Director, Field Scientific Support

MSD Careers•All, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Field Scientific Support, is responsible for leading and scaling a high-performing team of field application scientists (FAS) that directly supports commercial success and customer satisfaction. This role oversees regional FAS managers and their teams, driving strategic alignment between technical support, sales objectives, and customer experience. The Director serves as both a people leader and technical authority, ensuring the team delivers best-in-class scientific support across MSD’s portfolio.

Requirements

PhD in biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, or other related discipline. (Master’s degree may be substituted with additional relevant experience.)
Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience managing teams.
Minimum 8 years of experience in a field application, technical support position, or related focused role.
Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience working in a biochemistry, molecular biology lab, clinical lab, or discovery lab in a research or clinical setting.
Experience training and developing teams with a customer-centric focus.
A thorough understanding of the commercial support process in the life sciences marketplace (drug development/discovery, pharmaceutical, biotech, etc.).
Strong background in immunoassays and experience in protein biochemistry.
Display a thorough understanding of the principles of immunoassays, their development, and their applicability in different research fields.
Ability to demonstrate superior competency in analytical skills along with strong scientific fundamentals.
Proven ability to troubleshoot complex scientific and technical issues.
Strong coaching and mentoring skills with a focus on talent development.
Ability to set clear goals and drive accountability.
Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing, geographically distributed teams.
Strong business acumen with the ability to align support activities to commercial outcomes.
Demonstrate outstanding interpersonal communication skills as a core competency to include presentation and training styles.
Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected, including the ability to multitask and work productively in a demanding environment with changing priorities.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a team of regional FAS managers and Field Application Scientists across North America and selected distribution networks.
Serve as hiring manager for FAS roles, driving recruitment, onboarding, and retention of top talent.
Establish clear performance expectations, KPIs, and career development plans for team members.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Represent the FAS team in commercial leadership meetings.
Define and implement FAS strategy aligned with commercial goals, ensuring measurable impact on revenue growth and customer satisfaction.
Set clear, achievable objectives that balance technical excellence with business outcomes.
Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Field Service, Technical Support, and Customer Support teams to ensure alignment.
Ensure that the FAS team effectively captures and relays voice-of-customer to internal stakeholders.
Act as the senior escalation point for complex scientific and technical challenges.
Maintain deep expertise in MSD products, software, and applications to guide the team and support customer engagements.
Contribute to software design and feature requirements.
Ensure consistent, high-quality technical messaging and support across regions.
Travel regularly with FAS team members to provide coaching, assess performance, and strengthen customer relationships.
Participate in key customer meetings and troubleshooting sessions as needed.
Drive best practices in field engagement and scientific consultation.
Deliver technical and application-focused training sessions to the broader commercial organization.
Ensure that the FAS team is continuously trained on new products, software releases, applications, and competitive positioning.
Partner with internal stakeholders to develop and refine training programs and training materials.
Define and track KPIs related to FAS effectiveness.
Use data-driven insights to optimize team performance and resource allocation.
Regularly report on team performance and strategic initiatives to leadership.