Principal R&D Engineer
At Medtronic you can begin a life-long career of exploration and innovation, while helping champion healthcare access and equity for all. You’ll lead with purpose, breaking down barriers to innovation in a more connected, compassionate world.
A Day in the Life
In the Medtronic Peripheral Vascular Health operating unit, we focus on the research and development (R&D) of medical devices for the treatment of peripheral arterial and venous diseases. We offer our physician customers a comprehensive suite of products and therapies to treat varying degrees of vascular disease — disorders of the circulatory system outside of the brain and heart. Our goal is to help healthcare professionals save limbs, reduce pain, and treat diseases so their and our patients can get back to enjoying what they love.We are seeking a dynamic and hands-on Principal R&D Engineer to play a key leadership role on a new product development (NPD) program. This role is a Core Team Member (CTM) that will influence program strategy, lead a high-performing R&D extended team, and drive the creation of therapies that improve patient lives and meet the needs of health care professionals and our business. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate engineer who thrives on solving complex problems, engineers product solutions, stays ahead of emerging technologies, and inspires others through strong collaboration and communication – all to deliver robust, customer-focused, peripheral vascular products in a fast-growing environment.
NPD Core Teams, formed by representatives of different functional departments, bring life-changing therapies from customer insight to market launch. The R&D CTM leads the product technical design and development and sets direction using engineering skills balanced with collaborative leadership to deliver on programs of varying scope and complexity.
U.S. Candidates: This role offers a flexible work style that may include a combination of onsite and remote work. Please note that flexible arrangements are not guaranteed for all positions and may change over time based on business needs and facility space. Future adjustments could include transitioning to full-time onsite.
Responsibilities may include the following and other duties may be assigned:
- Lead technical product design and development for one (or more) program(s)
- Provide leadership and direction to a R&D technical team, consisting of engineering and technician staff, within a matrixed organization – without direct reports
- Accountable for technical development strategy, team dynamics, delivered product quality and performance, technical risk management, and program R&D budget and resource forecasting
- Partner with the Core Team Leader, marketing, operations, quality, regulatory, and other functions to build and communicate program strategies, execution status, and identify issues and resolutions
Strategy and Planning
- Monitor and ensure alignment of program direction and expectations of the Core Team and R&D leaders
- Provide input to establish overall program objectives, timelines, milestones, and budgets
- Direct activities through creating and managing R&D program plans, work breakdown structures, resourcing, and status reporting, creating and managing accountability for technical deliverables, and identifying and mitigating technical risks and issues
- Implement robust design strategies to achieve overall product quality
- Define and implement strategic goals in the technical community in line with the operating unit strategy
Leadership
- Build relationships with and influence cross-functional partners and R&D staff
- Set clear direction that aligns with defined product development practices and policies
- Support the development of R&D staff through coaching, mentoring, delegation of work and providing performance feedback to staff functional managers
- Motivate team members to ensure effective team dynamics, collaboration, and mutual accountability
- Identify and implement improvements to functional operating policies and day-to-day processes
Communication
- Interact with internal and external customers to design, validate, and support launch of products
- Establish meaningful metrics to measure and share technical progress and quality
- Provide feedback and progress updates to the Core Team and R&D department leadership
Transmit technical concepts to non-technical audiences
Technical Acumen
- Design studies to investigate specific life science questions within field of expertise
- Evaluate, verify, and validate product designs
- Create or lead others through the creation of design control deliverables, and monitor documentation robustness and compliance throughout all phases of R&D
- Navigate technical problems that arise, gather detailed information, analyze, and investigate to understand, communicate, and recommend solutions to challenges
- Draw upon engineering, anatomy, and physiology knowledge and understanding and exercise judgement on technical actions
- Contribute to generation of intellectual property
- Partake in cross site Technical Forums and build a network within the technical community
This role will require less than 10% of travel to enhance collaboration and ensure successful completion of projects.
NICE TO HAVES:
- Degree related to Chemical, Mechanical, or Biomedical Engineering
- Experience in medical device industry with Class III products and technologies
- Experience in the new product development lifecycle, from feasibility thru post-launch activities
- Broad and in-depth expertise of Quality Management System Design Controls
- Experience planning work for and leading a team or with Project or Program Management, or having obtained a PMI PMP certification
- Effective communication and presentation skills
- Black Belt certification in Design for Reliability and Manufacturability (or equivalent)
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Baccalaureate degree in engineering AND minimum of 7 years of relevant experience OR Master's degree in engineering with a minimum of 5 years relevant experience OR PhD in engineering with 3 years relevant experience
- Experience in medical device industry
For Baccalaureate degrees earned outside of the United States, a degree that satisfies the requirements of 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) is required.
Physical Job Requirements
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position.
The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. For Office Roles: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to be independently mobile. The employee is also required to interact with a computer, and communicate with peers and co-workers. Contact your manager or local HR to understand the Work Conditions and Physical requirements that may be specific to each role.
U.S. Work Authorization & Sponsorship
At Medtronic, we are committed to fostering an environment where employees can thrive and make a meaningful impact. In alignment with our enterprise-wide workforce planning approach, U.S. work authorization sponsorship (H-1B, TN, J, etc.) is offered exclusively for Principal-level roles and above, where specialized expertise aligns with long-term business needs. Roles below the Principal level require candidates to possess unrestricted U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and for the duration of employment.
Join us in our mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life—where your unique background and perspective are valued.
Benefits & Compensation
Medtronic offers a competitive Salary and flexible Benefits Package
A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values. We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help to create. We offer a wide range of benefits, resources, and competitive compensation plans designed to support you at every career and life stage.
This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP).The base salary range is applicable across the United States, excluding Puerto Rico and specific locations in California. The offered rate complies with federal and local regulations and may vary based on factors such as experience, certification/education, market conditions, and location. Compensation and benefits information pertains solely to candidates hired within the United States (local market compensation and benefits will apply for others).
The following benefits and additional compensation are available to those regular employees who work 20+ hours per week: Health, Dental and vision insurance, Health Savings Account, Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Life insurance, Long-term disability leave, Dependent daycare spending account, Tuition assistance/reimbursement, and Simple Steps (global well-being program).
The following benefits and additional compensation are available to all regular employees: Incentive plans, 401(k) plan plus employer contribution and match, Short-term disability, Paid time off, Paid holidays, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Employee Assistance Program, Non-qualified Retirement Plan Supplement (subject to IRS earning minimums), and Capital Accumulation Plan (available to Vice Presidents and above, or subject to IRS earning minimums).
Regular employees are those who are not temporary, such as interns. Temporary employees are eligible for paid sick time, as required under applicable state law, and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Please note some of the above benefits may not apply to workers in Puerto Rico.
Further details are available at the link below:
Medtronic benefits and compensation plans
About Medtronic
We lead global healthcare technology and boldly attack the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions.
Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people.
We are engineers at heart— putting ambitious ideas to work to generate real solutions for real people. From the R&D lab, to the factory floor, to the conference room, every one of us experiments, creates, builds, improves and solves. We have the talent, diverse perspectives, and guts to engineer the extraordinary.
Learn more about our business, mission, and our commitment to diversity here.
It is the policy of Medtronic to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, Medtronic will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
If you are applying to perform work for Medtronic, Inc. (“Medtronic”) in any position which will involve performing at least two (2) hours of work on average each week within the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, you can find here a list of all material job duties of the specific job position which Medtronic reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. Medtronic will consider for employment qualified job applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.
