Biomedical Product Designer - Arbutus Medical

BLANKSLATE Partners; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A rapidly growing medical device company in Vancouver is seeking a Product Designer to lead the development of innovative surgical kits. You will collaborate directly with clinicians to enhance patient care and streamline surgical processes. Ideal candidates have 5-10 years of experience in electro-mechanical product development, strong prototyping skills, and are comfortable in a hybrid work environment. The salary ranges from $100,000 to $120,000 and includes flexible working hours and health benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Flexible working hours

Extended health benefits

Professional development funding

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience developing electro-mechanical hardware products; experience in medical devices is preferred.
• Experience with electrical design, embedded systems, or integrating electronics into mechanical systems.
• Hands-on experience soldering and assembling electrical assemblies.

Responsibilities

• Lead electro-mechanical device development from concept through commercialization.
• Conduct site visits for product testing and user feedback.
• Support existing products with reliability and design updates.

Skills

Prototyping skills

3D CAD proficiency

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

Arduino/Raspberry Pi

Job description

Arbutus Medical is a rapidly growing medical device venture developing a portfolio of procedure kits to streamline surgery “outside the OR”, starting with orthopaedic trauma procedures in the ER.

We are adding a Product Designer to our Product Design Team to help accelerate our development roadmap, advance multiple proof-of-concept devices, and strengthen our engineering activities supporting current products. The product innovator will work on‑site (hybrid work‑style) for hands‑on build cycles, rapid iteration, and close design collaboration, contributing to a supportive and highly communicative team that values curiosity and human‑centric design. This role requires an entrepreneurial mindset and someone comfortable with autonomy, who proactively solves problems, and takes full ownership of projects from concept through completion.

Why this role, and why now?

Arbutus Medical is reinventing how surgery is done Outside the OR™, starting within the ER, where surgeons struggle with 1M+ bedside procedures a year due to outdated workflows. We’re building the market’s first portfolio of procedure kit “grab bags” to streamline these procedures, and have launched two FDA‑cleared products to date, TrakPak® (to streamline bedside skeletal traction) and SwiftKit™ (to streamline treatment of fingertip trauma). These are two truly differentiated products that solve practical workflow problems, saving up to 45 min/patient, helping hospitals win back resources and keep staff happy, while improving quality of patient care. We are already in 75+ U.S. hospitals (including more than 20% of all Level 1 Trauma Centers), have a high double‑digit growth rate, and are backed by a deep roster of Canadian healthtech investors. Entering 2026, we are ready to accelerate product development and scale up U.S. sales and medical education to set a new standard of care in our target procedures.

You’ll get to collaborate directly with clinicians who bring real‑world perspectives that shape our designs and improve patient outcomes.

Detailed Role Description

New Product Development (NPD)

• Lead electro‑mechanical device development from concept through proof‑of‑concept, design verification, and commercialization.
• Develop early prototypes using 3D printing, machining, and rapid fabrication techniques.
• Conduct feasibility, stress testing, and iterative experimentation across multiple product concepts.
• Translate user needs into engineering requirements through direct engagement with clinicians and surgeons.
• Build, test, and iterate functional prototypes both independently and in collaboration Product Design Lead.

Clinical & Customer Interaction

• Conduct 6–8 site visits annually to hospitals and healthcare environments across the U.S.
• Observe product use in real‑world settings, gather user feedback, and translate insights into practical design improvements.
• Develop strong relationships with key clinical users to continually refine product direction and validate engineering assumptions.

Sustaining & Core Engineering

• Support existing products, including reliability improvements, design updates, and production/supplier challenges.
• Work within controlled design and documentation processes appropriate for regulated environments (medical device experience preferred).
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ensure product performance, safety, and quality meet clinical and regulatory expectations.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Arbutus Medical is committed to making diversity, equity, and inclusion part of everything we do, from how we build our products to how we build our workforce. If this resonates with you, please apply – even if you don’t feel like you “check all the boxes.” Also, let us know if we can provide any specific accessibility considerations throughout the interview and candidate screening process.

About Arbutus Medical Inc.

Arbutus Medical Inc. is a privately held ISO13485 medical device company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Arbutus Medical is a medical device innovation engine that streamlines surgical inefficiencies for the good of patient care. The company is currently focused on improving the standard of care for simple orthopaedic trauma procedures commonly performed in hospital Emergency Rooms (ERs). Its two leading products are TrakPak®, a procedure kit that streamlines bedside skeletal traction, and Digit Revision SwiftKit™, a procedure kit that streamlines revision amputations of fingers and toes. In addition, the company has made one of its patented platforms, (DrillCover Technology™, which adapts DEWALT® drills for surgery) available at accessible price points around the globe. The company’s products have regulatory clearances from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada, and have been used by customers in 40 countries, enabling an estimated 130,000 surgeries to date. For more information about Arbutus Medical, visit arbutusmedical.com and follow the company on LinkedIn.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field.
• 5‑10 years of experience developing electro‑mechanical hardware products; experience in medical devices or regulated environments is preferred.
• High proficiency with 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred) and a demonstrated eye for aesthetics and functionality in past design work (portfolio examples requested).
• Strong prototyping skills: 3D printing, machining, rapid iteration, hands‑on build experience.
• Experience with electrical design, embedded systems, or integrating electronics into mechanical systems.
• Hands‑on experience soldering and assembling electrical assemblies (motors, batteries, PCB).
• Experience with creating and executing testing plans, and building and programming custom testing apparatuses using Arduino/Raspberry Pi.
• Strong technical report writing skills and documentation of testing plans and results.
• Proven track record managing suppliers/OEM/ODMs in past projects.
• Familiarity with manufacturing methods like machining and injection molding.
• Familiarity with controlled design processes, documentation, and verification methods.
• Nice to have: a demonstrated track record of bringing at least one device or complex hardware product from early concept through commercialization or market launch.
• Ability to travel into the United States 6‑8 times per year.

Desired Capabilities and Traits

• Exceptional communication skills, especially in interpreting clinician feedback and translating unclear needs into actionable engineering requirements.
• Excellent problem‑solving skills, high curiosity and learning orientation.
• Ability to translate nuanced information received from surgeons, clinicians, and cross‑functional partners into the design and development process.
• Entrepreneurial mindset: self‑starter, thrives with ambiguity, resourceful, and comfortable building structure where needed.
• Ownership mentality: takes responsibility for full project lifecycles and drives outcomes independently.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary (budgeted base salary of $100,000‑120,000).
• An exciting opportunity to get in at the ground floor of a growing venture.
• Flexible working hours and work‑from‑home arrangements.
• Extended health benefits.
• Professional development funding.
• A purpose‑driven workplace with passionate teammates who want to help patients and make a positive difference in the world.