Director, Business Development – CRO Services

SRC-Search; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Meso Scale Diagnostics, a leader in biomarker assays, seeks a Business Development Director for CRO Services in the North American region. The role is Boston-based and focuses on expanding the CRO services portfolio to pharmaceutical and biotech customers.

You will own the entire sales cycle, collaborate with product and marketing teams, and drive pipeline growth through strategic account planning, proposals, and negotiations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences required.
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) strongly preferred.
• 5–10 years of CRO or life sciences services sales experience.

Responsibilities

• Prospect and close new CRO services opportunities in North America.
• Own full sales cycle from lead gen to proposal and close.
• Coordinate with regional product sales, applications, and marketing teams.
• Build relationships with scientists, project managers, and procurement leaders.

Skills

Sales experience

Life sciences knowledge

CRM expertise

Excellent communication

Relation-building

Negotiation skills

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in life sciences

MS or PhD in life sciences

Tools

Salesforce

MS Office

Job description

About Meso Scale Diagnostics

Established in 1995, Meso Scale Diagnostics is a global leader in developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative assays and instruments for measuring molecules in biological samples. MSD’s proprietary MULTI-ARRAY technology enhances medical research and drug development by enabling researchers to profile many biomarkers simultaneously in a single sample without compromising assay performance. Researchers in pharmaceutical companies, government institutions, universities, and clinical laboratories worldwide have widely adopted MSD’s technology.

About this role

The Business Development Director, CRO Services, is responsible for driving sales growth of the company’s contract research service portfolio within an assigned North American territory. This individual will identify, engage, and close new business opportunities with pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers, while also supporting academic and government accounts as secondary segments.

The position collaborates with the broader commercial organization, including product sales teams, field applications, and marketing, to develop integrated account strategies that maximize customer value and revenue growth. The role is based in Boston, MA.

What you can expect

• Prospect and develop new business within pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, building a qualified pipeline of CRO service opportunities with an emphasis on bioanalytical endpoints, including sample testing and custom assay development.
• Own the full sales cycle, from lead generation and qualification through proposal, negotiation, and contract close.
• Collaborate closely with regional product sales teams to align service opportunities with instrument and reagent placements.
• Develop strong relationships with key decision-makers and influencers, including scientists, project managers, and procurement professionals.
• Work with internal resources to generate strong, competitive SOWs, proposals and quotations for services.
• Partner with internal stakeholders (assay development and sample testing, commercial and company leadership) to meet commercial objectives and deliver an outstanding customer experience.
• Achieve quarterly and annual sales targets for the assigned region, maintaining accurate forecasts, funnels and pipeline reporting in CRM.
• Represent the company at regional conferences, industry events, and customer meetings to promote capabilities and build market awareness.
• Provide market intelligence and competitive insights to inform commercial strategy and new service development.

Who we are looking for

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences required.
• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) strongly preferred.
• 5 to 10 years of experience in sales or business development for a CRO or related life sciences services organization, selling bioanalytical assay method development and testing requiring GLP/GCLP.
• Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and structured opportunity management processes.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets in a consultative, solutions-based selling environment in the life sciences or contract research industry.
• Strong understanding of drug discovery and development workflows and the role of analytical and bioanalytical services.
• Strong business acumen, negotiation and mediation skills, attention to detail and a focus on quality outcomes.
• Ability to build and foster relationships.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to organize, present, and articulate ideas verbally and in writing.
• Entrepreneurial and self-directed, with strong accountability for business results.
• Scientifically literate and commercially astute, able to connect customer needs to technical service solutions.
• Collaborative mindset; works effectively in an overlay structure alongside product sales teams.
• A professional presence and strong interpersonal skills for interacting courteously and diplomatically with customers.
• Driven, persistent, and comfortable navigating complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite and Salesforce.
• Ability to travel extensively, including overnight stays, and to work outside normal business hours as needed.