Field Application Scientist – Flow Cytometry (SoCal Area)

Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Able to lift 40 lbs. without assistance, Laboratory Setting, Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.), Standing for full shift
Job Description
When you're part of the team at Thermo Fisher Scientific, you'll do meaningful work that has a real impact on people's lives. Whether helping customers advance cancer research, accelerate scientific discovery, protect the environment, or ensure food safety, your work contributes to making the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. You'll collaborate with world-class colleagues while building a rewarding career in an innovative and customer-focused environment.
Discover Impactful Work
Within the Protein and Cell Analysis (PCA) business, we empower researchers with innovative technologies and solutions that accelerate biological discovery and translational research. Our portfolio supports applications across cell biology, immunology, oncology, drug discovery, and molecular biology, helping scientists generate reliable, high-quality data from experimental design through analysis.
As a Field Application Scientist (FAS) – Flow Cytometry, you will serve as a scientific and technical expert for customers throughout the evaluation, implementation, and ongoing use of Thermo Fisher Scientific's flow cytometry technologies and solutions.
In this customer-facing role, you will partner with academic researchers, biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical organizations, clinical and translational research laboratories, and core facilities to optimize experimental workflows, troubleshoot scientific challenges, and enable successful adoption of our technologies. You will work closely with Sales, Product Management, R&D, Technical Support, Service, and Marketing to deliver an outstanding customer experience while helping advance cutting-edge research.
Territory
This position supports customers throughout the Southern California (SoCal) territory, primarily across the Los Angeles and San Diego areas. Occasional travel to other regions, including Wisconsin and Illinois, may be required based on business and customer needs.
The role requires approximately 75% travel. Candidates should ideally reside within the Southern California territory and within reasonable proximity to a major airport to effectively support customer and business needs.
Key Responsibilities
Customer Support & Scientific Expertise
Deliver scientific application support pre- and post-instrument sales for Thermo Fisher Scientific's flow cytometry portfolio.
Design and deliver customer training through onsite visits, virtual meetings, workshops, webinars, demonstrations, and scientific presentations.
Consult with customers on experimental design, assay development, panel design, workflow optimization, controls, and data interpretation.
Troubleshoot complex scientific, application, and workflow-related issues involving flow cytometry technologies.
Serve as a trusted scientific advisor, helping customers maximize the value and performance of their flow cytometry instruments and workflows.
Collaborate with Technical Support and Service teams to resolve customer issues efficiently.
Flow Cytometry Application Support
Provide scientific guidance across a broad range of flow cytometry applications and workflows, including:
Multicolor and multiparameter flow cytometry
Immunophenotyping and immune cell characterization
Cell viability, apoptosis, proliferation, and cell-cycle analysis
Intracellular and surface-marker staining
Fluorescent antibody and reagent selection
Fluorophore selection and multicolor panel design
Compensation and experimental controls
Sample preparation, staining optimization, and instrument setup
Data acquisition, gating strategies, quantitative analysis, and data interpretation
Assay development, optimization, and troubleshooting
Applications supporting cell biology, immunology, oncology, and translational research
Commercial Partnership
Partner closely with Account Managers, Sales Specialists, and Business Development teams to support product evaluations, demonstrations, customer presentations, and scientific discussions.
Provide technical and scientific expertise during customer visits, workshops, seminars, and product demonstrations.
Support prospective customers in evaluating flow cytometry solutions based on their research needs and workflows.
Contribute to commercial success by building customer confidence and enabling successful product adoption.
Identify opportunities where Thermo Fisher Scientific technologies and solutions can address customer workflow challenges.
Scientific Leadership
Build and maintain relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), core facilities, and scientific collaborators.
Represent Thermo Fisher Scientific at scientific conferences, workshops, seminars, and customer events.
Present scientific seminars highlighting flow cytometry technologies, assay development, experimental design, and workflow solutions.
Stay current on emerging technologies, applications, and scientific advances in flow cytometry, cell analysis, immunology, and related research areas.
Serve as a scientific resource for customers and internal commercial teams.
Voice of Customer & Cross-Functional Collaboration
Serve as the Voice of the Customer by communicating customer feedback, application insights, competitive intelligence, and market trends to Product Management, R&D, Marketing, and Commercial Leadership.
Identify emerging customer needs and opportunities for future product and workflow innovation.
Support new product launches by providing field-based scientific expertise, customer education, and application support.
Deliver technical and applications training to internal commercial teams.
Collaborate cross-functionally to improve customer experience, product adoption, and scientific support strategies.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related life science discipline.
2+ years of hands-on laboratory experience with flow cytometry, including designing, performing, optimizing, and troubleshooting experiments.
Experience with multicolor flow cytometry, including fluorophore selection, panel design, compensation, controls, sample preparation, antibody staining, and data acquisition.
Experience analyzing and interpreting flow cytometry data, including gating strategies and use of data analysis software.
Strong understanding of experimental design, quantitative assay development, and appropriate experimental controls.
Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences.
Ability to work independently from a remote home office, travel approximately 50%, and maintain a valid driver's license.
Preferred Qualifications
PhD in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
Experience working in a flow cytometry core facility or shared instrumentation laboratory.
Advanced experience with multicolor or high-parameter flow cytometry.
Experience developing and optimizing complex flow cytometry panels.
Experience with flow cytometry data analysis software.
Experience with cell sorting and/or advanced cell analysis workflows.
Experience supporting immunology, oncology, cell therapy, drug discovery, or translational research applications.
Hands-on experience with Thermo Fisher Scientific flow cytometry instruments, reagents, software, or comparable technologies.
Experience delivering scientific presentations, workshops, instrument demonstrations, or customer training.
Experience in a customer-facing scientific role such as Field Application Scientist, Applications Specialist, Technical Support Scientist, or Core Facility Scientist.
Success in This Role
Successful Field Application Scientists demonstrate:
Scientific curiosity and a passion for helping researchers succeed.
Strong technical expertise across flow cytometry applications and experimental workflows.
The ability to translate complex scientific concepts into clear, actionable guidance for customers.
Strong troubleshooting skills and a solutions-oriented approach to scientific challenges.
A collaborative mindset and strong partnership with commercial and cross-functional teams.
Exceptional customer relationship skills built on scientific credibility and trust.
The ability to manage a geographically dispersed territory and balance multiple customer priorities.
A proactive approach to identifying customer needs and opportunities for innovation.
At Thermo Fis