What are the chances to make it to Big Pharma from a small company?

I'm heading straight for Big Pharma after
I bust this guy's head open and break
out of this developmental league.
Credit: Ryan Wolf/Phoenix New Times

There are a lot of talented new graduates and postdocs who are finding their ways to smaller pharma companies and startups these days; there are also the various new academic drug discovery centers. The same assumption is that some percentage of these people would have been part of the traditional campus recruiting hires for Big Pharma.

Will they ultimately transition to the large pharmaceutical companies, as older entry-level employees or lower-to-mid-level management? I've covered this once before, when I said:

If smaller companies are like the minor leagues in baseball (where future talent is grown and developed over time) and assuming that there is a more-than-likely chance (unlike the minor leagues) that your experience will translate into a better-paying job in the future, then it's worth it. 

If taking a job at a smaller startup or a CRO is more like joining an independent league American football team* (where the chances of joining the NFL are vanishingly small), then no, it's not worth it and we're just keeping our jobs because we want to keep doing chemistry.

To which beloved commenter bbooooooya said:

...there is little transition from biotech to the big boys, though it does happen. The opposite transition seems more favored. A few years as a director or group leader at a big pharm makes it easier to slide into a VP role at a small biotech with, I assume, a jump in salary (at least while the company is around). I'm assuming non-executive salaries in big pharms tap out near $200K for group leaders, maybe a bit more for directors(but really don't know)?

I assume that bbooooooya would probably stick to his now year-old statement. 

Lower in the hierarchy, if Pfizer (and other big pharma companies) are going to stick to their designer/synthesizer motif, then I don't see why designers at small organizations can't become designers at large organizations. (Apart from the typical nepotism networking reasons, of course.) At the same time, I don't see the Big Pharmas deciding to hire lots of synthesizers (entry-level or otherwise) any time soon. 

I'm sure there's a pony in here somewhere. Readers, your thoughts? 

*Or an independent wrestling league (as pictured?)

Put me in coach, I'm ready to play

You can keep going to the ballpark lab and keep gettin'
paid to do it. Beats the hell outta working at Sears.
Photo credit: MGM/ESPN

Yesterday's discussion about Brevard, NC (population: 6,643 -- SA-LUTE!) started an interesting discussion in the comments about small towns and smaller-than-Big-Pharma companies. Anon1041a puts it this way:

Attitudes amongst organic chemists who seek industrial positions really need to change...they shouldn't expect to land a dream job in a dream location immediately out of school. Which would you rather do: start building a professional track record at less-than-ideal job or continue indentured academic servitude while waiting for a dream job that everyone else is clamoring for?

I think the answer is this: is there a career ladder that leads to the top or not? If smaller companies are like the minor leagues in baseball (where future talent is grown and developed over time) and assuming that there is a more-than-likely chance (unlike the minor leagues) that your experience will translate into a better-paying job in the future, then it's worth it.

If taking a job at a smaller startup or a CRO is more like joining an independent league American football team (where the chances of joining the NFL are vanishingly small), then no, it's not worth it and we're just keeping our jobs because we want to keep doing chemistry.*

*And much as I love chemistry, I love my family more.