Principal Field Clinical Lead- Houston or Dallas, TX — IL (statewide)
Abbott — IL (statewide)
This role covers the IL (statewide) territory.
Stated in the posting
Pay: $99K – $199K (base salary)
Experience: 4+ years
Travel: approximately 50% to 75%
Overnight travel
Weekend work
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Principal Field Clinical Lead
Working at Abbott
At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your family, be your true self, and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:
Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
An excellent retirement savings plan with a high employer contribution
Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program, and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries worldwide and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.
The Opportunity
Within Abbott's Structural Heart business, our mission is to restore health and improve quality of life through innovative solutions for the treatment of structural heart disease. We are committed to developing technologies that improve patient outcomes, advance clinical practice, and provide meaningful benefits for physicians, healthcare systems, and the patients they serve.
As a global leader in transcatheter heart valve technologies, Abbott continues to invest in clinical research, physician education, and next-generation therapies that shape the future of structural heart interventions.
Abbott Structural Heart is seeking a highly experienced Principal Field Clinical Lead (FCL) to support pre-market and post-market Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) clinical studies within an assigned territory.
In this senior clinical role, the Principal FCL serves as a key partner to physicians, study investigators, research coordinators, and internal stakeholders to ensure successful clinical trial execution, exceptional patient outcomes, and high-quality clinical data.
The Principal FCSL functions as a clinical and procedural expert, providing physician education, procedural support, site management, enrollment strategy, and clinical trial leadership. This individual will also contribute to the development of future TAVI technologies by partnering with Clinical Affairs, Research & Development, Engineering, and Commercial teams to advance Abbott's structural heart portfolio.
Success in this role requires a deep understanding of structural heart disease, transcatheter valve therapies, clinical research operations, and physician training within Cath Lab and Hybrid Operating Room environments.
What You’ll Work On
Clinical Trial Leadership & Site Management
Manage and develop strategic relationships with assigned clinical trial sites, investigators, and research teams.
Support all phases of clinical trial execution, including site identification, qualification, activation, enrollment, monitoring, and study closeout activities.
Collaborate with investigators and site personnel to maximize patient screening opportunities and achieve enrollment objectives.
Identify enrollment barriers and implement solutions that improve patient recruitment and study performance.
Maintain a comprehensive understanding of site capabilities, research infrastructure, and investigator interests to support Abbott's clinical evidence generation strategy.
Facilitate communication between clinical sites and Abbott teams to ensure efficient study execution and issue resolution.
TAVI Clinical and Procedural Support
Serve as a subject matter expert for Abbott's TAVI clinical programs and investigational technologies.
Provide procedural guidance and technical support during investigational TAVI procedures.
Support physicians and healthcare teams in procedural planning, device utilization, and study protocol adherence.
Partner with commercial field teams when additional procedural expertise is required.
Ensure proper application of study protocols and eligibility criteria for patient selection.
Maintain expertise in current and emerging structural heart therapies, competitive technologies, and evolving treatment strategies.
Physician and Clinical Staff Education
Design and deliver educational programs for physicians, research coordinators, physician assistants, nurses, and Cath Lab personnel.
Train healthcare professionals on investigational devices, clinical protocols, procedural best practices, and study requirements.
Develop educational content and presentation materials for:
Investigator Meetings
National and regional conferences
Physician training programs
Internal educational initiatives
Serve as a trusted clinical resource for both internal and external stakeholders.
Clinical Evidence and Research Support
Support the generation and dissemination of clinical evidence related to Abbott's TAVI portfolio.
Effectively communicate clinical data, trial objectives, and evidence-based recommendations to healthcare professionals.
Collaborate with Global Clinical Affairs and Medical Affairs teams to support ongoing and future research initiatives.
Assist in identifying opportunities to improve study design, enrollment strategies, and overall trial performance.
Promote diverse and representative patient enrollment across clinical trials.
Product Development and Innovation
Partner with Engineering, Clinical Affairs, and Product Development teams to support next-generation TAVI platform development.
Provide real-world clinical insights that inform product design enhancements and future innovation efforts.
Participate in pre-clinical and clinical evaluations of emerging technologies.
Assist in developing procedural best practices for new platform introductions and early-stage clinical evaluations, including:
First-in-Human Studies
Early Feasibility Studies
IDE Clinical Trials
Leadership and Mentorship
Mentor and develop less-experienced Field Clinical Leads.
Share best practices and support the ongoing development of field clinical teams.
Provide leadership across cross-functional projects and initiatives.
Assist management with onboarding, coaching, and development of clinical personnel as needed.
Identify opportunities for operational improvements and process standardization across the organization.
Compliance and Quality
Conduct all activities in accordance with:
FDA regulations
Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines
Company policies and procedures
Quality system requirements
Clinical study protocols
Maintain all required certifications and training for assigned product lines and study processes.
Ensure accurate and timely documentation and communication of clinical activities.
Foster professional and collaborative relationships with customers, physicians, investigators, and internal partners
This position works closely with / Cross-functional Partnerships:
Global Clinical Affairs (GCA)
Medical Directors
Program Management Teams
Global Clinical Organization (GCO)
Research & Development
Engineering
Marketing
Medical Affairs
Commercial Structural Heart Teams
The role also requires significant interaction with:
Interventional Cardiologists
Cardiac Surgeons
Study Investigators
Research Coordinators
Cath Lab Staff
Physician Assistants
Nurse Practitioners
Registered Nurses
Required Qualifications
Education
Associate degree with 13+ years of relevant experience, or
Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of relevant experience, or
Master's degree or advanced degree with 5+ years of relevant experience.
Extensive experience within a structural heart or transcatheter valve medical device organization.
Previous experience providing physician and healthcare staff training on advanced cardiovascular procedures.
Minimum of 4 years of clinical research experience, preferably within Field Clinical Affairs or Medical Device Clinical Operations.
Strong understanding of:
TAVI/TAVR procedures
Clinical trial execution
Cath Lab workflows
Hybrid Operating Room environments
Structural heart disease therapies
Experience managing physician relationships and supporting high-volume clinical centers.
Knowledge, Skills & Competencies
Deep clinical and procedural knowledge of structural heart therapies.
Exceptional presentation and physician training skills.
Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
Ability to influence without direct authority.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organizational and project management abilities.
Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating across cross-functional teams.
Skilled at managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
High attention to detail and commitment to quality.
Ability to build credibility and trust with physicians, investigators, and internal stakeholders.
Travel Requirements
Ability and willingness to travel approximately 50% to 75%, including overnight travel as required. US and OUS
Flexibility to support physician and customer needs outside standard business hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.
Apply Now
Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: www.abbottbenefits.com
Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott, and on X @AbbottNews.
The base pay for this position is $99,300.00 – $198,700.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.