Senior Controls Software Engineer (Robotics & Test Systems) - Surgical

Medtronic; Galway; On-site; EUR 66,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible benefits package

Job summary

Medtronic in Galway, Ireland is seeking a Senior Controls Software Engineer to design and implement low-level controls for test rigs and robotic instruments. You will translate system requirements into robust control algorithms, integrate with motors, encoders and sensors, and support commissioning and verification in a multidisciplinary team.

The role emphasizes hands-on software development, real-time systems, and maintainable solutions for repeatable instrument performance testing in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical or Mechatronics with 4+ years of relevant experience or Master’s with 2+ years.
• Experience developing controls software for robotics, automation or test systems.
• Strong programming in C, C++ and Python for embedded, real-time controls.
• Experience with state machines, motion sequences, motor control and closed-loop control.
• Knowledge of real-time systems, sensors and data acquisition hardware.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement and maintain low-level controls software for test rigs and robotic instrumentation.
• Develop motor-control functions, state machines and motion trajectories.
• Implement closed-loop control strategies for force, torque, position and velocity.
• Define software limits, interlocks, fault recovery and safe operation modes.
• Translate system requirements into algorithms, interfaces and verification plans.
• Integrate software with servo drives, encoders, sensors and data acquisition hardware.
• Create reusable software components and interfaces for multiple rigs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define timing and I/O interfaces.
• Support rig bring-up, tuning, troubleshooting and release for engineering use.
• Use modeling, data analysis and experiments to tune performance and understand dynamics.
• Produce design descriptions, tests, configuration records and traceability artifacts.

Skills

C

C++

Python

Embedded real-time

State machines

Motion trajectories

RTOS

MATLAB/Simulink

System integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or related engineering discipline

Master’s degree with 2+ years of relevant experience

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

Careers that change lives start here. Medtronic is a global leader in healthcare technology with a Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Our 95,000 employees work across more than 150 countries to put patients first — developing innovative medical technologies that improve the lives of 72+ million patients each year. Your unique talents will help shape the future of healthcare while building a career grounded in purpose, growth, and impact.

A Day in the Life

Making the best possible surgery accessible to every patient. We believe the future of surgery is less invasive and more precise, predictable, and personalised. We bring together sharp surgical expertise, extensive medical knowledge, and cutting-edge technology with a single-minded focus on each patient - wherever they are, and however they need to be treated. Each surgical specialty faces unique challenges, yet the goal is universal: better care for patients. By understanding these differences, we deliver solutions that empower surgeons and keep patients at the heart of every decision. We are seeking a Senior Controls Software Engineer to design, implement and adapt low-level controls software for advanced test rigs and robotic instrument operation. The role translates test objectives and system requirements into reliable control functions, including motor control, state machines, motion trajectories, force and position control, operating limits, interlocks and test-specific control modes. This is a hands-on engineering role within a multidisciplinary advanced development team. The successful candidate will develop and integrate controls software with motors, drives, sensors, data acquisition systems, real-time interfaces and mechanical systems; support rig commissioning and troubleshooting; and deliver maintainable solutions that enable repeatable, traceable instrument performance testing, characterisation and engineering investigations. The role will be based at the Mervue Campus in Galway, Ireland.

• Design, implement, test and maintain low-level controls software for test rigs, robotic mechanisms and instrument-operation platforms.

• Develop motor-control functions, machine and instrument state machines, homing and calibration sequences, motion trajectories and coordinated operating modes.

• Implement closed-loop force, torque, position, velocity and hybrid control strategies appropriate to the test objective and system architecture.

• Define and implement software limits, error handling, fault recovery, interlocks, watchdogs and test-specific control modes that support safe and repeatable operation.

• Translate system requirements, test methods, motion profiles and load cases into software requirements, control algorithms, interfaces and verification approaches.

• Integrate controls software with servo drives, embedded controllers, real-time systems, sensors encoders, load cells, torque sensors, data acquisition hardware and mechanical assemblies.

• Develop reusable software components, device interfaces and configuration approaches that can be applied across multiple rigs and instrument platforms.

• Collaborate with test, systems, mechanical, electrical, mechatronics and software engineers to define interfaces, timing, I/O, communications and expected system behaviour.

• Support concept feasibility, rapid prototyping, rig bring-up, commissioning, tuning, verification, troubleshooting and release for engineering use.

• Use modelling, simulation, data analysis and structured experiments to tune control performance and understand dynamic interactions between the instrument, robot and test equipment.

• Create and maintain software design descriptions, interface documentation, test evidence, configuration records and other technical documentation needed for traceability and reuse.

• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, risk assessments and root-cause investigations, applying version control, modular design, coding standards and automated testing.

• Contribute to continuous improvement of controls architectures, reusable libraries and test-system engineering practices.

Key Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or a related engineering discipline with 4+ years of relevant experience, OR a Master’s/advanced degree with 2+ years of relevant experience.

• Relevant experience developing controls software for robotics, automation equipment, test systems, electromechanical products or special-purpose machinery.

• Strong programming capability in C, C++, Python or comparable languages used for embedded, real-time or test-system controls.

• Practical experience implementing state machines, motion sequences, motor control, trajectory generation and closed-loop force, position or velocity control.

• Understanding of control-system fundamentals, feedback devices, sampling, filtering, stability, tuning, system dynamics and actuator or transmission behaviour.

• Experience integrating software with motors, servo drives, encoders, sensors, data acquisition hardware, industrial or real-time communications and mechanical systems.

• Experience with software debugging, hardware-in-the-loop or system-level testing, data analysis and structured troubleshooting of electromechanical systems.

• Working knowledge of software lifecycle practices, version control, code review, testing, requirements traceability and technical documentation.

• Strong analytical, communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across software, electrical, mechanical, mechatronics, systems and test engineering disciplines.

• Experience with real-time operating systems, embedded controllers, MATLAB/Simulink, or model-based development is desirable.

• Experience in medical devices, surgical robotics, regulated product development or high-reliability test environments is advantageous.

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.

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.

Pay range / Rango salarial / Intervalo salarial /Fascia retributiva / Tranche de salaire / Gehaltsband / Salaribereik: Ireland: 65,600.00 EUR- 98,400.00 EUR|The final salary within this range will be determined based on objective, job-related criteria, including relevant experience, skills and qualifications, in accordance with our compensation framework.

This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP).