Laboratory and diagnostic sales is a specialized area of healthcare sales that combines science, technology, relationship building, and professional sales.
Laboratory and diagnostic sales professionals represent products and technologies that help healthcare organizations identify, monitor, and diagnose medical conditions. Depending on the position, they may work with clinical laboratories, hospitals, physicians, pathologists, laboratory directors, researchers, and other healthcare professionals.
For professionals who enjoy science, technology, healthcare, and building business relationships, laboratory and diagnostic sales can offer an exciting and rewarding career path.
What Does a Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Representative Do?
Laboratory and diagnostic sales representatives educate customers about products, technologies, and solutions used in clinical and laboratory environments.
Responsibilities may include:
- Developing relationships with laboratory and healthcare professionals
- Selling diagnostic products and technologies
- Demonstrating laboratory equipment and systems
- Educating customers about products and applications
- Managing a geographic territory
- Developing new accounts
- Managing existing customer relationships
- Identifying business opportunities
- Working with laboratory directors and healthcare decision-makers
- Monitoring competitive products and market activity
- Meeting sales goals and performance objectives
- Participating in product and sales training
The specific responsibilities depend on the type of diagnostic products or services being represented.
What Products Are Sold in Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales?
Laboratory and diagnostic sales encompasses a wide range of products, technologies, and services.
Opportunities may involve:
- Diagnostic testing systems
- Laboratory analyzers
- Molecular diagnostics
- Point-of-care testing
- Reagents
- Laboratory instruments
- Diagnostic equipment
- Laboratory automation
- Digital pathology
- Clinical laboratory technology
- Blood and specimen testing
- Laboratory software
- Research and life science products
- Diagnostic services
Because the industry is highly technical, representatives must be willing to continually learn about new products, technologies, and applications.
Who Do Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Representatives Work With?
Depending on the position, customers may include:
- Laboratory directors
- Pathologists
- Physicians
- Clinical laboratory professionals
- Hospital administrators
- Healthcare executives
- Purchasing departments
- Research scientists
- Laboratory managers
- Other healthcare decision-makers
Sales can involve multiple stakeholders, particularly when the product represents a significant investment or affects laboratory operations.
Understanding each customer’s needs and the role they play in the purchasing process is an important part of successful laboratory sales.
Build Relationships & Provide Solutions
Laboratory and diagnostic sales is about more than selling equipment or technology.
Successful representatives take the time to understand how a laboratory or healthcare organization operates and identify solutions that can address specific needs.
Customers may be looking for solutions that help improve:
- Efficiency
- Accuracy
- Testing capacity
- Workflow
- Turnaround time
- Quality
- Cost management
- Patient care
The ability to understand a customer’s challenges and communicate the value of a solution is an important part of the sales process.
What Skills Are Important in Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales?
Successful laboratory and diagnostic sales professionals typically combine scientific or technical knowledge with strong sales and communication skills.
Scientific & Technical Knowledge
Understanding laboratory processes, diagnostic technologies, and scientific concepts can be extremely valuable.
Communication
Representatives must be able to explain complex technical information clearly to customers with different backgrounds.
Relationship Building
Long-term relationships with laboratory professionals, physicians, and healthcare organizations can be important to developing a successful territory.
Consultative Selling
Customers often have complex operational or clinical needs. Successful representatives learn about those needs before recommending a solution.
Business Development
Finding new opportunities, developing accounts, and expanding existing business are important parts of many laboratory sales positions.
Organization
Managing a territory can involve numerous customers, presentations, demonstrations, follow-up activities, and sales opportunities.
Continuous Learning
Laboratory and diagnostic technology continues to evolve. Successful professionals must be comfortable learning new products and scientific developments.
How Do You Get Into Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales?
There are several paths into laboratory and diagnostic sales.
Relevant backgrounds may include:
- Laboratory sales
- Medical device sales
- Healthcare sales
- Biotechnology sales
- Pharmaceutical sales
- B2B sales
- Technical sales
- Life sciences
- Laboratory science
- Medical technology
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Business development
A bachelor’s degree in science, healthcare, business, or a related field may be preferred or required depending on the position.
Previous experience selling complex technical products can also be valuable.
The strongest candidates can demonstrate a combination of product knowledge, communication ability, sales performance, and business development skills.
Learn How to Get a Job in Medical Sales
Can You Get Into Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Without Experience?
Yes.
Some positions are appropriate for professionals who are beginning their sales careers, while other opportunities require previous healthcare, laboratory, or technical sales experience.
If you are transitioning into laboratory and diagnostic sales, emphasize transferable experience such as:
- Sales performance
- Technical knowledge
- Scientific education
- Business development
- Customer relationships
- Presentation skills
- Territory management
- Problem solving
- Healthcare experience
If you have a laboratory or scientific background but limited sales experience, emphasize your ability to communicate technical information, work with customers, and develop business relationships.
Learn How to Get a Job in Medical Sales Without Experience
Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Career Opportunities
Laboratory and diagnostic sales can provide several opportunities for career advancement.
Career paths may include:
- Laboratory Sales Representative
- Diagnostic Sales Representative
- Territory Manager
- Account Manager
- Key Account Manager
- Molecular Diagnostics Specialist
- Clinical Sales Specialist
- Regional Sales Manager
- National Account Manager
- Sales Director
- Vice President of Sales
Some professionals also move into product management, marketing, clinical applications, business development, or other commercial roles.
Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales vs. Medical Device Sales
Laboratory and diagnostic sales is closely related to medical device sales, but the customer environment and products can be different.
Medical device sales may focus on products used directly in patient care, procedures, surgery, or clinical treatment.
Laboratory and diagnostic sales often focuses on technologies used to test, analyze, diagnose, and monitor patient or research specimens.
Both fields require strong product knowledge, relationship building, sales skills, and the ability to understand complex healthcare needs.
Explore Medical Device Sales Careers
The Future of Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales
Laboratory and diagnostic technology continues to evolve rapidly.
Advances in areas such as molecular diagnostics, automation, point-of-care testing, digital pathology, and other technologies are changing how healthcare organizations perform testing and deliver information to clinicians.
As these technologies develop, laboratory and diagnostic sales professionals will need to understand both the technical capabilities of their products and the practical challenges facing healthcare organizations.
Professionals who combine scientific knowledge, technical expertise, sales ability, and strong customer relationships can position themselves for long-term career opportunities.
Find Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Jobs
If you’re interested in laboratory and diagnostic sales, explore current opportunities and learn more about the experience employers are seeking.
Explore Careers in Medical Sales™
Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Recruiting
Global Edge Recruiting has specialized in recruiting sales professionals for the medical and healthcare industries since 1997.
Our recruiting expertise includes laboratory and diagnostic sales, medical device, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, surgical, dental, veterinary, and clinical support positions.
We understand the importance of finding professionals who can combine technical knowledge, scientific understanding, communication skills, relationship building, and measurable sales performance.
Explore Our Recruiting Expertise
Build Your Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Career
A career in laboratory and diagnostic sales provides an opportunity to combine science, healthcare, technology, and professional sales.
Whether you’re an experienced laboratory sales professional, a scientist considering a transition into sales, or an established sales professional interested in healthcare, developing your industry knowledge and understanding what employers value can help you take the next step.
