First Sales Hire

What We're BuildingCytely turns any fluorescence microscope into a real-time data engine. Think of it as bringing the quantitative rigor of flow cytometry to the spatial richness of microscopy—automated segmentation, per-cell gating, phagocytosis metrics, kinetic tracking—all while maintaining the "why" through interactive image browsing.The product is technical. The science matters. The sales motion is consultative, pilot-driven, and requires genuine fluency in microscopy workflows. You can't fake it with these customers.Academic imaging coresBiotech/pharma discovery teams (high-content screening, cell-based assays, infectious disease models)Academic research groups who care about reproducibility, throughput, and linking phenotype to imageWhat You'll Actually DoDesign and execute outbound motions across Europe and Asia — account mapping, prospecting, sequencing, discovery cadencesRun product-led pilots that prove value on real datasets; co-define success metrics (e.g., % internalized prey, iMOP scores, time-to-publication) with PIs, core managers, and screening teamsWork directly with founders on high-value deals — you do discovery, scoping, and objection handling; they bring deep technical credibility and close alongside youCreate territory plans for priority marketsRepresent Cytely at imaging conferences, microscopy society meetings, and customer lab visitsBuild relationships with microscope vendors, imaging networks (EMBL, ELMI), and CROs for co-marketing/referral pilotsClose the feedback loop to product: win/loss insights, unmet needs, dataset requirements, onboarding frictionWhat Success Looks Like (6–12 months)3–4× pipeline coverage of your ACV target≥2 qualified trials per month; ≥40% trial-to-paid conversionFirst 10 lighthouse customers producing referenceable outcomes (video interviews, papers, saved time, validated metrics)Founder time optimized — you de-risk meetings, handle pre-work, run follow-ups; founders focus on deep-dives and closingDocumented, repeatable process that the next sales hire can scaleWho Thrives HereYou should join ifYou've done early-stage sales before and know what 'building the plane while flying it' actually feels likeYou're energized—not paralyzed—by ambiguity, incomplete data, and changing prioritiesYou can talk credibly about microscopy workflows, segmentation, gating, multi-channel fluorescence (or can learn fast enough to earn a PhD's respect in 3 months)You're comfortable operating across cultures and time zonesYou want equity that could be worth something, not just a salaryThe mission matters: you genuinely care about Cytely’s mission of unlocking human biology and curing preventable diseaseYou have low ego and high agency—willing to do unsexy work (cold emails, CRM cleanup, carrying booth materials) because it moves the needleYou're intellectually curious about the science and want to understand why Cytely’s assays matter to labs globallyYou should NOT join ifYou need an established playbook, sales ops support, and a demand-gen engine feeding you leadsYou want clear 9-to-5 boundaries and predictable quarterly planningThe science is 'just a product' to youYou're looking for a brand-name company to put on LinkedInYou need a guaranteed outcome — this is seed stage; we could 10× or we could pivotWhat You BringMust‑haves3–6 years selling scientific software, instrumentation, or SaaS into academic labs and/or biopharma in Europe or AsiaMicroscopy or image analysis fluency — segmentation, gating, fluorescence channels, and per-cell metrics; can hold discovery conversations with imaging scientistsProof-of-value expertise: scoping pilots with clear success criteria, multi-threading stakeholders, and converting trials to paidProcess discipline: CRM hygiene, pipeline forecasting, and crisp follow-upsEnglish fluency; additional European (DE, FR, NL, Scandinavian) or Asian (Mandarin, Japanese) language is a major plusTravel-ready: Ready to travel globally for customer meetings, conferences, lab visits and high-stakes pitchesNice‑to‑havesPrior sales into imaging cores, phenotypic screening, or assay development teamsLife sciences degree (BSc/MSc/PhD) or hands-on microscopy/analysis backgroundExisting relationships in European/Asian universities, research institutes, biotech hubsExperience with product-led growth motions (Individual trial → Lab/Institution expansion)Why This MattersScientists are still spending months on image analysis that should take minutes. Breakthroughs are delayed because researchers can't process the data their microscopes generate. Drug targets go unexplored. Assays stay manual and irreproducible.Cytely's vision is to close the loop from acquisition to decision on an experiment-day timescale, not a grant cycle. We want to build a global discovery system that eventually predicts outcomes and autonomously drives research.You're not selling software. You're accelerating biomedical research that could prevent curable disease.Practical DetailsLocation: Sweden (Lund), Singapore, or Remote (Europe)Compensation: Competitive package tailored to experience — optimized for people who want upside over safetyTeam: Work directly with founders; report to the CEOBenefits: Generous vacation; local benefits aligned to your country; remote-first culture; budget for conferences and customer visitsInterview ProcessIntro call (30m)Discovery deep-dive (60m)Practical exercisePanel (45m)References → OfferOne Last ThingIf you're reading this and thinking 'this sounds chaotic, risky, and like a ton of work' — you're right. It is.But if you're also thinking 'this sounds like the opportunity to build something from zero, work on a mission that matters, and prove you can create commercial leverage at a deep-tech startup before anyone else believes it's possible' — then we should talk.We're looking for one person. The right one.