Scientific Sales & Commercial Recruitment

We recruit technical sales, business development and account management specialists across the UK and Europe, supporting scientific instrument vendors, laboratory service providers and other scientific businesses. With scientific backgrounds ourselves, we understand both the science and the commercial skills behind a successful technical sale. It’s specialist scientific sales recruitment built on genuine industry understanding.

Where we can help

Techniques

Techniques

Specialist scientific sales recruitment and scientific marketing recruitment covering instrumentation vendors, capital equipment manufacturers and distributors, laboratory consumables and laboratory service providers.

Techniques

Techniques

Specialist scientific sales recruitment and scientific marketing recruitment covering instrumentation vendors, capital equipment manufacturers and distributors, laboratory consumables and laboratory service providers.

Roles

Roles

Job titles from Sales Support Specialist and Marketing Exectutive, to Business Development Manager, Head of Sales and Chief Commercial Officer. 

Roles

Roles

Job titles from Sales Support Specialist and Marketing Exectutive, to Business Development Manager, Head of Sales and Chief Commercial Officer. 

Industries

Industries

Industries served: chromatography, mass spectrometry, laboratory automation, consumables, glassware, laboratory water systems, electronics, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), medical devices and technical training.

Industries

Industries

Industries served: chromatography, mass spectrometry, laboratory automation, consumables, glassware, laboratory water systems, electronics, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), medical devices and technical training.

Employment Type

Employment Type

Permanent, contract and temporary assignments across across UK and Europe locations and territories.

Employment Type

Employment Type

Permanent, contract and temporary assignments across across UK and Europe locations and territories.

Commercial roles and capabilities we recruit for

Our scientific sales recruiters understand that successful technical sales require more than commercial experience. We look beyond job titles to understand the products and technologies candidates have sold, their customer base, sales cycles and experience of managing technical sales conversations. From laboratory consumables and service contracts to complex capital equipment and instrumentation, we understand the different commercial skills and approaches each market requires, helping us find the right people for your business. We also recognise the qualities that make a great sales person, helping scientists with the right transferable skills make a successful transition into scientific sales.

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Which commercial functions does VRS recruit for?

We recruit across the full spectrum of scientific sales, marketing and commercial functions, including technical sales and business development, key account and territory management, applications support, channel & distributor management, customer service, product management, marketing and commercial leadership. From sales support and lead generation, to senior management and director-level appointments, we support businesses at every stage of their commercial growth.

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What distinguishes scientific sales from generic sales recruitment?

Scientific sales requires a combination of technical knowledge and commercial skills. Whether selling laboratory consumables, analytical instrumentation or complex laboratory automation systems, candidates need to understand their products and communicate effectively with scientists, laboratory managers, R&D leaders and procurement teams. With scientific backgrounds ourselves, we understand both sides of the conversation and can assess the technical expertise and commercial experience needed to succeed in each role.

Scientific sales and commercial roles we recruit for

From Sales Executives and Account Managers to Sales Directors, Country Managers and senior commercial leadership appointments, we recruit across all levels of experience. Typical roles include Technical Sales Specialists, Business Development Managers, Key Account Managers, Territory Managers, Product Managers, Applications Specialists, Channel and Distributor Managers, Service Contract Sales Specialists, Marketing Managers, Technical Trainers and Commercial Directors.. and plenty of variations in between!

Does VRS recruit pre-sales applications scientists?

Absolutely! We recruit Applications Scientists, Applications Specialists and Technical Sales Specialists who bridge the gap between science and sales. These roles often involve customer demonstrations, technical evaluations, method development, troubleshooting and post-sales training. We understand the importance of combining hands-on scientific expertise with strong communication and customer-facing skills, and recruit across both pre-sales and post-sales applications support.

Which seniority levels see the highest UK demand?

Demand varies with the market, but we regularly recruit Field-Based Account Managers, Sales Engineers, Technical Sales Specialists, Business Development Managers and Key Account Managers. We also support senior appointments, including Sales Directors, Country Managers and Commercial Leaders, offering retained search for specialist, senior and confidential recruitment requirements.

Industries we recruit for

Our scientific sales and commercial recruitment expertise spans scientific instrument vendors, equipment manufacturers and distributors, covering chromatography, mass spectrometry, laboratory automation, NMR, and lab informatics. We support businesses selling capital equipment, laboratory consumables and service contracts, alongside laboratory service providers specialising in contract testing (CRO, CDMO's) supplying industries such as food, water, environmental, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, foresic, bioanalysis. Our expertise also extends to life science research instrumentation, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), medical devices and other specialist scientific markets.

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Does VRS recruit for capital equipment sales specifically?

Yes. We recruit experienced capital equipment sales professionals across mass spectrometry, chromatography, laboratory automation and other scientific instrumentation. We understand the complexities of high-value technical sales, from lengthy sales cycles and product demonstrations to managing relationships with laboratory users, R&D leaders, procurement and senior decision-makers. Our extensive industry network helps us identify candidates with the technical knowledge and commercial experience to succeed in these specialist markets.

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What about consumables, services, and contract sales?

Yes, yes & yes! We recruit commercial professionals across laboratory consumables, service contracts and laboratory testing services. From high-volume consumables sales and territory management to service contract renewals and business development across scientific industries, we understand the different sales cycles, customer relationships and technical expertise each market requires.

FAQs

Got a question?

You can always ask us - we’re real people and we’re very friendly!

In the meantime, our marketing team tells us FAQs are good for SEO, so here are a few we prepared earlier.. 😉

Absolutely! We recruit scientific sales, marketing and commercial professionals across the UK, Europe and North America. From our Paris office, we support recruitment throughout Europe, with regular opportunities in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Nordic countries. Our US office covers scientific sales and marketing recruitment across North America, too!

Active jobs

Responsable Analytique

Toulouse
France
45,000€ - 55,000€
Vous êtes autonome et à l’aise pour travailler seul.e sur un poste multi-tâches, capable de passer d’une analyse à un projet de méthode ou de qualité dans la même journée. Vous êtes rigoureux.se et méthodique dans le traitement des données, et vous savez organiser et prioriser. Vous aimez les relations de proximité : équipes internes, clients, prestataire qualité et fournisseurs. Une PME exige aussi de la souplesse et le goût de faire avancer les choses.

Responsable Pôle Laboratoire Contrôle Conformité - Pharma

Orléans
France
68,000€ - 80,000€ + Bonus & benefits
Rattaché.e au Directeur Qualité du site, vous prenez la responsabilité d'un périmètre regroupant les activités de contrôle physicochimique, microbiologique, logistique des échantillons, articles de conditionnement et support analytique. Vous animez une organisation d'environ 85 collaborateurs au travers de 5 managers directement rattachés.

Commercial.e Export DACH

Sens
France
40,000€ - 45,000€ + OTE
Vous développez les ventes sur la zone DACH auprès d'interlocuteurs variés : partenaires prescripteurs, responsables de laboratoire, chercheurs, responsables techniques, ingénieurs. Le poste combine construction de nouveaux comptes et fidélisation d'un portefeuille B2B existant : vous qualifiez les projets clients, réalisez les devis, et pilotez l'ensemble du cycle de vente, de la découverte du besoin jusqu'au closing. Vous assurez également des présentations commerciales et techniques, en lien avec les équipes internes, et représentez l'entreprise lors de salons, congrès et événements scientifiques sur la zone (environ 6 à 7 semaines de déplacement par an). Vous travaillez en collaboration étroite avec les équipes techniques, marketing et la direction, et contribuez à faire remonter les besoins du terrain pour faire évoluer l'offre.

Business Development Manager - South EU & LATAM

Sens
France
40,000€ - 50,000€ + OTE
Vous identifiez et développez des opportunités commerciales auprès de prescripteurs, d'OEM et de clients finaux, en combinant prospection téléphonique, présentations et visites terrain. Vous représentez l'entreprise lors de salons et conférences du secteur (5 à 6 déplacements par an : environ 3 en Espagne, 2 à 3 en Amérique latine). Vous travaillez en lien étroit avec les équipes commerciales et marketing pour construire une approche cohérente sur votre territoire, et suivez vos projets du premier contact à la signature — les plus gros dossiers étant gérés directement par vous, les plus petits avec l'appui d'une assistante commerciale.

Product Specialist / Field Service Engineer, X-Ray Analytical Instrumentation

Catania
Italy
30,000€ - 40,000€ + Car
You are the technical face of the company for customers using these systems. You install and commission instruments, diagnose and repair faults, maintain systems, train users, and act as product specialist when customers want to know what their equipment can do. Most of your work is around Catania and Sicily, with trips elsewhere in Italy when needed. Travel is around 70 to 75% of your time, but mostly day trips, with only a few nights away per year.

Field Service Engineer - X-Ray insturmentation

Germany
Germany
70,000€ - 90,000€ + bonus + Car
You'll be the trusted technical face of the company for customers who depend on equipment most engineers have never even seen — installing new systems, diagnosing faults that mix electronics, mechanics, and software, and training customers to get the most out of their instruments. You'll work independently in the field, but you're backed by a real team: a structured buddy-based onboarding program, first-line colleagues across Germany, the UK, Spain, and Poland, and second-line specialists in the US and Japan when a problem needs deeper expertise.

Sales Manager - Laboratory Instrumentation

South France
France
Around 60,000€ + OTE + Car
Vous gérez un territoire couvrant le Sud de la France avec une base idéale dans la région Auvergne Rhone Alpes où se trouvent certains des principaux clients. Votre rôle mêle gestion de la relation client sur un pipeline existant et développement de nouvelles opportunités : vous accompagnez vos clients dans des projets d'investissement à cycle long (environ un an), incluant budgétisation, validation et parfois procédures d'appels d'offres publics. En moyenne, une demi-douzaine de visites clients par semaine, avec certaines semaines plus intenses nécessitant quelques nuitées; le territoire étant important, la mobilité est un vrai pré requis du poste.

Head of Computer-Aided Drug Discovery

Cambridge
East Anglia
Competitive
We are seeking an experienced computational drug discovery leader to head a specialist CADD team within an established drug discovery organisation.