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PEO for life sciences
Find a PEO built for
biotech and life sciences.
For biotech, pharma, medtech and research companies with 5–500 employees. Compare 40+ vetted PEOs on benefits that compete for scientists, multi-state payroll, visa-holder support and lab workers' comp, then onboard to the best fit without becoming a PEO expert. Free comparison, no obligation.
Built for:
Biotech & biopharma
Medtech & diagnostics
Research labs
Venture-backed teams
Your PEO shortlist
22-person biotech · 6 states · Series A
Illustrative example
PEO A
Best fit
Match
93%
Plan richness
Top-tier PPO
Visa-holder support
I-9 + E-Verify
Multi-state payroll
All 50 states
Pricing model
Per employee
All-in / employee / mo
$1,342
Exit fee
None
PEO B
Shortlisted
Match
82%
Plan richness
Mid-tier only
Visa-holder support
I-9 + E-Verify
Multi-state payroll
All 50 states
Pricing model
Per employee
All-in / employee / mo
$1,268
Exit fee
$3,000
PEO C
Shortlisted
Match
75%
Plan richness
Top-tier PPO
Visa-holder support
I-9 only
Multi-state payroll
All 50 states
Pricing model
% of payroll
All-in / employee / mo
$1,315
Exit fee
None
Every fee decoded by P.A.U.L. · Gaps and exit terms flagged before you sign
Compare leading PEOs with confidence, including
Sound familiar?
You run the science.
HR shouldn't run you.
Life sciences companies hire on milestones, compete with big pharma for talent and spread teams across states. Here's what founders and operators tell us most, and where the right PEO fits.
“We just closed our Series A and need 20 hires before our IND.”
Post-raise hiring outpaces any HR setup a lean team has. A PEO gives you payroll, benefits, onboarding and compliance infrastructure that scales with each hire, so hiring tracks your milestones, not your paperwork.
“Our scientists can get better benefits at big pharma.”
Small biotechs compete for PhDs and senior scientists against companies with rich plans. A PEO's large-group buying power gives you benefits that can hold their own, without a big-company HR budget.
“Half our team is on a visa.”
H-1B, O-1 and TN employees bring I-9 reverification and status-change details. A PEO handles I-9 and E-Verify processes and works alongside your immigration counsel.
“Our CRAs live in twelve states.”
Remote clinical research associates, field medical and regulatory staff mean registering and running payroll everywhere they work. A PEO handles multi-state payroll tax, unemployment and leave rules.
“How do we classify lab techs for workers' comp?”
Wet labs, BSL-2 work and chemical handling carry different risk than office roles. The right PEO places the correct class codes and supports lab safety programs and claims.
“Are our consultants really contractors?”
Biotechs lean on fractional CMOs and CMC and regulatory consultants. Misclassifying them creates tax and liability exposure. A PEO helps you set up clean W-2 vs. 1099 practices and convert contractors when it's time.
Why life sciences companies use a PEO
Think of a PEO as a CRO
for your people.
You don't build a clinical operations team from scratch to run your first trial. You bring in a CRO with the infrastructure and keep control of the science. A PEO (Professional Employer Organization) does that for HR: it pools your team with thousands of other employees for large-group benefits, workers' comp and HR expertise, while you keep every hiring and operating decision.
33%
rise in U.S. life sciences venture funding in the first half of 2026 vs. 2025, and funded companies hire
1.7%
year-over-year job growth in biotech R&D and pharma manufacturing as of April 2026, the fastest in nearly three years
48%
of life sciences leaders say turnover and retention are their biggest hiring concern
12%
lower employee turnover for businesses that use a PEO
Sources: CBRE life sciences talent trends (June 2026), Medix 2026 Mid-Year Life Sciences Workforce Report and NAPEO.
What you get
Infrastructure that scales with your pipeline.
Benefits that compete with big pharma, with large-group pricing
Multi-state payroll for remote clinical, regulatory and field staff
I-9 and E-Verify support for visa-holding employees
Workers' comp for lab roles with safety and claims support
HR compliance: handbooks, leave, worker classification and state registrations
Onboarding at scale for post-raise hiring waves
Free for life sciences companies
See which PEOs fit a scientific team.
Share your headcount plan, states and visa mix. We'll line up vetted PEOs side by side, every fee decoded, before your next hiring wave.
Why compare here first
Run diligence on your PEO
like you would on a CRO.
You'd never pick a CRO from a sales deck. Your PEO deserves the same diligence: plan quality, multi-state coverage, work comp programs, pricing and contract terms vary widely. PEO Marketplace does the discovery, evaluation and onboarding work, so you land on the best-fit PEO without becoming a PEO expert.
Discover
PEOs that understand life sciences
P.A.U.L., our AI PEO assistant, screens 40+ vetted PEOs by headcount plan, states, benefit richness and lab vs. office mix, so you only evaluate PEOs built for teams like yours.
Evaluate
Every proposal, line-item audited
Admin fees, benefits, workers' comp and setup costs decoded line by line in one standardized format, so you see the real all-in cost per employee before it hits your burn.
Onboard
Switch on your timeline
We guide census, plan selection and go-live timing around your payroll cycle, funding close and open enrollment, and flag auto-renewals and exit terms before you sign.
Free for biotechs
Paid by the PEO you ultimately choose
Like a recruiter, our fee comes from the PEO you ultimately pick. Our team's side-by-side comparison costs you nothing, and the first 50 businesses get free beta access to the platform.
What it looks like
A 22-person biotech after its Series A
A common picture: a preclinical biotech with a wet lab in one state, remote clinical and regulatory staff in five more, several scientists on visas and a plan to double headcount before its IND filing. Here's how the CEO's year changes once the right PEO is in place. More real outcomes in our case studies.
Illustrative example based on common biotech setups.
Before
COO running payroll and benefits on the side
Benefits that lose candidates to big pharma
State registrations lagging behind remote hires
Consultants with unclear 1099 status
After
Payroll, benefits and onboarding through the PEO
Large-group plans that help close offers
Multi-state payroll handled for every hire
Clean W-2 vs. 1099 practices
Before you sign anything
6 questions every life sciences company should ask a PEO
We check every one of these for you, and lay the answers out side by side.
How do your benefit plans compare with what big pharma offers our candidates?
Can you run payroll in every state where our remote staff work?
How do you support I-9 reverification and E-Verify for visa holders?
How will you classify our lab roles for workers' comp?
Can you scale onboarding for a post-raise hiring wave?
What are the all-in costs per employee, and what are the exit terms?
Your options
Three ways to buy PEO services.
Only one compares them all for you.
Going direct to a PEO
Traditional broker
PEO Marketplace
PEOs you compare
One by one
The few they work with
40+ vetted PEOs, side by side
Your time
Slowest
Faster
Fastest
Proposals
Their format
Each PEO's own format
Standardized format, decoded line by line
Quote paperwork
You gather it
You gather it
Done for you, or guided DIY if you prefer
Cost to your business
Free
Usually free
Free, paid by the PEO you choose
Contract review
On your own
Varies
Before you sign
After you sign
The PEO's service team
Varies
Quarterly advocacy check-ins
Platform launch · December
Pre-register for the PEO Marketplace platform.
Everything the PEO market has been missing, from A to Z: smart shopping, side-by-side comparisons and contract signing on one platform, taking the whole PEO process from weeks to hours. Pre-register today as a business, a partner or a PEO. The first 50 businesses get free access to the beta launch.
✓ Free beta access for the first 50 businesses
✓ First in line when the platform opens in December
✓ Launch updates only. No spam, unsubscribe anytime
Need a PEO right now? Our team can run the comparison for you today →
Early access
Reserve your spot
Who's registering?
For employers
Shopping for a PEO or reviewing the one you have? The first 50 businesses to pre-register get free access to the beta launch of the marketplace.
Free beta access is limited to the first 50 businesses that pre-register.
Life sciences FAQ
PEO for life sciences:
what founders ask first.
Reviewed by PEO Marketplace, a licensed Florida insurance agency (#L129491). Last updated October 2026.
What is the best PEO for life sciences companies?
There isn't one best PEO for every life sciences company. The right fit depends on your headcount plan, states, visa mix, lab roles and how rich your benefits need to be to win talent. We screen 40+ vetted PEOs on those factors and compare the best fits side by side. Hiring clinical staff too? See PEOs for healthcare.
Why do biotech startups use a PEO?
To get enterprise-grade HR infrastructure without building an HR department. A PEO gives a biotech large-group benefits, multi-state payroll, compliance support and onboarding that scales with each raise. It works like a CRO: proven infrastructure you outsource while you keep control of the science. Early stage? See PEOs for startups.
Can a small biotech offer benefits that compete with big pharma?
Often, yes. Through a PEO, a small biotech can access large-group health, dental, vision and retirement plans that are hard to get as a small group. Plan richness and price vary widely by PEO, so compare options side by side before you choose.
Can a PEO help with employees on H-1B or other visas?
Partly. A PEO handles I-9 verification and reverification, E-Verify where required and payroll for visa-holding employees. Visa petitions stay with your company and your immigration counsel, so confirm how each PEO coordinates with them.
How does a PEO handle workers' comp for lab employees?
The right PEO places workers' comp with the correct class codes for lab, manufacturing and office roles, and adds safety programs and claims support. Coverage and pricing vary by PEO and state, so compare them side by side.
Does a PEO work for medtech companies and CROs?
Yes. Medtech companies add manufacturing and field sales roles, and CROs add site and clinical staff across many states, which means more job classes and more multi-state detail. We match you with PEOs that cover your mix. Making product in-house? See PEOs for manufacturing.
Do we keep control of hiring and equity?
Yes. You keep hiring, compensation, equity grants and every operating decision. The PEO handles payroll, benefits, tax filings and HR administration as a co-employer. Your equity plan stays with your cap table provider and counsel.
How much does a PEO cost for a biotech company?
Expect an admin fee per employee or a percentage of payroll, plus benefits and workers' comp. With high scientific salaries, percent-of-payroll pricing can cost far more than per-employee pricing, so compare all-in cost side by side. For a quick estimate, try our PEO cost calculator.
Can a PEO help a life sciences company keep its talent?
It can help. Competitive benefits, smooth onboarding and consistent HR practices give scientists and staff more reasons to stay. NAPEO research finds businesses that use a PEO have 12% lower employee turnover.
Is PEO Marketplace free for life sciences companies?
Yes. Comparing PEOs with our team is free for life sciences companies. Like a recruiter, we're paid by the PEO you choose. The platform itself is free for the first 50 businesses during the beta, with paid plans announced at launch. Businesses on a full-service PEO (PEO, health and workers' comp) are backed by our $500 per employee per year savings guarantee.
Keep exploring
Your next step.
Proof
See real results
Case studies with the before-and-after numbers, line by line.
Read the case studies →
Free tool
Estimate your PEO savings
Run your own numbers in the free PEO Calculator.
Open the calculator →
PEO 101
What is a PEO?
A plain-English guide to how a PEO works and what it costs.
Read the guide →
peo-marketplace
Get back to the science.
Compare vetted PEOs side by side, see every fee, and onboard to the best fit without becoming a PEO expert. Free for life sciences companies.
Need a PEO now?
Book a free comparison with our team. We'll review your current setup and what a better PEO could look like.
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