Principal R&D Engineer - Advanced Manufacturing Engineering at Medtronic in Boulder, Colorado

Job Description:

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 9 Dec 2024

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
Our R&D Engineers are pivotal to our design-centric product development process. As a Senior R&D Engineer - Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, you will work with cross-functional teams to create user-friendly solutions that positively impact clinicians and patients.

In this role, you will focus on new product development, leveraging your advanced manufacturing engineering expertise to transition proven prototypes through the early phases of concept and feasibility into scalable, manufacturable products. You will apply advanced technical strategies and concepts to solve complex problems, distilling them into simple, elegant product offerings that strike the appropriate balance of functionality and user engagement. We rely on you to strengthen our procedural fluency in your specialty and push the boundaries of how we produce innovative medical devices.

You Will:

• Lead the development and maintenance of technical knowledge related to the technology and product development of airway access devices, endoscopic devices, and adjunct tools.


• Develop and implement advanced mechanical concept designs, perform tolerance analysis, finite element analysis, and other design analyses.


• Design components for manufacturing via plastic injection molding, stamping, machining, extrusion, and related processes, considering high-volume assembly processes in design concepts.


• Ensure designs meet and exceed product specifications, regulatory requirements, and international standards.


• Provide technical feasibility assessments and translate voice of customer (VOC) feedback into engineering design requirements.


• Develop specifications, test methodologies, and test equipment to evaluate design concepts.


• Perform calculations, analyses, and engineering testing to verify designs, documenting results in reports and laboratory notebooks.


• Create and release engineering drawings and process engineering change orders.


• Collaborate with suppliers to ensure components meet design requirements and diagnose design problems.


• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes to ensure the scalable production of high-quality medical devices.


• Implement Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles to enhance product reliability and reduce manufacturing costs.


• Conduct process validation, including IQ, OQ, and PQ, to ensure manufacturing processes meet regulatory and quality standards.


• Travel to vendor locations and customers, both globally and domestically, to help ensure program deadlines are met and troubleshoot issues.


• Present technical findings and project status to cross-functional teams and management through design reviews, presentations, and other communication means.


• Recommend various technology options or approaches for system, processes, facility, or program improvements in terms of safety, performance, efficiency, or costs.


• Support the transfer between phases of the project life cycle.


• Designs, develops, analyzes, troubleshoots and provides technical skills during research and/or product development.


• Designs studies to investigate specific life science questions within field of expertise.


• May be involved in product research and development and/or clinical trials.


• Translates research discoveries into usable and marketable products.

Must Have: Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Design and Industrial Engineering or a related technical field with 7+ years of engineering experience OR


• An advanced degree in in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Design and Industrial Engineering or a related technical field with 5+ years of engineering experience

Nice to Have

• Experience with 3D modeling software, preferably SolidWorks


• Proficiency in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance (GD&T) practices


• Strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles and methodologies


• High degree of initiative and self-motivation


• Expertise in Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles


• Knowledge of process validation, including IQ, OQ, and PQ


• Experience with advanced manufacturing technologies and processes, such as additive manufacturing, automation, and robotics


• Familiarity with regulatory standards and quality systems in the medical device industry


• Experience with rapid prototyping methods


• Experience in the design and manufacture of medical devices


• Familiarity with quality systems and regulatory standards


• Experience in product design and development in an R&D environment, including surface modeling and mechanism design


• Expertise in polymer material selection and optics


• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects effectively


• Hands-on experience with measuring equipment and rapid learning capabilities for new equipment


• Solid understanding of contemporary manufacturing techniques


• Understanding of color, material, and finishing principles (CMF)


• Strong interpersonal skills and effective problem-solving abilities


• Experience solving ambiguous problems in a high-stakes environment


• Experience designing and developing portable miniature electromechanical assemblies


• Hands-on, handy with measuring equipment and/or able to learn how to use new equipment fast

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.

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.

Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD):$123,200.00 - $184,800.00

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).

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 90,000+ 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.