Engineering Manager

Microfluidics; Rohnert Park (CA); Hybrid; USD 124,000 - 186,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) match

PTO

Job summary

IDEX Health & Science, LLC in California is seeking an Engineering Manager – Technology Innovation to lead the development of next‑generation fluidic technologies for life science, bioprocessing, and analytical applications. This role drives early‑stage innovation from concept to product transition, providing technical leadership and shaping roadmap priorities.

You will mentor a multidisciplinary team, define readiness criteria, collaborate with Product Management and external partners, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of engineering experience including fluidics, device design, or advanced systems development.
• 3+ years of leadership or technical management experience.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute fluidics technology roadmaps.
• Identify novel approaches in fluid handling, sensing, materials, and system architectures.
• Translate emerging technologies into actionable R&D programs.
• Drive IP development and patent strategy.
• Lead and grow a multidisciplinary R&D team.
• Set technical direction and allocate resources across projects.
• Foster experimentation and data-driven decision-making.
• Mentor engineers in advanced design methods and technical communication.
• Mentor RD&E team through professional growth.
• Oversee development of early-stage prototypes and platforms.
• Guide experiments to validate performance hypotheses.
• Drive iterative refinement from concept to validated technology.
• Define technology readiness criteria and guide transition from R&D to product teams.
• Support feasibility studies, risk assessments, and architecture decisions during early productization.
• Ensure designs consider manufacturability, scalability, and regulatory requirements early in development.
• Partner with Product Management and Product Innovation teams to align with future market opportunities.
• Collaborate with commercial teams to incorporate voice-of-customer and unmet needs.
• Engage with external partners, academic institutions, and suppliers on exploratory technologies.

Skills

Leadership

Experimental design

Data analysis

Communication

Ambiguity tolerance

Systems thinking

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field

Tools

IP strategy

Experimentation tools

Job description

If you’re looking for a special place to build or grow your career, you’ve found it. Whether you’re an experienced professional, a recent college graduate or somewhere in between, IDEX is a place where you can apply your existing skills and learn new ones in an environment where you can make an impact.

With interesting opportunities in engineering, marketing, sales, supply chain, operations, HR, finance, and more across more than 40 diverse businesses (https://www.idexcorp.com/our-businesses/business-segments/) around the globe, chances are, we have something special for you.

Who is IDEX Health & Science (IH&S)?

As a business unit of IDEX Corporation, IH&S has a long history of driving growth in life sciences and healthcare by embracing innovation and redefining the supplier-customer relationship. The work we do every day allows us to discover key insights and break new ground to create some of the most meaningful technologies that have a lasting impact on companies, industries, and society.

IDEX HEALTH & SCIENCE, LLC

IDEX Health & Science is the global leader in life science fluidics, microfluidics, and optics, offering a three-fold advantage to customers by bringing optofluidic paths to life with strategic partnerships, solutions, and expertise. As one of the few companies in the world with component, sub-system, and application-level experts, IDEX Health & Science helps instrument developers solve the most demanding fluidic and optical challenges in a wide array of applications. With over 1,000 employees around the world, we believe partnership will change the way the world innovates, leading to new technologies that improve our health, protect our planet, and enrich our lives. For more information visit: www.idex-hs.com.

Position Summary

The Engineering Manager – Technology Innovation leads the development of next-generation fluidic technologies and platforms for life science, bioprocessing, and analytical applications. This role is responsible for driving early-stage innovation through proof-of-concept, technology maturation, and transition into product development. The position combines technical leadership, team development, and strategic alignment, ensuring that emerging fluidic technologies are differentiated, scalable, and aligned with future customer and market needs.

Key Responsibilities

Technology Strategy & Innovation

• Define and execute fluidics technology roadmaps aligned with long-term business and market needs
• Work with Product and Technology Innovation teams to identify and develop novel approaches in fluid handling, sensing, materials, and system architectures
• Evaluate emerging technologies and translate them into actionable R&D programs
• Drive intellectual property development, including invention disclosures and patent strategy

R&D Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and grow a multidisciplinary R&D team (fluidics, mechanical, systems, materials, and testing)
• Set technical direction, priorities, and resource allocation across multiple innovation projects
• Foster a culture of experimentation, rapid iteration, and data-driven decision-making
• Mentor engineers in advanced design methods, problem-solving, and technical communication
• Mentor RD&E team through career ladder-driven professional growth

Concept Development & Prototyping

• Oversee development of early-stage prototypes and experimental platforms
• Guide design and execution of experiments to validate performance hypotheses
• Drive iterative refinement from concept to validated technology

Transition to Product Development

• Define technology readiness criteria and guide transition from R&D to product teams
• Support feasibility studies, risk assessments, and architecture decisions during early productization
• Ensure designs consider manufacturability, scalability, and regulatory requirements early in development

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Product Management and Product Innovation teams to align with future market opportunities
• Collaborate with commercial teams to incorporate voice-of-customer and unmet needs into R&D
• Engage with external partners, academic institutions, and suppliers on exploratory technologies as needed for projects

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in engineering, including fluidics, device design, or advanced systems development
• 3+ years of leadership or technical management experience

Preferred Experience

• Experience in fluidics, precision fluid handling, scientific instrumentation, or other related advanced instrumentation
• Background in early-stage technology development
• Familiarity with life science, bioprocessing, and/or analytical instrumentation applications
• Experience driving IP generation and working with patent teams

Key Skills & Competencies

• High tolerance for ambiguity and ability to lead exploratory work
• Expertise in experimental design, data analysis, and iterative development
• Effective communication across technical and business stakeholders
• Ability to balance innovation with practical constraints (cost, manufacturability, scalability)

Pay Range

$124,000-155,000-186,000

We expect to hire at or around the midpoint of the range.

This role is hybrid, 3 days on site per week.

Are you ready to join a different kind of company where our people, our culture, and our commitments are centered around providing trusted solutions that improve lives around the world?

Total Rewards

The compensation range for this position is $124,000.00 - $186,000.00, depending on experience. This position may be eligible for performance based bonus plan.

Benefits Package

• Health benefits
• 401(k) retirement savings program with company match
• PTO
• and more.

More information on our benefits and rewards can be found on our career page: https://www.idexcorp.com/careers/our-benefits-and-rewards/.

IDEX is an Equal Opportunity Employer

IDEX gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other consideration or protected category made unlawful by federal, state or local laws.

Attention Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, please let us know. Likewise, if you are limited in the ability to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, we will determine an alternate way for you to apply. Please contact our Talent Acquisition Team at [e-mail] for assistance with an accommodation. These contact tools may be used only by individuals with a disability for accommodation requests. Do not inquire as to the status of an application.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Artificial intelligence is not used to screen, assess or select applicants.

Job Family: Engineering

Business Unit: Fluidics