Clinical Application Specialist Lead at Abbott

• The Clinical Application Specialist Lead ( BASED IN CAPE TOWN ) is a senior role responsible for guiding the implementation, optimization, and clinical integration of Abbott’s diagnostic instruments across the African region. This position combines deep scientific expertise with leadership capabilities to ensure high-quality service delivery, customer satisfaction, and improved diagnostic outcomes.
• The ideal candidate is a PhD-qualified Scientist, or a Medical Doctor registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), with a strong background in Pathology and clinical diagnostics, and proven experience in leading teams or mentoring professionals.

What you will do:
Leadership & People Management

• Provide leadership and mentorship to a team of Clinical Application Specialists and Field Support Engineers.
• Support performance reviews, coaching, and development plans to enhance team capabilities.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Act as a senior escalation point for complex application and customer issues.

Scientific & Clinical Support

• Deliver expert clinical and scientific guidance to internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Support pathologists and laboratory professionals in resolving diagnostic application issues to improve turnaround times (TAT) and diagnostic accuracy.
• Collaborate with global scientific teams to recommend product enhancements aligned with best practices.

Education & Training

• Design and lead educational programs for healthcare providers, laboratory technicians, and internal teams.
• Conduct workshops and coaching sessions to improve in-field efficiency and technical proficiency.
• Develop and maintain training materials and validation protocols for new assay implementations.

Customer Engagement

• Act as a key liaison between Abbott and clinical Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), academic institutions, and healthcare providers.
• Drive clinical messaging and product advocacy through strategic engagement and collaboration.
• Support onboarding and training of new customers and ensure optimal instrument utilization.

Operational Excellence

• Lead troubleshooting and escalation processes for complex application issues.
• Ensure compliance with Abbott’s SOPs, ISO standards, and quality systems.
• Monitor and improve KPIs such as first-time fix rate, mean time to repair, and cost per  box.

Research & Development

• Initiate and support internal and external research projects related to current and future   diagnostic products.
• Contribute to clinical validation studies and scientific publications.

Qualifications

• PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Molecular Biology, or related field or Medical Doctor (MD)  registered with HPCSA IS ESSENTIAL
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in clinical diagnostics, laboratory medicine, or pathology.
• Proven experience in application support, medical affairs, or clinical research within the  diagnostics industry.
• Demonstrated experience in team leadership or people management.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken); additional languages are an advantage.
• Valid driver’s license and passport; willingness to travel extensively across Africa.