This series highlights unique and diverse career opportunities for healthcare professionals looking to transition away from traditional roles. Each post provides an overview of the job, qualifications required, and potential salary ranges, though these may vary by location and employer and information available on the actual job post. If this job isn’t a good fit for your credentials and background, then please click here to view all Job Spotlights.

I have mentioned multiple times how Clinical Application Specialists are an excellent job option for medical techs of various specialties. In my job searching, I am always surprised at the different wording used by different companies for the same or similar role. So this post is a reminder to keep your searches a little broader, because you never know what you may find. 

Today we are going to spotlight a Field Application Associate role with QuidelOrtho.

Yep, Field Associate. Same concept, slightly different title, that I found because I was being lazy.

Also, don’t let the word “Ortho” is the company name fool you, this is a job for lab techs, not physical therapy techs.

This role is a great example of how job titles can vary across companies, even when the responsibilities are nearly identical. So if you’re only searching for one specific title, you might be missing out on some seriously cool opportunities.

How I Found This Position

Let me explain how I found this position. This is going to sound a little convoluted, but honestly, some of the best roles show up that way.

So first off I started by searching on LinkedIn for lab tech jobs. I had to scroll through a couple of pages before I finally found a field application specialist role. The familiar but different title caught my eye. I followed the link to the job page, but it required me to sign in. I didn’t actually want to apply, I just wanted to see the posting. So I went back to the actual job page on the company website and typed in the search bar “field application”.

This is where my laziness paid off.

I didn’t feel like typing in specialist. I knew they had a field application specialist position, so I didn’t bother typing the whole title in.

And that is how I found a field application associate job versus just the specialist.

Psst. They also have several field application specialist positions open. Don’t be afraid to apply for both types of roles.

Who Is This For?

This job is designed for laboratory professionals who want to move away from traditional lab work and into a more dynamic, customer-facing position. You’ll be supporting QuidelOrtho’s diagnostic equipment and training clients, not doing benchwork.

What You’ll Actually Do:

• Travel within your assigned region (in Texas in this case)

• Train customers on Ortho’s instruments and software

• Troubleshoot issues and support the sales/implementation process

• Partner with internal teams to improve customer experience

Why It’s Cool:

• It’s a non-sales, customer-facing role that still uses your clinical/lab expertise

• You’ll get exposure to cutting-edge diagnostic tech

• Remote-based, with travel (great if you want out of the lab but aren’t tied to a desk)

• Strong benefits and opportunities for growth within a major diagnostics company

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in medical technology or related life science

• 3+ years of clinical lab experience

• Strong communication and problem-solving skills

• Willingness to travel frequently

From what I can tell, this role is an entry-level stepping stone for CAS jobs, so this could be your entry into medical device education.

Takeaway Tip: When job hunting, don’t just search for “Clincal Application Specialist” or  “Field Application Specialist”—look for related terms like associate, consultant, educator, or even implementation specialist. You might be surprised at what turns up.

Did you apply? Drop me a comment to let me know if you got the job!

Disclaimer: This blog post is independently written and not affiliated with or endorsed by QuidelOrtho. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official job posting.