Orion Insights

Quality Management Systems roles have become one of the most in-demand and least understood talent gaps in medical device. As regulations evolve, digital systems expand, and product complexity grows, companies need stronger quality teams than ever before. Yet many organizations struggle to find and retain the professionals who ensure compliance, patient safety, and operational excellence.

When most people picture their first civilian job after the military, they imagine joining a large company with a familiar name. Big organizations have strong, well-known brands and well-established training programs, so they can feel like the safest bet. What many veterans do not realize is that small and mid-sized employers often offer advantages that can accelerate a career much faster than a large corporation.

Medical device sales roles have always required a unique blend of technical fluency, clinical understanding, and relationship-building. But in today’s environment, the expectations placed on Sales Executives, Territory Managers, and Clinical Specialists have grown significantly. Buying cycles are more complex. Stakeholders are more diverse. Products are more advanced. And competition for experienced talent has intensified.

Exploring your next career move should be simple, low pressure, and aligned with your goals. For many veterans and transitioning service members, the traditional job search feels overwhelming. Job boards, online applications, and automated systems make it hard to know which opportunities are worth your time.

Field Service Engineers remain one of the most difficult and strategically important roles to hire in the medical device industry. They install, repair, and support critical equipment in hospitals, diagnostics labs, and surgical environments. They also represent your brand more directly than almost any other position. Yet the pool of available talent continues to shrink, and the demands of the job keep increasing.

This post is part of our series, Building the Future Workforce of Medical Device, where we examine the trends, challenges, and workforce strategies shaping the future of Medical Device. We are taking a comprehensive look at the forces that influence how medical device companies attract, hire, develop and retain their talent.

Most life sciences leaders still believe that growth comes from hiring people who know the industry. It is an understandable instinct. Scientific precision, regulatory demands, and complex product lifecycles make deep domain experience feel like the safest path.

Medical device companies are facing a rapidly shifting skills landscape. AI is transforming how devices are designed, validated, manufactured, and supported, and these changes are reshaping the workforce at every level. The roles that once powered MedTech are not the same roles that will power the next decade of innovation.

Medical device companies are experiencing one of the most significant workforce challenges the industry has seen in decades. Hiring shortages are no longer limited to a few niche roles. They now affect engineering, field service, quality, regulatory, sales, and supply chain. Innovation is accelerating, workforce expectations have changed, and the competition for skilled technical talent has never been tighter.

As we approach Small Business Saturday, it is the perfect time to recognize the powerful role small employers play in shaping the future of work and the future of veteran hiring. When people think about veteran employment, they often picture large corporations with formal programs, national visibility, and big recruiting budgets. But the real momentum is happening elsewhere.

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