Pre-Sales Industry Segment Expert - Life Sciences

Critical Manufacturing; Porto; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Critical Manufacturing is seeking a Pre-Sales Industry Expert – Life Sciences to help customers understand how our MES supports complex regulated manufacturing. You will analyze customer processes, identify constraints, and translate them into clear solution concepts.

Success in this role will involve conducting business process assessments, preparing tailored demos, and collaborating across teams to refine industry messaging.

Qualifications

• Solid knowledge of Manufacturing Execution Systems and their role in modern production environments.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes within Life Sciences.
• Excellent spoken and written English and German communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct business process assessments with prospective Life Sciences customers.
• Prepare and deliver tailored product demonstrations.
• Support opportunity qualification through estimations and implementation plans.

Skills

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Life Sciences (Pharma)

German communication skills

Adaptability

Curiosity

Job description

Critical Manufacturing is dedicated to empowering high-performance operations to make Industry 4.0 a reality with the most innovative, comprehensive, and modular MES software. We have a global presence, but our headquarters and the main technical center are in Porto (Maia), Portugal, where we develop a state‑of‑the‑art solution for Semiconductor, Electronics, Medical Devices, and Industrial Equipment.

Recognized as a Leader by Gartner, we are part of ASMPT, the world's largest supplier of best‑in‑class equipment and a technological process partner for the electronics and semiconductor industries.

The Role

The Pre‑Sales Industry Expert – Life Sciences helps customers understand how Critical Manufacturing MES supports the complexity of regulated and high‑mix manufacturing environments. You will analyze customer processes, identify constraints, and translate them into clear solution concepts and demo storylines that show how our product delivers measurable value.

You will play a visible role in shaping opportunity strategy, defining scope, and strengthening customer confidence across the sales cycle. Your work supports better qualifications, well‑framed estimates, and smooth handovers to delivery. Insights gathered during engagements will also contribute to product evolution, industry messaging, and the maturity of the Pre‑Sales practice, making this a key position in our growth within these markets.

What You Will Do

• Conduct business process assessments with prospective Life Sciences, with main focus on the Pharma segment, to understand their operational challenges and improvement opportunities.
• Propose high‑level solution approaches based on Critical Manufacturing MES, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and regulatory expectations.
• Prepare and deliver tailored product demonstrations, presentations, and value‑driven narratives adapted to different stakeholder audiences.
• Create segment‑specific configurations (MBR, EBR and W&D) to illustrate process fit, equipment integration, and regulatory workflows.
• Support opportunity qualification through estimations, high‑level implementation plans, and risk‑aware scoping of proposed solutions.
• Respond to technical questionnaires (RFPs) with clear, accurate, and audit‑ready input aligned with product capabilities.
• Perform Rapid Value Assessments, ROI and TCO analyses to quantify business benefits and support customer decision making.
• Analyze Statements of Work (SOWs), identify risks and assumptions, and contribute to their development during pre‑sales cycles.
• Collaborate with Product, Sales, and Delivery teams to refine demo assets, industry messaging, and segment‑specific best practices.

What Success Looks Like

• Completed onboarding and gained a solid understanding of Critical Manufacturing MES, industry‑specific workflows, and our pre‑sales toolkit.
• Led several customer process assessments and contributed to opportunity strategies with clear, value‑driven solution proposals.
• Delivered tailored product demonstrations for Life Sciences (Pharma) prospects with confidence and positive customer feedback.
• Contributed to estimations, high‑level implementation plans, and SOW inputs that resulted in well‑scoped, low‑risk project proposals.
• Supported multiple RFIs/RFPs with accurate, audit‑ready technical responses aligned with product capabilities and internal standards.
• Performed or contributed to Rapid Value Assessments/ROI studies that strengthened opportunity positioning.
• Become a reliable partner to Sales, Product, and Delivery teams, collaborating smoothly on demo preparation, solution design, and opportunity qualification.
• Demonstrated ownership of at least one segment‑specific demo asset or best‑practice configuration within the Pre‑Sales team.
• Contributed to high‑quality handovers of won opportunities, helping ensure smooth transitions into project delivery.
• Built a reputation as a trusted advisor for both internal teams and prospects, bringing credibility, structure, and industry insight to each engagement.

Why Join Us

• Being part of a company shaping the future of manufacturing software.
• Joining a collaborative, supportive organization that values expertise, ownership, and continuous learning.
• Growing your technical and industry depth through real customer engagements and access to internal experts.
• Contributing ideas that directly influence our product, demos, and go‑to‑market approach.
• Enjoying an open, innovative culture with flexibility, autonomy, and room to develop your career.

Requirements

• Solid knowledge of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and their role in modern production environments.
• A strong understanding of manufacturing processes within Life Sciences (Pharma).
• The ability to quickly grasp customer challenges, ask the right questions, and translate needs into clear solution concepts.
• Confidence and presence when delivering demos, presentations, and technical discussions to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work remotely with internationally distributed virtual teams.
• Curiosity, adaptability, and a desire to continuously deepen your expertise in MES, manufacturing processes, and industry best practices.
• Excellent spoken and written English and German communication skills.
• Flexibility to travel.

What We Consider a Plus (not Mandatory)

• Experience integrating MES with ERP, PLM, LIMS, or equipment interfaces.
• Understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment standards and communication protocols (e.g., OPC UA/DA).
• Familiarity with regulatory and quality compliance frameworks applicable to the pharmaceutical industry, including GxP, FDA/EMA compliance concepts (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 820, FDA 21 CFR Part 210/211, FDA 21 CFR Part 600‑680, FDA 21 CFR Part 11), and computerized system validation approaches such as GAMP 5 and ALCOA+ principles.
• Background in software development or scripting (e.g., .NET/C#, SQL, or automation frameworks).
• Prior experience in Pre‑Sales, Solution Consulting, or Customer‑facing technical roles.
• Exposure to high‑mix/low‑volume manufacturing environments or engineer‑to‑order workflows.
• Experience contributing to demo assets, solution accelerators, or industry templates.
• Additional language skills beyond English and German.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are a source of commitment and innovation

At Critical Manufacturing, we welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of disabilities, diverse abilities, identities, or experiences. Our commitment is to create an inclusive environment where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed and thrive.

If you need accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know – we’re happy to support you.