SAN DIEGO — Since Vince Kato was laid off, he has consistently felt just a couple of months away from securing a new job. However, over a year later, he finds himself running out of options and time.
Kato, a former senior engineer at Illumina, was terminated in March 2024. Since then, he has applied to countless positions at biotech startups and larger pharmaceutical companies, including roles he’s more than qualified for, but has had no luck. With a monthly rent of $3,600 draining his savings, he now faces difficult decisions.
“I either have to leave San Diego, move back to Minnesota, or figure something out. I’m honestly at my financial breaking point,” Kato shared.
His situation exemplifies the challenges facing San Diego’s biotech sector, which ranks third among the nation’s life science hubs, following Boston and the Bay Area, in terms of employee concentration, companies, and funding. Despite featuring some success stories, numerous local businesses are struggling to secure funding, a situation worsened by various interruptions during the Trump administration. Consequently, while lab spaces are abundant, available jobs are scarce.
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