Application Guide
How to Apply for Regional Sales Manager
at GinkGo Bioworks
🏢 About GinkGo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks is a pioneering synthetic biology company that engineers organisms for diverse applications, from pharmaceuticals to agriculture, using its innovative foundry platform. What makes Ginkgo unique is its data-driven, automated approach to biology, positioning it at the intersection of tech and life sciences. Someone might want to work here to be part of a company redefining biotechnology through automation and scale, offering the chance to sell cutting-edge solutions that accelerate scientific discovery.
About This Role
This Regional Sales Manager role involves driving B2B sales of lab automation products to life science clients like biotech firms and research institutions, with a focus on building long-term, strategic partnerships rather than just closing transactions. It's impactful because you'll be directly enabling scientific breakthroughs by providing tailored automation solutions that increase research throughput and reliability. Success means becoming a trusted advisor who understands both the technical products and the client's specific scientific workflows.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve researching potential biotech or pharmaceutical clients to identify leads, followed by virtual meetings with lab managers or scientists to understand their research challenges and propose custom automation solutions. You'd spend time deepening your technical knowledge of Ginkgo's products and industry trends, while collaborating internally to design tailored proposals that address specific pain points like data reliability or throughput.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who GinkGo Bioworks Is Looking For
- Has 5+ years of B2B sales experience in the life science industry, specifically with a proven track record in selling capital equipment (capex) or complex tech solutions, not just consumables.
- Possesses a strong technical understanding of lab automation hardware/software and SaaS models, likely backed by a Bachelor's or Master's degree in life sciences or a related field, enabling deep conversations with scientists and lab managers.
- Demonstrates experience in consultative selling: able to master a client's business, identify pain points in scientific workflows, and design custom automation solutions rather than pushing standard products.
- Is adept at building long-term relationships with sophisticated buyers (e.g., procurement teams, research scientists) and can articulate measurable results, such as improved data reliability or reduced human error, to justify high-value deals.
📝 Tips for Applying to GinkGo Bioworks
Tailor your resume to highlight specific B2B sales achievements in the life science industry, quantifying revenue growth or deal sizes (especially for capex/tech sales), and explicitly mention experience with lab automation, SaaS, or hardware.
In your application, emphasize any subject-matter expertise in life sciences (e.g., via degrees or prior roles) and how it helped you build credibility with scientific buyers, as Ginkgo values technical depth.
Research Ginkgo's specific automation offerings (e.g., their foundry platform) and mention how your sales approach aligns with their mission of accelerating research through tailored solutions, not just generic sales tactics.
Showcase examples of long-term relationship building in past roles, such as case studies where you became a strategic partner to clients, as this role prioritizes trust over transactions.
Avoid generic sales jargon; instead, use language from the job description like 'client-centric solutions,' 'scientific credibility,' and 'measurable results' to demonstrate fit with Ginkgo's culture.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Highlight your technical understanding of lab automation and life sciences, linking it to your ability to educate and guide sophisticated buyers, as credibility is key for this role.', "Provide a specific example of a past B2B sale in the life science industry where you developed a custom solution that addressed a client's unique research challenges, emphasizing long-term impact.", "Explain why you're drawn to Ginkgo's mission of accelerating discovery through automation, and how your sales philosophy aligns with building strategic, high-value relationships rather than just hitting quotas.", "Mention your experience with capex or tech sales environments, and how you've achieved revenue targets by mastering client businesses and industry trends in life sciences."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Ginkgo's foundry platform and specific automation technologies they offer, understanding how these products accelerate research in areas like biotech or pharma.
- → Review Ginkgo's recent news, partnerships, or case studies to grasp their market position and how they position themselves as a leader in synthetic biology and automation.
- → Investigate the life science industry trends and common pain points (e.g., in biotech or academic research) that Ginkgo's solutions address, to better tailor your application.
- → Look into Ginkgo's company culture and values, as they likely emphasize innovation, scientific rigor, and long-term impact, which should inform your interview responses.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing solely on sales metrics without demonstrating deep technical knowledge or an ability to understand scientific workflows, as this role requires subject-matter expertise.
- Applying with a generic sales background (e.g., in unrelated industries) without highlighting specific B2B experience in life sciences or with automation/tech products.
- Emphasizing short-term transactional sales over long-term relationship building, as Ginkgo explicitly values strategic partnerships and trust with clients.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to GinkGo Bioworks!