Clinical Oncology Specialist, GI — Chicago, IL

Natera — Chicago, IL

This role covers the Chicago, IL territory.

Stated in the posting

• Pay: $195K – $225K (base salary)
• Experience: 5+ years
• Travel: up to 50%–75%
• Car allowance

Territory: Midwest N, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan.
Chicago, Madison, Minnaplos, Kansas City. Detroit, Grand Rapids

POSITION SUMMARY

The Clinical Oncology Specialist (COS) – Gastrointestinal (GI) is a high-impact, clinical sales role that leverages deep oncology, pathology, and molecular diagnostics expertise to drive the adoption and utilization of Natera's advanced oncology portfolio, with a primary focus on Signatera™ in GI malignancies (including Colorectal, Pancreatic, Esophageal, Gastric, and Hepatobiliary cancers).

As a crucial clinical partner, the COS will navigate complex, large academic health systems, NCI-designated cancer centers, and community clinics to bridge the gap between medical oncology, surgical oncology, and gastroenterology, ensuring seamless integration of Natera's testing into GI patient care pathways. The COS acts as a strategic collaborator across territories, working cross-functionally with internal oncology team members—including molecular sales specialists, pharma sales, and medical affairs—to formulate and execute unified strategic account plans. This is accomplished through high-level clinical dialogue, targeted provider education, and the implementation of efficient workflow processes for appropriate patient identification and post-surgical MRD monitoring.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Navigate Academic & Clinical Ecosystems: Establish a strong presence within large academic health systems, complex cancer centers, and community oncology practices. Successfully engage GI Oncologists, Medical Oncologists, Surgical Oncologists, Colorectal Surgeons, and Pathologists to integrate Signatera into multidisciplinary GI tumor boards and clinical treatment pathways.
• Drive GI Clinical Adoption: Execute targeted sales strategies and deliver approved clinical marketing messages to key opinion leaders (KOLs), physicians, and hospital stakeholders to influence test adoption and volume growth across GI tumor types (Colorectal, Pancreatic, Esophageal, Gastric, and Hepatobiliary).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner seamlessly with internal cross-functional oncology team members (including molecular sales specialists, pharma sales, and medical affairs) to align strategy, share insights, and maximize market penetration within the territory.
• Market & Product Expertise: Maintain a commanding knowledge of Natera's products, services, and reimbursement landscape, as well as competitor offerings, molecular pathology trends, liquid biopsy advancements, and personalized medicine in the GI oncology space.
• Account Workflow Optimization: Identify logistical and clinical barriers to testing within institutions; implement streamlined processes for GI patient identification, sample acquisition (tissue and blood-based ctDNA), and result delivery.
• Account Management & Retention: Monitor, document, and report on existing business health, proactive competitive threats, and new market opportunities. Act as a clinical concierge to escalate and swiftly resolve client issues.
• Ethical Compliance: Conduct all business, clinical discussions, and field interactions with the highest level of integrity, compliance, and transparency.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree with at least 5 years of direct oncology or molecular diagnostics experience (experience in GI oncology, colorectal surgery, or molecular testing preferred) OR an Associate degree with at least 7 years of direct oncology experience.
• Market Knowledge: Deep, pre-existing knowledge of the local oncology market, including key institutional networks, NCI centers, and community GI oncology practices.
• Clinical Acumen: Robust understanding of oncology molecular diagnostics, next-generation sequencing (NGS), liquid biopsy, molecular residual disease (MRD), and the broader landscape of personalized medicine in GI solid tumors.
• Licensure: Valid driver’s license and safe driving record.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Multidisciplinary Fluency: Ability to confidently engage and speak the language of medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, gastroenterologists, and pathologists, understanding their distinct clinical priorities across GI cancer care.
• Collaborative Spirit: A proven track record of working effectively in highly cross-functional matrix environments, acting as a team player who lifts collective territory goals.
• Communication Excellence: Exceptional presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate complex molecular ctDNA data into actionable clinical utility.
• Strategic Self-Starter: Autonomous, forward-thinking professional with strong business analysis skills and a keen grasp of healthcare business and reimbursement trends.

WORKING CONDITIONS & COMPENSATION

• Physical Demands & Travel: Duties are typically performed in a medical office, clinic, or hospital setting. Requires frequent travel (up to 50%–75%, combination of road and air travel based on territory layout).
• Compensation Package: In addition to a competitive base salary, Natera offers uncapped commissions, a car allowance program, Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and comprehensive benefits.

The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations.

Remote USA

$195,000—$225,000 USD

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.

The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!

For more information, visit www.natera.com.

Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.

Link: https://www.natera.com/notice-of-data-collection-california-residents/

Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.

For more information:

• BBB announcement on job scams
• FBI Cyber Crime resource page

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