Director Engineering, Supplier Development

Edwards; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 159,000 - 226,000; Full time

Job summary

Edwards in Irvine, CA is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead Supplier Development for Advanced Catheter programs and to provide strategic oversight of external manufacturing partners.

You will drive design for manufacturability, qualification, and lifecycle management across new product development, sustaining programs, and commercialization, while mentoring a high-performing engineering team in a regulated medical device setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; experience in manufacturing and managing external vendors across sustaining and NPD programs.
• Demonstrated success leading high‑performing engineering teams within a regulated medical device environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead Supplier Development Engineering activities across new product development, commercialization, and lifecycle management with supplier readiness and capability.
• Partner cross-functionally with R&D, Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program Management to develop and commercialize cardiovascular technologies.
• Provide engineering leadership through the product development lifecycle: design for manufacturability, verification, validation, qualification, and commercialization.
• Lead development, qualification, and oversight of external suppliers and contract manufacturers for catheter systems and delivery technologies.
• Drive lifecycle management and continuous improvement across commercial products, enhancing supplier capability and manufacturing processes.
• Serve as hands‑on technical and people leader, coaching and mentoring while fostering accountability and collaboration.
• Build organizational capability through talent development, assignments, training, and succession planning.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Supplier development

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

MBA or Master’s in Engineering (Mechanical or Biomedical)

Tools

GD&T

Six Sigma

Job description

Imagine how your ideas and expertise can change a patient’s life. Our Global Operations & Quality team plays a central part in ensuring our products are delivered to patients with cardiovascular disease. You’ll partner cross-functionally with manufacturing operations and sales teams, delivering thoughtful solutions to complex challenges all while developing your knowledge of the medical device industry. Whether your work includes strategic inventory planning, labeling, warehouse management, material handling, or any of our other supply chain opportunities, you will be making a meaningful contribution to our team and to patients all over the world.

The Director Engineering will lead the Supplier Development Advanced Catheter category and provide strategic support to external manufacturing.

How you will make an impact:

• Lead Supplier Development Engineering activities across new product development, commercialization, and lifecycle management, ensuring supplier readiness, technical capability, and long-term performance.
• Partner cross-functionally with R&D, NPD, Sourcing, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program Management to develop and commercialize innovative cardiovascular technologies.
• Provide engineering leadership throughout the product development lifecycle, including design development, design for manufacturability, verification, validation, qualification, and commercialization.
• Lead the development, qualification, and technical oversight of external suppliers and contract manufacturers, including complex interventional catheter systems, components, and delivery technologies.
• Drive lifecycle management and continuous improvement across commercial products, improving supplier capability, manufacturing processes, quality, reliability, and scalability.
• Serve as a hands‑on technical and people leader, providing technical direction, coaching, and mentorship while fostering accountability, collaboration, and innovation.
• Build organizational capability through talent development, targeted assignments, training, and succession planning, aligning employee development with business needs.
• Establish clear objectives and manage team performance to ensure high-quality, on‑time execution of engineering programs and deliverables.

What you’ll need (Required):

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with experience in manufacturing, including managing external vendors and suppliers across sustaining engineering and new product development programs.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing high‑performing engineering teams within a regulated medical device environment.
• Travel up to 35% domestically and internationally to engage with suppliers and manufacturing partners.

What else we look for (Preferred):

• MBA or Master’s in Engineering (Mechanical or Biomedical).
• Medical Device experience in new product development with successful design optimization from development to commercialization.
• Experience in more than one of the following areas: Interventional access devices, rapid product development and manufacturing of components and complex assembly design.
• Experience in catheter and related manufacturing (extrusions, braiding, molding, laser‑cutting and bonding processes).
• Experience with rapid product development in cross‑functional teams, creative design, prototyping, and test method development (in‑vitro‑testing).
• Proven ability to apply technical knowledge and judgment to complex engineering problems. Knowledge of DFM, GD&T and Six Sigma methodology.
• Displays broad perspective and effective judgment, demonstrates well‑reasoned problem solving and decision‑making. Ability to be bold and decisive to drive action.
• Builds a shared vision; inspires others to action; sets clear direction; establishes plans consistent with that direction.

Aligning our overall business objectives with performance, we offer competitive salaries, performance‑based incentives, and a wide variety of benefits programs to address the diverse individual needs of our employees and their families.

For California (CA), the base pay range for this position is $159,000 to $226,000 (highly experienced).

The pay for the successful candidate will depend on various factors (e.g., qualifications, education, prior experience). Applications will be accepted while this position is posted on our Careers website.