Career change as a pharmacy technician (PTA)
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 6 with on-the-job training and 2 with training or a course.
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Career change paths
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Pharmaceutical representative (Pharmareferent)
Also: Pharmaceutical sales consultant
With on-the-job training
As a pharmaceutical representative, you visit doctors' practices, clinics and pharmacies, inform them about your company's medicines, take reports on side effects and organize further training.
- What you bring:
- You know active substances, dosage forms and interactions and explain medicines in an understandable way every day.
- How to get there:
- With your qualification as a pharmaceutical-technical assistant (PTA), you already have the expertise that § 75 of the Medicinal Products Act (Arzneimittelgesetz) requires for pharmaceutical consultants, so you do not need the exam for pharmaceutical representative. Companies train you with product and sales training of a few weeks. A class B driving license and willingness to travel are expected.*Regulated by law (Medicinal Products Act (AMG) § 75).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€5,550gross per monthMedian salary
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Lab associate in pharmaceutical quality control
Also: Lab technician in drug analysis
With on-the-job training
In the quality control of a pharmaceutical company or testing lab, you analyze raw materials and finished medicines with methods such as chromatography and titration and work according to the rules of Good Manufacturing Practice.
- What you bring:
- You test starting materials, prepare formulations according to regulations and keep complete records.
- How to get there:
- Pharmaceutical companies and testing labs hire pharmaceutical-technical assistants (PTA) for analytics and sample preparation and train them for a few weeks to months, usually with GMP training. For demanding measuring methods, some labs prefer chemical lab technicians (Chemielaboranten). Shift work is possible.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsShift workPhysically lightLittle customer contact€4,317gross per monthMedian salary
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Quality assurance associate in the pharmaceutical industry
Also: Quality assurance technician
With on-the-job training
In the quality assurance of a pharmaceutical company, you check manufacturing and test protocols, handle deviations and complaints, maintain work instructions and prepare releases and inspections.
- What you bring:
- You work according to regulations, check details for plausibility and document the manufacture and testing of medicines without gaps.
- How to get there:
- Pharmaceutical manufacturers and contract manufacturers hire pharmaceutical-technical assistants (PTA) for quality assurance and documentation and train them for a few weeks to months, with training on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). English skills are often expected. Batch release remains reserved for the qualified person (sachkundige Person), who under § 15 AMG must be a pharmacist or have a university degree in natural sciences or medicine.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€5,017gross per monthMedian salary
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Clinical study assistant
Also: Study coordinator at a clinic
With on-the-job training
As a study assistant in clinics or study centers, you organize appointments for study participants, manage investigational products, record data and keep the study documents up to date according to the rules of Good Clinical Practice.
- What you bring:
- You work precisely according to regulations, know medicines and side effects and document without gaps.
- How to get there:
- You can start with on-the-job training, supplemented by courses on Good Clinical Practice and study assistance at professional societies and training providers, usually a few days to a few weeks. Positions exist mainly at university clinics and in study centers, often fixed-term because they are tied to individual studies.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,447gross per monthMedian salary
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Customer support specialist for pharmacy software
Also: IT support specialist in healthcare
With on-the-job training
At the manufacturer of pharmacy software, you help pharmacy teams with problems by phone or on site, set up systems and train new customers.
- What you bring:
- You know inventory management, e-prescriptions, the cash register system and the procedures in the pharmacy from daily work.
- How to get there:
- Software companies for pharmacies deliberately hire pharmaceutical-technical assistants (PTA) and train them in their programs for a few weeks to months. An IT qualification is usually not required, but technical interest and patience on the phone are. For training on site, willingness to travel is often expected.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLots of contact with people€5,568gross per monthMedian salary
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Medicines case officer at a health insurance fund
Also: Prescription review officer
With on-the-job training
At a health insurance fund or a pharmacy billing center, you check prescriptions and billing, process applications for medicines and medical aids and answer questions from insured persons and pharmacies.
- What you bring:
- You know prescription rules, discount contracts, co-payments and medical aids from pharmacy practice.
- How to get there:
- Health insurance funds and pharmacy billing centers hire pharmaceutical-technical assistants (PTA) for medicine and medical aid topics and train them internally, often over a few months. The work is mostly office work with fixed hours, and some positions require additional further training by the fund.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office€3,964gross per monthMedian salary
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Hygiene inspector at the public health office (Gesundheitsamt)
With further training
As a hygiene inspector, you check clinics, nursing homes, practices, schools and communal facilities for the public health office, advise them and investigate cases of infection.
- What you bring:
- You work according to strict hygiene rules and know disinfectants, testing regulations and legal requirements in healthcare.
- How to get there:
- You train in the public health service under state law, with theory at an academy or technical college and practice at the public health office, usually about 2 years depending on the federal state. Public health offices usually select applicants with completed training in a health profession for this. The title and process differ by state.*Regulated by law (State law: training and examination regulations of the states for hygiene inspectors).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,905gross per monthMedian salary
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Medical laboratory technologist (Medizinische/r Technologe/Technologin für Laboratoriumsanalytik)
With vocational training
In the medical laboratory of a clinic or a lab company, you analyze blood, urine and tissue samples, operate analysis devices and check the results for plausibility.
- What you bring:
- You work confidently in the lab, know analytics and chemistry and document precisely.
- How to get there:
- You train under the MT Professions Act, 3 years full-time or up to 5 years part-time, at a state-recognized school with practice in the lab and clinic, and you receive a training allowance. Parts of your PTA training can be credited on request if they are equivalent, and the responsible authority decides.*Regulated by law (MT Professions Act (MTBG) §§ 13, 14).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Shift workPhysically lightLittle customer contact€4,064gross per monthMedian salary
Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as a pharmacy technician (PTA) without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Pharmaceutical representative (Pharmareferent), Lab associate in pharmaceutical quality control, Quality assurance associate in the pharmaceutical industry, Clinical study assistant, Customer support specialist for pharmacy software and Medicines case officer at a health insurance fund.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a pharmacy technician (PTA)?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Hygiene inspector at the public health office (Gesundheitsamt) and Medical laboratory technologist (Medizinische/r Technologe/Technologin für Laboratoriumsanalytik).
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Customer support specialist for pharmacy software (€5,568 gross per month), Pharmaceutical representative (Pharmareferent) (€5,550 gross per month) and Quality assurance associate in the pharmaceutical industry (€5,017 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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