India’s healthtech sector posted a 9% increase in hiring in 2023 despite a prolonged funding winter impacting investments and hiring sentiment, according to a study by staffing company CIEL HR.

Companies continued to add talent for sales and business development roles, followed by critical roles in technology and product development, according to the ‘Health Tech Employment Trends’ report by CIEL HR. This is despite cost-cutting and a broader slowdown in hiring by India Inc., mostly during August to December.

“The healthtech sector is bound to grow rapidly due to the socio-economic changes in India and the competitive advantages we offer for the world in patient care as well as in manufacturing and R&D,” said Aditya Narayan Mishra, CEO, CIEL HR.

“We have been seeing an upswing in recent times on a consistent basis. Despite the funding winter, the hiring numbers have grown and the outlook for the year ahead is significantly stronger. Companies must fine-tune their strategies for talent attraction and retention to make the most out of the opportunity available for us,” Mishra said.

Organisations are actively seeking professionals across domains such as software development, data analytics, and quality assurance.

Top roles in demand include DevOps Engineer, Mobile App Developer, Full Stack Developer, Data Scientist, and Data Engineer. Within the IT and engineering sector, the prized job titles include Software Developer, Software Engineer, Product Manager, and AI Engineer. Similarly, in Business Development and Sales domains, prominent positions in demand include Sales Manager, Business Development Manager and Corporate Sales Manager.Employers are particularly seeking candidates proficient in Python, .Net, Data Science, MS Dynamics, AI, as well as possessing expertise in data security and compliance protocols. Leading companies driving the recruitment efforts include Access Healthcare, Tata 1mg, PharmaEasy, Redcliffe Labs, Pristyn Care, MediBuddy, and HealthifyMe, according to the study.On hiring distribution across organisational levels, 44% of hires were for entry-level and junior positions, while 35% were filled at the mid-level with individuals having 5-10 years’ work experience. Additionally, 21% of positions were filled with seasoned professionals with 10-30 years’ experience.

The study also showed that women constituted 24% of the overall workforce in healthtech, with 18% working in executive teams.

About 50% of healthtech executives are open to new opportunities, reflecting industry dynamics, market competition, a desire for innovation and job satisfaction enhancement.

“Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, the Health Tech sector anticipates regaining momentum after the brief slowdown experienced in Aug-Dec’23,” said Mishra.

“With a projected employment growth of 15-20%, the sector is expected to witness a surge in demand for skilled professionals across various domains,” he added.

The report is based on surveys of 42,166 employees in 38 top healthtech firms in India. The analysis is based on data collected from 241 job postings on job portals.