What does a field applications scientist do?
A field application scientist is responsible for assisting with customers' inquiries and concerns on scientific tools and laboratory equipment and machinery. Field application scientists guide the customers on proper usage of the equipment, as well as its maintenance and other related functions. They also create designs for experiment materials, running diagnostic tests, and writing specifications accurately. A field application scientist processes the installation of scientific equipment and manages feature upgrades to boost optimal performance and adhere to the customers' needs and demands.
Field applications scientist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real field applications scientist resumes:
- Lead the development and successful launch of the first high-density microarray for profiling long, non-coding RNA.
- Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
- Ensure that documents and testing are in compliance with FDA, cGMP, ISO, and company policies.
- Travele to customer sites to provide debugging during integration testing.
- Participate in ISO [] compliance inspections.
- Design and develop DNA assays and immunoassay tests.
- Drive and initiate implementation of real time PCR assays on Rotorgene-Q.
- Support of end user applications on both UNIX and Linux servers.
- Support customer scale up/down and GMP software and environments including FDA CFR21part11.
- Support customer for advance usage of the first NGS software of Agilent.
- Provide support to customers during the design and development of FPGA projects.
- Require writing functions in Motorola 68HC11 assembly language and programming FPGA's.
- Develop applications for HPLC columns: design and carry out experiments; write application notes.
- Help design electronic circuits and identify IC components for circuit boards to engineers of several companies.
- Test, debug, and report Bluetooth, GPS, and WiFi applications in hardware systems.
Field applications scientist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Field Applications Scientists are proficient in Post Sales, Next-Generation Sequencing, and Pre Sales. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Observation skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Field Applications Scientists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Post Sales, 12%
Provided Post Sales support for product training, installation, and commissioning.
- Next-Generation Sequencing, 8%
Established a Next-generation sequencing platform and developed assays for high-throughput genetic analysis using Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM).
- Pre Sales, 8%
Served as a post and pre sales technical liaison.
- Chemistry, 6%
Managed software development projects, including the creation of a chemical inventory management system to integrate with the Discovery Chemistry ELN.
- Technical Support, 6%
Provided technical support for sales teams by facilitating product presentations and demonstrations of analyzers and sorters to close new business deals.
- Customer Support, 5%
Promote quality-driven, on-site customer support to align both products and optimal performance for customers to achieve continued success.
"post sales," "next-generation sequencing," and "pre sales" are among the most common skills that field applications scientists use at work. You can find even more field applications scientist responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a field applications scientist to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what field applications scientists do because "medical scientists must be able to explain their research in nontechnical ways." Additionally, a field applications scientist resume shows how field applications scientists use communication skills: "participated in a cross-functional team to prepare on semiconductor to replace a competitor's data communications device. "
Observation skills. Many field applications scientist duties rely on observation skills. "medical scientists conduct experiments that require monitoring samples and other health-related data.," so a field applications scientist will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways field applications scientist responsibilities rely on observation skills: "address internal and external audit concerns within the laboratory and ensure laboratory compliance to produce minimal safety and gmp regulation observations. "
The three companies that hire the most field applications scientists are:
- Thermo Fisher Scientific89 field applications scientists jobs
- Danaher50 field applications scientists jobs
- PerkinElmer24 field applications scientists jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable field applications scientist resume templates
Build a professional field applications scientist resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your field applications scientist resume.
Compare different field applications scientists
Field applications scientist vs. Laboratory analyst
A Laboratory Analyst helps conduct experiments, run laboratory tests, and analyze results. They compile and record data for the documentation needed for testing and report preparation.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a field applications scientist are more likely to require skills like "post sales," "next-generation sequencing," "pre sales," and "chemistry." On the other hand, a job as a laboratory analyst requires skills like "test methods," "lab equipment," "lims," and "laboratory procedures." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Laboratory analysts tend to make the most money working in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $47,806. In contrast, field applications scientists make the biggest average salary, $119,445, in the technology industry.On average, laboratory analysts reach lower levels of education than field applications scientists. Laboratory analysts are 12.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 27.9% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Field applications scientist vs. Chemist
Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real field applications scientist resumes. While field applications scientist responsibilities can utilize skills like "post sales," "next-generation sequencing," "pre sales," and "technical support," chemists use skills like "lab equipment," "test results," "method development," and "hplc."
Chemists may earn a lower salary than field applications scientists, but chemists earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $75,495. On the other hand, field applications scientists receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $119,445.chemists earn lower levels of education than field applications scientists in general. They're 9.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 27.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Field applications scientist vs. Research fellow
A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from field applications scientist resumes include skills like "post sales," "pre sales," "technical support," and "customer support," whereas a research fellow is more likely to list skills in "patients," "research projects," "cell culture," and "immunology. "
Research fellows earn the best pay in the non profits industry, where they command an average salary of $57,261. Field applications scientists earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $119,445.research fellows typically earn similar educational levels compared to field applications scientists. Specifically, they're 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 3.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Field applications scientist vs. Postdoctoral research associate
A postdoctoral research associate is responsible for assisting the educational institution's research department, writing research reports, analyzing research methods, and collecting information and related studies to support the research claims. Postdoctoral research associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, reporting research updates to the research head, performing adjustments as needed, and gaining more expertise on the subject by brainstorming and discussing strategic procedures for the study. They may also conduct field investigation or coordinate with other institutions for additional reference, depending on the research's scope and limitation.
Types of field applications scientist
Updated January 8, 2025
