Clinical Technical Specialist

Cochlear is the global market leader in implant hearing solutions. Cochlear’s mission is to help people hear and be heard. Around the world, more people chose a Cochlear-branded hearing implant system than any other. A Cochlear Implant is an electronic device that is surgically implanted under the skin near the ear that restores hearing to those who suffer from severe hearing loss. It’s an incredible piece of engineering and the only product in the world that restores a sense through technology. Imagine using your experience to help people around the world to hear again. We can offer a unique opportunity to join Cochlear, an iconic Australian company, leading the world in implantable hearing solutions. Our mission is to help more people to hear.

Clinical Technical Specialist Position Overview:

Job Overview & Purpose 

The role is responsible to provide clinical and technical support for the entire range of first and foremost formerly Oticon Medical cochlear implant devices and eventually Cochlear products, including hard- and software components and cloud-based solutions, to clinics, distributors, other B2B partners and patients within the Cochlear region Central & Eastern Europe. This includes providing on-site clinical/technical services, such as switch-ons/fittings/software programming, solving technical issues, surgical support as well as email, phone and online support.

The scope of the role will be in the Cochlear region Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), particularly in countries with a high number of Oticon Medical patients (e.g. Slovakia).

The role contributes substantially to Cochlear’s reputation in the CEE region. It is an integral part of the role to establish strong relationships with clinical professionals and distributors by providing outstanding clinical and technical support and product training.

The role is integrated into the CEE team, being one of the experts with regards to clinical and technical aspects within the team, disseminating information both internally and externally. Furthermore, the role represents its region in EMEA and/or Global clinical/technical, calls, meetings and working groups.

Accountabilities 

Accountability 1: Provide Clinical and Technical Support to Distributors, Clinical Professionals and Patients 

• Provide reliable and outstanding clinical and technical support (on-site/phone/email/online) to distributors and clinical professionals: switch-on/fittings, complex cases, intraoperative measurements, rehabilitation, and any other queries from professionals.
• Keep all professionals informed and updated on new clinical or technical information and field issues.
• Timely address complaints; forward them in accordance to the internal complaint reporting procedures, follow-up on results and feedback to professionals.
• Provide support to customer queries on e.g. presentation materials, literature research, guidelines, and other customer requests
• Address competitive issues in a professional and competent way
• Conduct on-site integrity testing at the request of distributors/professionals or when there is a suspected device failure, write reports for each integrity test and follow internal and legal reporting procedures to the competent authorities.
• Back up Clinical Technical colleagues across the CEE region

Accountability 2: Clinical & Technical Customer Care

• Build close co-operation and maintain regular personal contact with distributors and customer personnel (e.g. Clinical/Technical Distributor staff, ENT Surgeons, Audiologists, Speech Therapists, Psychologists and other Health Care Professionals) initiating and executing regular meetings including follow-up and visit reports.
• Establish strong relationship with staff members of the distributors and all professionals with the goal to increase Cochlear’s market share and increase sales.
• Physical presence in the market to ensure close customer relationship (e.g. participate in symposia, congresses and workshops)
• Inform and support clinics and third parties in all aspects of the hearing implant treatment path (e.g. patient selection, candidate referring, reimbursement, (re-) habilitation, etc.) in cooperation with Business/Sales Manager South Balkan
• Build close cooperation with networks and associations of patients and self-help groups

Accountability 3: Train Clinical Professionals and Distributor Staff on Cochlear’s Products & Services 

• Provide on-site or online trainings on formerly Oticon Medical as well as Cochlear products and service offerings to clinic professionals and distributor staff on demand. This includes on-site introduction of new and established products (CI/Osia/Baha/Connected Care), training on intraoperative measurements, surgical procedure and fitting of the sound processors.
• Upon request introduce new products during product launch providing on-site trainings to clinics and distributors, installing new software as required or requested from the professional.
• Provide trainings CEE region-wide in case your expertise and support is requested
• Prepare and adapt training content specifically training presentations on formerly Oticon Medical products (MS Powerpoint slides)
• Deliver training presentations for internals e.g. Cochlear colleagues who require your support and for externals e.g. general presentations at public events (e.g. congresses, workshops, seminars) thereby learn how to present and train with impact

Accountability 4: Continued professional growth

• Complete Cochlear’s learning pathway for field staff within the first two years comprising different classroom trainings including product, clinical-technical and surgical trainings on CEE and EMEA level
• Attend Cochlear’s internal trainings (mostly online) specific to Cochlear Global and Cochlear EMEA
• Participate actively in international and national cochlear implant or related conferences. Thereby your support can include presentations and representing Cochlear at the booth
• Stay up-to-date with present literature on clinical technical topics e.g. by joining the Cochlear CEE journal club
• Keep up to date on self-education (e.g. join voluntary training opportunities on soft skills and individual development) and learning on the job 
• Keep up-to-date with compliance and data privacy guidelines

Team Role (Individual contributor): 

• Follow relevant quality procedures in order to deliver quality products and services and identify and support the implementation of continuous improvement. Undertake additional quality responsibilities (e.g. audit) when appropriately trained to undertake these responsibilities.
• Contribute ideas on systems and process methods to improve deliverables.
• Work safely, complying with all safety procedures, rules and instructions; and reporting workplace hazards, incidents or injuries to manager.

Minimum Key Incumbent Requirements 

Minimum:

• Education: preferable: Degree in Audiology, ENT or related profession like Acoustics, Speech Pathology, Biomedical Engineering, Natural Sciences (Biology, Physics etc.)
• Minimum 5 years’ work experience (previous experience in an international company in the medical device industry preferred)
• Good audiological and clinical expertise
• Affinity for technical solutions and willingness to learn
• Affinity for public health service
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills
• High personal standards, professionalism and strong ethical principles
• Good interpersonal and relationship building skills and willingness to work in a team
• Ability to clearly communicate and present publicly complex issues (technical and clinical) in front of experts as well as for patients
• Ability to prevail in a dynamic, fast paced work environment
• IT Skills: MS Office (advanced)
• Knowledge in project planning and project management
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English

Ideal:

• Experience with formerly Oticon Medical products (cochlear implants – hard- and software components)
• Internationally recognized professional qualification in related audiology and / or speech therapy / deaf education.
• Several years of clinical practice in audiology and/or rehabilitation.
• Experience in the hearing implant field and with hearing impaired or even Cochlear implant patients
• Experience fitting and troubleshooting patient’s external equipment and software issues preferred.
• Experience with deaf communities / deaf education
• Rehabilitation Skills
• Parent guidance skills.
• Good verbal and written communication skills in another language e.g. Slovak, French or German

Region-specific Requirements:

• Travel within CEE (main countries in scope Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Greece) is required (estimated 60% and incl. weekend work).
• Ability and willingness to work with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Development Value of this role:

• Excellent entry position with cross-regional collaboration within Central Eastern Europe (CEE)
• Given highly competitive market in CEE, the position is highly demanding and offers the possibility to work with experienced professionals. This offers the opportunity to further develop knowledge and networks in this field.
• The role combines education, technical and commercial aspects, which enable the incumbent to develop beyond ‘pure’ technical and scientific aspects.

Cochlear’s mission is to help people hear and be heard. As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear is dedicated to helping people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience a life full of hearing. We aim to give people the best lifelong hearing experience and access to innovative future technologies. We collaborate with the industry’s best clinical, research and support networks. That’s why more people choose Cochlear than any other hearing implant company. Learn and grow with us as we tackle the most complex challenges in helping more people to hear and experience life’s opportunities.

If you feel that you have the skills and experience to be successful in this role and take on new challenges to build your career with Cochlear, please start your application by clicking the apply button below.

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How we recognise your contribution

We want Cochlear to be a place where our people truly enjoy coming to work. Through our internal programs and employee benefits, we aim to create an environment where our people will feel value and supported. Whether your focus is on continuous learning, professional development or simply finding an environment which enables you to thrive whilst balancing family or personal life commitments, then we have several programs in place to support you.

For more information about Life at Cochlear, visit www.cochlearcareers.com

At Cochlear we value and welcome the unique contributions, perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds of our employees and aim to build a culture that celebrates and leverages these differences, creating a sense of belonging and enabling our people to realise their full potential. We offer flexible working arrangements, and we understand flexibility is not the same for everyone. We’re open to a conversation about what flexibility means for you.

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