Pre Sales Application Engineer (LIMS / ELN / Informatics)

Job Description

The Field Application Engineer (FAE) – LIMS, ELN &Informatics is a customer-facing technical expert responsible for supporting pre-sales and post-sales activities related to laboratory informatics solutions, including Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN), Scientific Data Management Systems (SDMS), and integrated informatics platforms.

This role serves as a critical bridge between customers, sales, product management, and R&D teams, ensuring successful solution positioning, implementation, adoption, and long-term customer satisfaction across pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, chemical, academic, clinical, and applied markets.

Key Responsibilities:

Pre-Sales & Solution Consulting

• Partner with sales teams to drive informatics solution opportunities by delivering high-impact technical presentations, live demonstrations, and proof-of-concept (PoC) configurations.
• Understand customer workflows, regulatory requirements, and IT environments to design fit-for-purpose LIMS, ELN, and informatics architectures.
• Translate business and laboratory challenges into value-based technical solutions aligned to customer goals (e.g., data integrity, compliance, productivity, digital transformation).
• Support RFP/RFI responses, technical proposal development, solution scoping, and effort estimation.
• Act as the technical authority during customer meetings, workshops, and scientific discussions.

Implementation & Post-Sales Support

• Provide technical leadership during customer onboarding, configuration, validation support, and go-live phases.
• Assist customers with system configuration, workflow optimization, data migration strategies, and integration with instruments, CDS, ERP, and other enterprise systems.
• Deliver user training, administrator training, and best-practice guidance for LIMS, ELN, and informatics platforms.
• Support troubleshooting of complex technical issues and act as an escalation point for critical customer challenges.
• Ensure solutions are implemented in compliance with regulatory and quality requirements.

Regulatory & Compliance Expertise

• Advise customers on informatics best practices aligned with regulatory frameworks including: GxP (GLP, GMP, GCP), FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, Data Integrity (ALCOA+) principles.
• Support validation strategies including IQ/OQ/PQ documentation, risk-based validation, and audit readiness.
• Participate in customer audits and inspections as a technical informatics subject matter expert when required.

Product & Market Feedback

• Act as the “voice of the customer” by providing structured feedback to product management and R&D teams on product performance, feature gaps, and market trends.
• Stay current with emerging technologies such as cloud-based LIMS/ELN, AI/ML in informatics, digital labs, and connected laboratory ecosystems.
• Support beta programs, early adopter customers, and new product launches.
• Contribute to internal knowledge bases, application notes, and best-practice documentation.

Collaboration & Thought Leadership

• Collaborate cross-functionally with sales, services, marketing, support, and product teams to drive overall business success.
• Participate in scientific conferences, customer seminars, webinars, and trade shows as a technical presenter or demonstrator.
• Mentor junior application engineers and contribute to team skill development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Chemistry, Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or related scientific discipline.
• 5-8+ years of experience in laboratory informatics, applications, or laboratory operations.
• Hands-on experience with one or more of the following:
• LIMS (e.g., OpenLAB SLIMS, SampleManager, LabWare, STARLIMS).
• ELN (e.g., OpenLAB ELN, Benchling, Dotmatics).
• SDMS, CDS, or scientific data platforms.
• Strong understanding of laboratory workflows in pharma, biopharma, QA/QC, R&D, or regulated environments.
• Knowledge of system integrations (REST APIs, web services, instrument interfaces, ERP/LIMS/CDS integration).
• Familiarity with cloud, on-premise, and hybrid deployment models.

Soft Skills & Professional Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Strong customer-facing presence with consultative and problem-solving mindset.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple customer engagements simultaneously.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, matrixed, and international environments.
• Willingness to travel (typically 30–50%, depending on region).

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in Field Application Engineering, Pre-Sales, or Professional Services roles.
• Experience supporting enterprise-scale deployments across multiple sites.
• Exposure to digital lab transformation initiatives or enterprise informatics strategies.