Instrument Technical Sales Specialist - Midwest

Job Description

Demonstrate the Science. Shape the Solution. Accelerate the Win.

Position Summary

At Waters, our Instrument Technical Sales Specialists are strategic technical consultants who help customers solve complex scientific challenges while driving commercial success. Operating at the intersection of scientific expertise, customer insight, consultative selling, and commercial execution, you will partner closely with Account Managers to influence purchasing decisions and position Waters as the trusted partner of choice.

This is more than a technical support role. It is a highly visible, customer-facing position where you will lead technical discovery, shape solution strategies, and guide customers through complex buying decisions. By combining deep scientific knowledge with a consultative and customer-centric approach, you will uncover customer needs, develop impactful solutions, and drive meaningful scientific and business outcomes.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical credibility and a passion for working directly with customers. They enjoy building relationships, influencing decisions, solving complex problems, and contributing to commercial success. While scientific expertise is foundational, this role offers a unique opportunity to further develop commercial acumen, consultative selling skills, and business impact.

Instrument sales opportunities often involve longer sales cycles, multiple decision-makers, technical evaluations, competitive displacement opportunities, and capital approval processes. Success requires strategic thinking, persistence, strong customer engagement, and the ability to build momentum throughout complex customer buying journeys.

This is a high-impact opportunity for scientific professionals who want to remain close to the science while playing a direct role in shaping customer outcomes, driving growth, and winning business.

Role Purpose

As part of the Waters Biosciences Division, drive instrument revenue growth by providing technical leadership throughout the sales cycle. Lead consultative customer engagements, shape solution strategies, influence technical and business stakeholders, and position Waters technologies as the preferred solution for customer success.

Core Competencies

Customer-Centric Mindset

• Builds trusted relationships through deep understanding of customer goals, challenges, and workflows.
• Delivers solutions that create measurable scientific and business value.
• Champions customer success while balancing commercial objectives.

Consultative Selling & Influence

• Uncovers both stated and unstated customer needs through thoughtful discovery.
• Aligns technical solutions with customer priorities and desired outcomes.
• Influences decisions through credibility, insight, and value-based discussions.

Scientific & Technical Expertise

• Demonstrates deep scientific knowledge and technical credibility.
• Applies application expertise to solve complex customer challenges.
• Simplifies technical concepts and translates them into customer value.

Commercial Acumen

• Understands how technical solutions contribute to business outcomes and revenue growth.
• Partners effectively with Account Managers to develop and execute winning strategies.
• Contributes to territory growth and commercial success.

Opportunity Leadership

• Drives momentum through complex, multi-stakeholder opportunities.
• Maintains focus and engagement throughout longer sales cycles.
• Operates with accountability, urgency, and a results-oriented mindset.

Collaboration & Teamwork

• Works effectively across Sales, Applications, Service, Marketing, and Product teams.
• Leverages cross-functional expertise to create exceptional customer experiences.
• Contributes to a culture of performance, continuous learning, and winning.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Customer Engagement

• Lead consultative customer discovery to identify explicit and latent customer needs.
• Deliver compelling, application-focused demonstrations that connect science to business value.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to scientific, technical, and operational stakeholders.
• Guide customers through technical evaluations and instrument selection processes.
• Build long-term customer relationships based on trust, expertise, and partnership.

Solution Development & Positioning

• Design and position integrated solutions across instruments, consumables, software, and workflows.
• Align recommendations with customer challenges, workflows, and success criteria.
• Articulate Waters' differentiated value in competitive situations.
• Shape solution strategies that build confidence and accelerate decision-making.

Opportunity Support & Deal Advancement

• Partner with Account Managers to develop and execute winning opportunity strategies.
• Lead technical engagement throughout the sales cycle.
• Anticipate and address technical objections with confidence and expertise.
• Support progression and closure of complex instrument opportunities.
• Maintain momentum through long-cycle opportunities involving multiple stakeholders and approval processes.

Competitive & Market Expertise

• Maintain deep knowledge of technologies, applications, industry trends, and competitive offerings.
• Effectively position Waters solutions against competitors.
• Provide field insights to support product development, marketing, and commercial strategy.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Applications Scientists, Service, Marketing, Product Management, and Commercial teams.
• Coordinate internal resources to deliver seamless customer experiences.
• Contribute to a high-performing team culture focused on growth and customer success.

What Success Looks Like

• Improves instrument win rates in competitive opportunities.
• Accelerates complex sales cycles through technical leadership and customer influence.
• Builds strong customer confidence in Waters solutions.
• Increases conversion of qualified opportunities into closed business.
• Strengthens Waters' differentiation in the marketplace.
• Enables territory growth through effective partnership with Account Managers.
• Recognized as a trusted technical expert, strategic advisor, and valued commercial partner.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or a related scientific field.
• Experience in technical sales, field applications, laboratory operations, scientific research, or related customer-facing technical roles.
• Strong presentation, communication, consultative problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical concepts into customer value.
• Ability to engage credibly with scientific, technical, and operational stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel throughout the assigned territory.

Preferred

• Experience with analytical instrumentation platforms.
• Background in flow cytometry, cell analysis, immunology, biotechnology, diagnostics, life sciences, or related scientific disciplines.
• Experience supporting capital equipment or complex solution sales.
• Experience in field applications, scientific consulting, product specialist, or technical customer-facing roles.
• Demonstrated interest in developing commercial and business development capabilities.
• Experience engaging both scientific and business decision-makers.
• Familiarity with CRM tools and structured sales methodologies.

Work Environment & Travel

• Field-based role requiring regular customer-facing engagement throughout the assigned territory.
• Travel approximately 50-60%, including customer visits, demonstrations, industry events, internal meetings, and training activities.
• This position requires a strong field presence and a passion for working directly with customers.
• Success in this role is built on in-person customer engagement, consultative partnership, and technical leadership in the field.
• To effectively support the territory, candidates should reside within approximately 50 miles of a major airport.

Preferred Locations: Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis

Additional Locations Considered: Kansas City, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, or Nashville