Technical Sales Specialist

Octagon Group; Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uncapped commission

401(k) with company match

21 days of paid vacation plus holidays

Job summary

Octagon Group is seeking a Technical Sales Specialist for the Life Sciences and Drug Metabolism portfolio in the United States, with Chantilly, VA as a base or flexible US location. The role focuses on consultative sales of laboratory instrumentation, chromatography, consumables and software to pharma, biotech, agrochemical and CRO labs.

You will understand customer workflows, build relationships with scientists and decision-makers, deliver technical presentations and develop revenue

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in life sciences or related discipline.
• Confident, personable and engaging communication style.
• Motivation to develop business and meet sales targets.
• Strong relationship-building and presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel at least 50% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Manage and grow sales across a nationwide US territory.
• Identify opportunities with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrochemical and CRO customers.
• Build long-term relationships with laboratory scientists and decision-makers.
• Plan and conduct customer visits, online meetings and account-development activity.
• Deliver technical presentations, product demonstrations and commercial proposals.
• Respond to enquiries and provide quotations and product information.
• Support existing customers and identify opportunities to expand key accounts.
• Maintain an accurate pipeline and record customer activity through the CRM.
• Coordinate orders with administration, technical and support teams.
• Represent the business at conferences, exhibitions and customer events.

Skills

Life science experience

Communication skills

Relationship building

Presentation skills

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or related field

Tools

CRM

HPLC

GC

Job description

Technical Sales Specialist - Life Sciences & Drug Metabolism

Location: Chantilly, VA / Flexible US location for experienced candidates

We're recruiting a Technical Sales Specialist for an established international provider of instrumentation, software and consumables to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrochemical and contract research laboratories.

This position would suit a technically credible life-science professional with the personality and motivation to succeed in consultative sales. You could already be selling laboratory instrumentation or scientific software, or you may be working in a laboratory, applications or customer-facing scientific role and looking to build a commercial career.

Formal sales experience is valuable, but our client is particularly interested in people who are personable, energetic, commercially curious and confident building relationships.

The Opportunity

You’ll take responsibility for a specialist drug metabolism and life-sciences product portfolio across the United States, supporting established accounts while developing new customers and revenue opportunities.

The portfolio includes laboratory instrumentation, chromatography solutions, consumables and scientific software used within highly regulated drug-metabolism and research environments.

Rather than delivering a transactional sales pitch, you’ll learn how customers operate, understand their scientific workflows and become a trusted technical resource capable of recommending the right solution.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and grow sales across a nationwide US territory
• Identify opportunities with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrochemical and CRO customers
• Build long-term relationships with laboratory scientists and decision-makers
• Plan and conduct customer visits, online meetings and account-development activity
• Deliver technical presentations, product demonstrations and commercial proposals
• Respond to enquiries and provide quotations and product information
• Support existing customers and identify opportunities to expand key accounts
• Maintain an accurate pipeline and record customer activity through the CRM
• Coordinate orders with administration, technical and support teams
• Represent the business at conferences, exhibitions and customer events

What We’re Looking For

• At least one year of life-science experience gained in a laboratory, scientific sales, applications, consulting or customer-façing technical environment
• A bachelor’s degree or higher in life sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutical science or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience
• A confident, personable and engaging communication style
• Genuine motivation to develop business and work towards sales targets
• Strong relationship‑building and presentation skills
• A proactive, organised and commercially minded approach
• The ability to learn complex scientific products and explain their value clearly
• Willingness to travel at least 50% of the time

Experience in any of the following would be particularly relevant:

• Drug metabolism, DMPK, ADME or environmental fate studies
• Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrochemical or CRO laboratories
• HPLC, GC or other chromatography techniques
• Analytical or laboratory instrumentation
• Laboratory Information Management Systems
• Scientific software
• 21 CFR Part 11, GxP or regulated laboratory environments
• Technical sales, applications support or customer training

Location and Training

The company’s US office is based in Chantilly, Virginia, and candidates within reach of the office are preferred, particularly during onboarding and initial product training.

Remote working may be considered for an experienced scientific-sales professional who can manage a nationwide territory independently. New hires should expect increased office attendance during their first six months and an early international training visit.

Package

• $75,000-$90,000 base salary, with flexibility considered according to experience
• Uncapped commission from the first completed sale
• 401(k) with company match
• 21 days of paid vacation plus company holidays
• Extensive technical and product training
• Strong progression opportunities within an expanding US operation