Business Development Specialist - Biomonitoring (all genders) - East, North-West, Rhine-Main

Merck Group is seeking a Business Development Specialist focused on Biomonitoring to help grow its microbiology testing and automation portfolio in Germany. The role sits at the intersection of science and business, aiming to bring advanced solutions to pharmaceutical and biotech customers while supporting quality programs across the market. The company blends strengths in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics, and values curious, practical minds who want to move ideas into real-world impact.

Based in Darmstadt, this full-time position is field-facing with regional travel across East, North-West, and the Rhine-Main area. It requires hands-on engagement with customers in their facilities and a commitment to building lasting partnerships that bridge technology, manufacturing needs, and business outcomes. If you enjoy solving complex problems in a collaborative setting and thrive when your technical insights translate into measurable growth, you’ll likely feel at home in this role.

Ideal candidates have a proven track record in field sales within pharma quality control, production, or related life sciences, along with the ability to manage long, high-value sales cycles and multi-stakeholder discussions. Fluency in German and English, a valid driver’s license, and a preference for candidates who already have a network in the German pharma or life sciences space will help you hit the ground running.

Expanding microbiology into the German market

In this role you’ll own a defined territory and drive expansion of a cutting-edge portfolio of microbiological testing and automation solutions. You’ll craft and execute a strategic plan to win new customers, deepen relationships with existing ones, and position the portfolio as the go-to partner for pharmaceutical and biotech quality control needs.

You’ll engage consultatively with both technical and commercial stakeholders across complex organizations, guiding them through substantial capital investments with clarity and credibility. By pairing microbiology expertise with a disciplined approach to pipeline management, you’ll uncover untapped markets, introduce automation and robotics capabilities, and push for revenue growth. Success hinges on translating technical value into tangible business outcomes and navigating long sales cycles with a solution-focused mindset.

What you’ll bring to the table

Here’s what to expect from the core requirements, rephrased from the role description:

• You’ve got five or more years of field sales experience in pharmaceutical quality control, production, or a closely related life sciences domain, with a consistent record of meeting or beating commercial targets in complex B2B settings
• You hold an academic degree in microbiology, biology, or a related field, or have equivalent professional experience; familiarity with lab automation or robotics is a bonus
• You know pharmaceutical quality control and manufacturing environments well, including GMP guidance, Annex 1, and cleanroom or aseptic processing requirements
• You’re skilled at managing high-value, long-cycle capital expenditure sales, with stakeholder mapping across large organizations and engagement at management level
• You’re fluent in German (C2) and English (C1); having an established network in the German pharma or life sciences sector is a plus
• You have a valid driver’s license and are prepared to spend most of your time in the field across East and North-West Germany as well as the Rhine-Main area
• You communicate effectively and negotiate with credibility across both technical and commercial teams
• You’ve demonstrated territory management with 70%+ field time, a track record of meeting or surpassing targets, and a disciplined approach to pipeline and territory planning
• You’re familiar with AI concepts and tools, can discuss their practical applications and limitations, and know how to apply AI-supported solutions responsibly in a commercial setting

Where you’ll work and how you’ll travel

The job covers Germany’s East, North-West and Rhine-Main regions and is field-based with regional travel. The role is anchored in Darmstadt, and travel to customer sites will be a regular feature of the day-to-day, requiring you to be on the road as you build and manage your territory.

Three tips to stand out

Lead with your pharma QA and production sales experience, and show concrete results that demonstrate your ability to hit ambitious targets in long, multi-stakeholder deals.

Be ready to describe how you map and engage stakeholders across complex organizations, including how you reach management-level decision makers for capital investments.

Highlight your knowledge of GMP, Annex 1, cleanroom and aseptic processing, and any hands-on familiarity with laboratory automation or robotics, plus your German-English language reach and any relevant local network.

Prepare to discuss how you would use AI concepts in a commercial setting, and consider a thoughtful question you could ask about regional customer opportunities or the balance between technical and commercial priorities in biomonitoring.