Jobs › Abbott

Senior Scientist Technical Product Support

Abbott · Des Plaines, IL · $78,000–$156,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 28, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time a customer complaint led to a product or process change.

What they are checking: Whether they connect field problems back to root causes inside the company.

Tell me about a time you had to tell a customer something they didn't want to hear.

What they are checking: Whether they are honest with customers even when the news is bad.

How do you work with R&D, quality and field service to close out a support case?

What they are checking: Whether they can coordinate several groups to fix problems that one team can't solve alone.

What would you do

How do you explain a complex technical issue to a lab customer who is frustrated?

What they are checking: Whether they stay calm and clear while protecting the relationship and the facts.

How do you decide whether a customer issue could affect patient safety and needs to be escalated?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize when an issue moves beyond support into a possible reportable event.

Several similar complaints come in at once from different sites. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they spot patterns early and alert the right teams before it spreads.

About the work

A customer lab reports results drifting on one of our assays. Walk me through how you'd investigate.

What they are checking: Whether they can troubleshoot across reagent, instrument, sample and user factors in a logical order.

What do you know about complaint handling requirements for medical device or diagnostic products?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that complaints must be logged, assessed and sometimes reported to regulators.

How do you design a bench experiment to reproduce a problem a customer is seeing?

What they are checking: Whether they can recreate field conditions to confirm a root cause instead of guessing.

How do you write up an investigation so others can use it later?

What they are checking: Whether their reports are clear and complete enough to support trends and future cases.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Abbott.

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. JOB DESCRIPTION: Senior Scientist Technical Product Support Working at Abbott At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your family, be your true self, and live a full life. You’ll also have access to: • Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of. • Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year. • An excellent retirement savings plan with a high employer contribution • Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program, and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree. • A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries worldwide and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune. • A company that is recog • nized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists. The Opportunity The Senior Scientist Technical Support works out of our Des Plaines, IL location within Abbott Molecular , a leading provider of molecular diagnostic solutions that leverage advanced science and technology to help detect, monitor, and manage diseases through innovative testing platforms. As a Senior Scientist Technical Support , you'll have the opportunity to serve as a key technical contributor supporting the development, optimization, validation, and lifecycle management of oligonucleotide manufacturing processes used in molecular diagnostic products. Working closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, R&D, and Supply Chain teams, you will help drive new product introductions, support on-market product improvements, resolve complex technical challenges, and improve process robustness across the organization. In this role, you will apply scientific expertise in oligonucleotide synthesis, purification, characterization, process development, and molecular assay support to enhance manufacturing performance and product quality. You will collaborate cross-functionally to investigate product performance issues, support design changes, execute validation activities, and lead continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen manufacturing capability and ensure compliance within a regulated environment. What You’ll Work On • Provide scientific and technical support for oligonucleotide manufacturing and quality control processes. • Develop, optimize, and validate manufacturing and analytical methods used in molecular diagnostic products. • Design and execute experiments, analyze data, and interpret results to support process improvements and technical investigations. • Lead or support cross-functional projects involving process changes, supply continuity, cost improvements, and product lifecycle management. • Investigate manufacturing, quality, and product performance issues using data-driven problem-solving approaches. • Author technical reports, validation protocols, change control documentation, and regulatory support documentation. • Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and R&D to implement process improvements and ensure compliance with applicable quality system requirements. • Support technology transfer, process characterization, and scale-up activities. • Stay current on advancements in oligonucleotide technologies, molecular diagnostics, and process development. • Mentor junior scientists and contribute to the technical development of the broader team. Required Qualifications • Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline with 0-4 years of relevant industry experience; OR • M.S. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline with 5+ years of relevant industry experience; OR • B.S. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline with 8+ years of relevant industry experience. • Experience in process development, analytical development, technical support, product support, or manufacturing sciences within a regulated environment. • Strong experimental design, data analysis, and technical problem-solving skills. • Experience authoring technical reports, protocols, and changing control documentation. • Ability to manage multiple priorities and collaborate effectively across functions. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Preferred Qualifications • Experience with oligonucleotide synthesis, purification, characterization, or manufacturing support. • Familiarity with automated DNA/RNA synthesizers and oligonucleotide purification technologies. • Experience working with chromatography-based analytical or purification methods, including HPLC, ion exchange, size exclusion, or reverse-phase chromatography. • Experience supporting molecular diagnostic products, PCR-based assays, or related technologies. • Knowledge of GMP, QSR, ISO 13485, design control, validation, and change management processes. • Experience with analytical tools such as LC-MS, HPLC, Empower, UNICORN, or comparable systems. • Exposure to troubleshooting complex manufacturing or product performance issues. • Experience leading technical projects or mentoring junior scientists. Apply Now Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: www.abbottbenefits.com Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity. Connect with us at www.abbott.com , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott , and on Twitter @AbbottNews. The base pay for this position is $78,000.00 – $156,000.00 In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted. JOB FAMILY: Manufacturing DIVISION: AMD Molecular LOCATION: United States > Des Plaines : DP01 ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS: WORK SHIFT: Standard TRAVEL: Not specified MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE: Not Applicable SIGNIFICANT WORK ACTIVITIES: Continuous sitting for prolonged periods (more than 2 consecutive hours in an 8 hour day), Continuous standing for prolonged periods (more than 2 consecutive hours in an 8 hour day), Keyboard use (greater or equal to 50% of the workday), Routine work with chemicals, Wear ear plugs, Work in a clean room environment Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities/Women/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans. EEO is the Law link - English: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_English.pdf EEO is the Law link - Espanol: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_Spanish.pdf

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