Data Engineer

Medtronic; Lafayette (CO); On-site; USD 89,000 - 133,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) plan

Tuition assistance

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Medtronic CST in the United States is seeking a Data Engineer to build scalable data foundations that support AI and machine learning across surgical planning, navigation, and robotics programs. You will lead data acquisition, annotation operations, quality processes, and data governance with cross-functional teams to ensure data assets are scalable, compliant, and ready for algorithm development.

You will collaborate with AI and Product Development teams to define data requirements, improve

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 2 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree.
• Experience working with and manipulating large-scale datasets.
• Experience with data-focused programming language (Python or SQL preferred).
• Ability to manipulate, organize, and prepare data from multiple sources.
• Experience using AI tools in professional, academic, or research environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead data acquisition, curation, and preparation activities to support research and product development programs.
• Design and implement data collection strategies, protocols, and workflows for clinical, laboratory, internal, and external data sources.
• Manage internal and external annotation programs and partners to deliver high-quality labeled datasets at scale.
• Establish and maintain data quality standards, validation processes, and governance practices to improve reliability, integrity, and traceability.
• Partner with researchers, software engineers, and algorithm developers to define data requirements for AI/ML initiatives.
• Support database administration, organization, and accessibility of structured and unstructured datasets used across development programs.
• Collaborate with Legal, Regulatory, and Clinical stakeholders to ensure datasets meet compliance and licensing requirements.
• Generate data-driven analyses, metrics, and recommendations that inform research, development, and technology investment decisions.

Skills

Data acquisition

Data governance

Python/SQL

Data modeling

AI/ML tooling

Education

Bachelor’s degree with 2 years experience OR Master’s degree

Tools

Snowflake

AWS

Job description

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 30 Sep 2026

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

At Medtronic CST, we bring together innovative technologies that empower surgeons and improve outcomes in complex spine and cranial procedures.

Check us out on LinkedIn: Medtronic CST

Within the Research and Technology (R&T) organization, the team develops the data, infrastructure, and processes that enable advanced algorithms, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities across future product portfolios. The function partners closely with systems engineering, software engineering, clinical, regulatory, marketing, and data science stakeholders to establish scalable data foundations that support algorithm development, validation, and product readiness.

This role is responsible for building and managing the data foundations required to support advanced algorithms, as well as AI and ML development across surgical planning, navigation, and robotics programs. The Data Engineer will lead data acquisition, annotation operations, quality processes, and data governance activities while partnering with cross-functional teams to ensure data assets are scalable, compliant, traceable, and fit for algorithm development and validation.

• Lead the activities of data creation and data acquisition; design and execute robust data collection strategies.
• Manage annotation and labeling partners and clinical experts for data annotations to needed scale and quality.
• Work closely with AI and Product Development teams to define the required data for development of state-of-the-art algorithms.
• Contribute to data quality and integrity to ensure the database is well organized and easily accessible.
• Maintain and improve data reliability and quality.
• Utilize data development and management tools including AI tooling.
• Work closely with algorithm developers, test engineers, and Legal and Regulatory departments to assess data compliance.
• Work with external and internal providers to manage the R&D database.
• Support engineers in R&D data acquisition needs, including designing data collection.
• Coordinate with clinical teams on collection of data in clinical trials.
• Help inform research and development decisions with data-focused analytics and inputs.
• Support other programs and initiatives as assigned.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead data acquisition, curation, and preparation activities to support research and product development programs.
• Design and implement data collection strategies, protocols, and workflows for clinical, laboratory, internal, and external data sources.
• Manage internal and external annotation programs and partners to deliver high-quality labeled datasets at scale.
• Establish and maintain data quality standards, validation processes, and governance practices to improve reliability, integrity, and traceability.
• Partner with researchers, software engineers, and algorithm developers to define data requirements for artificial intelligence and machine learning initiatives.
• Support database administration, organization, and accessibility of structured and unstructured datasets used across development programs.
• Collaborate with Legal, Regulatory, and Clinical stakeholders to ensure datasets meet compliance, licensing, privacy, and documentation requirements.
• Generate data-driven analyses, metrics, and recommendations that inform research, development, and technology investment decisions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 2 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree
• Experience working with and manipulating large-scale datasets in either academic or industry settings
• Experience with data-focused programming language (Python or SQL preferred)
• Ability to manipulate, organize, and prepare data from multiple sources.
• Experience using AI tools in professional, academic, or research environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Medical imaging experience.
• AWS or cloud-based infrastructure experience.
• Experience with Snowflake or similar data platforms.
• Exposure to AI, machine learning, or data science environments.

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.

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.

Recruitment Fraud Alert

We are aware of phishing scams targeting job seekers. Please keep the following in mind:

Apply only through official Medtronic channels. All legitimate Medtronic recruiting communications come from approved Medtronic platforms and official @medtronic.com email addresses.

Medtronic will never ask for payment or sensitive personal information (such as bank account or Social Security details) during early stages of the hiring process. Any such requests are not legitimate.

If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Medtronic, do not respond, click links, or open attachments.

If you have any questions, concerns regarding the authenticity of a communication alleged to have been made by or on behalf of Medtronic, please contact us immediately at [e-mail].

Benefits & Compensation

Medtronic offers a competitive Salary and flexible Benefits Package

Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD):$88,800.00 - $133,200.00

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).

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.

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.