawn in a raffle among all job fair participants who filled in our feedback questionnaire. More information can be found in the fair catalogue.
	CONTACT2020 Due to this year’s coronavirus situation, the CONTACT2020 did not take place on April 29th 2020 as originally planned. Nevertheless, within our “In Contact with” events, we gained deep insights into the corporate structures and application processes of the life science companies Miltenyi, P&G and PromoCell. Numerous students, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from different fields took advantage of these events to get in touch with the company representatives and gather extensive information about their prospective career opportunities. But postponed is not abandoned: Our anniversary – the 20th CONTACT Life Science job fair – was rescheduled to April 28th 2021. The CONTACT2021 will offer you a platform to get in contact with numerous exhibitors from biotechnological and pharmaceutical industry, a wide-ranging portfolio of lecture programs and workshops, as well as CV checks. We are looking forward to your visit!
	CONTACT2019 The 19th life science job fair CONTACT2019 took place on May 15th 2019 in the Communication Center of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. Numerous visitors, including natural scientists as well as medical doctors, took the chance to meet exhibitors from various life-science, pharmaceutical, biotech and consulting companies. Furthermore, our company presentations and workshops about successful application, soft skill training and professional performance were once again very successful and almost fully booked. For the first time as part of the CONTACT, we organized a panel discussion in which representatives of five companies reacted spontaneously to questions on the subject “Career Start - direct, on roundabout routes, just luck?”. The extensive exchange between the audience and the company representatives met great approval on both sides and provided the listeners with exceptional insights for their career start in industry. More information can be found in the fair catalogue.
	CONTACT2018 The 18th life science job fair CONTACT2018 took place on April 25th 2018 in the Communication Center of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. The job fair, organized by BioContact e.V., is among the most successful fair in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan area. Numerous visitors, including natural scientists as well as medical doctors, took the chance to meet exhibitors from consulting, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, to get an overview about their carrier opportunities. Similar to the year before several talks and workshops were offered in English to reach an international audience. Free of charge CV revisions and the opportunity to get a perfect portrait suitable for the next job application were particularly popular. A novelty of this year life science job fair was the possibility to take part at Internship 4 YOU, which offers the chance to get one of the highly desired internships at internationally renowned companies.
	CONTACT2017 The CONTACT2017 took place on 26th April 2017 in the Communication Center of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. Given its increasingly international audience, i.e. young scientists coming from all over the world to meet representatives from companies of the life science industry, the CONTACT2017 presented itself mainly in English, for the first time in its history. Workshops, keynotes, and the fair catalogue were provided in English language. Like in all the years before, scientists from biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, IT, mathematics, medicine, etc. met with representatives of various companies and gathered information about starting their job career with them. Besides well-established enterprises, CONTACT2017 this year also featured also small company start-ups.
	CONTACT2016 The CONTACT2016 took place on 19th of April 2016 in the Communication Center of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. Having been organized by BioContact e.V. for the 16th time in a row since the year 2000, the CONTACT has grown to be the most successful life science job fair in the Rhine-Neckar region. It offers young scientists, physicians, and laboratory technicians the opportunity to get to know a broad range of companies from the life sciences, biotechnology, and pharmacy sector. Besides the interesting lecture program, visitors had the opportunity to have their CVs checked free of charge. Also, workshops were offered to provide information about career start and job entry. A new offer in 2016 was the simultaneous translation of lectures into English.
	CONTACT2015 Thanks to all exhibitors and visitors for their contributions to a once more successful CONTACT! The CONTACT2015 took place on 22nd of April 2015 in the Communication Center of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. Like in the previous year, many biotech, pharma, and consulting companies and scientific publishers informed about the job opportunities they offered. The fair also featured various interesting lectures, CV checks, and workshops took place, all of which provided useful information about career options in life sciences. Like in the year before, there was a job wall advertising vacancies.
	CONTACT2014 The CONTACT2014 took place on 28th of April 2014 in the Communication Center of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. Thanks to all exhibitors and visitors for their attendance! Successful networking: The aim of CONTACT which takes place annually consists in bringing natural scientists, physicians, and laboratory technicians together with company representatives of the biotech and pharma sector and to create an informal and relaxed atmosphere to make initial contacts and learn about job entry requirements and career opportunities. In expert talks and workshops, visitors could gain a deeper insight into career options in life science. A job wall advertising vacancies and free CV checks offered them the chance to even start their career at the CONTACT2014 directly.

Our CONTACT poster gallery 2001-2018: