Senior Field Application Scientist, Protein XI

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Field Application Scientist, Protein XI (FAS) will play a critical role in supporting the launch and ongoing success of a new, cutting-edge proteomic technology platform. This individual will serve as a scientific expert for customers and internal teams, combining deep knowledge of immunoassays and next-generation sequencing (NGS). The Senior FAS, Protein XI will provide advanced technical support, engage in hands-on method development during an initial rotation at MSD headquarters, and mentor junior members of the Field Applications team. The role also involves creating high quality customer-facing content, including training materials, workflows, and best-practice guides and will help establish field processes, support playbooks, escalation paths, and training standards.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Customer Support 

• Serve as the primary technical expert for customers using the new proteomic platform, providing pre- and post-sales scientific support.

• Conduct product demonstrations, technical presentations, and workflow consultations for prospective and existing customers.

• Troubleshoot complex assay challenges, data interpretation questions, and workflow issues involving both immunoassays and NGS.

• Guide customers on experimental design, sample preparation, assay selection, data analysis, and best practices.

• Partner with bioinformatics/software teams on data delivery, interpretation, and user workflow; communicate limitations clearly and propose workarounds.

• Manage and document customer interactions, opportunities, and case updates using CRM tools such as Salesforce.

• Drive adoption by delivering customer training plans, certification, and best-practice rollouts; develop repeatable onboarding workflows.

• For strategic accounts, create success plans and QBR-ready updates (progress, outcomes, next steps).

Internal Launch Support 

• Spend several months onsite at MSD gaining hands-on proficiency with the platform, working closely with R&D, Operations, and Product Development teams before commercialization.

• Participate in method development, prototype evaluation, and early-access testing to deeply understand platform performance and limitations.

• Provide field-centric feedback to internal teams to inform product improvements, documentation, and usability.

Early Access Program (EAP) Leadership

• Serve as field lead for the EAP in partnership with Product Management: site selection, onboarding, study design support, timeline management, and executive-ready readouts.

• Own customer cadence (weekly/biweekly check-ins), risk tracking, issue triage, and escalation to R&D/Operations.

• Define success criteria and capture Voice-of-Customer (VOC) systematically (requirements, defects, desired features), translating into actionable inputs for Product Management.

Training and Mentorship 

• Mentor and train other Field Application Scientists, sharing best practices and supporting skill development across the team.

• Deliver internal trainings, verify new hires, and help refine onboarding programs for the FAS organization.

• Serve as an escalation resource for complex customer issues or high-visibility accounts.

Content Development & Customer Materials

• Develop customer-facing materials such as quick reference guides, application notes, slide decks, workflow diagrams, and troubleshooting resources.

• Partner with Marketing to ensure scientific accuracy in customer-facing documentation, campaigns, and launch materials.

• Contribute to the creation and maintenance of internal knowledge bases.

• Create/maintain controlled customer-facing and internal technical documentation consistent with company quality systems (as applicable).

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Sales to identify customer needs and support technical discussions during the sales cycle.

• Provide field insights to Product Management regarding customer requirements, competitive trends, and product opportunities.

• Represent the company at scientific conferences, workshops, and seminars.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Biochemistry, or related field required.

o Master’s degree with equivalent experience considered

• A minimum of 3 years of in a field application scientist or scientific support position required. 

• Hands-on experience with NGS workflows, including library prep, sequencing platforms, and basic data interpretation.

• Experience contributing to application notes, SOPs, or other scientific collateral preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated expertise with immunoassays (e.g., multiplexed platforms, ELISA, proximity extension/ligation assays)