Lead Research & Development Engineer, Vascular

Cook Group; West Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Hybrid or remote work options

Health and wellness initiatives

Educational assistance

Job summary

Cook Group in West Lafayette, Indiana, is seeking a team leader for R&D projects in medical device development. The role demands strong technical leadership and collaboration across project teams while overseeing technical deliverables.

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and significant experience in product development within medical device standards. The company promotes ethical standards, flexibility, and professional growth, making it a meaningful career choice.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in engineering or product development role.
• Proven project/technical leadership and management skills.
• Experience in Medical Device or regulated industry is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead project teams focused on development of new medical device designs.
• Drive improvement initiatives within area of expertise.
• Manage project tasks and ensure timely completion of milestones.

Skills

Project management methodology

Technical leadership

Knowledge of medical device quality standards

Fluency in Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Master’s Degree

PhD

Job description

Why Join Us

We believe in taking care of our people so they can take care of others. As a global, family‑owned company that has been improving patients’ lives since 1963, we’re committed to doing business with integrity and making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work. We’re guided by strong ethical standards and core values, and we believe the best ideas come from creating solutions together. Our company culture values every voice, brings together inclusive teams who collaborate well, and encourages learning and innovation. When you join Cook, you’re not just starting a job, you’re building a career with purpose, in a company that invests in you.

What You Can Expect at Cook

• Meaningful work & strong values: Contribute to improving patient care globally in a company known for high ethical standards and integrity.
• Competitive rewards & security: Competitive, performance‑related compensation and benefits that support your health and financial wellbeing.
• Flexibility & time off: Paid time off, holidays, and hybrid or remote work options for many jobs, where possible.
• Growth & development: Learning opportunities, educational assistance, and development programs to help you grow your skills and career.
• Wellbeing & community: Health and wellness initiatives, social activities, and community engagement that help you feel connected and supported.

Benefits and programs vary by country and job. Our recruiters can provide more information about the specific benefits and programs available in your location.

Overview

This role will lead a team of engineers focused on research, development, and implementation of new medical device designs. This role will be responsible for technical leadership within the project team which could include signing off on deliverables and supporting the training and delegation of work responsibilities to other engineers on the team. This role will not have direct employee responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead project teams or provide technical leadership for medium to largescale R&D projects, collaborate to provide technical leadership across the department and/or multiple projects in a specific area or subject matter expertise;
• Drive improvement initiatives in area of expertise, which may include process ownership for department;
• Responsible for approval of work product or work for project teams;
• Manage the activities of the project team and drive project tasks to ensure timely completion of project milestones and business metrics are achieved in collaboration with project manager (when one is assigned);
• Work closely to build effective relationships with cross functional groups to achieve project and company goals;
• As part of project/technical leadership, responsible for leading technical development of projects; leading all key design decisions to ensure quality of design selection to meet customer needs; retrospective project reviews to understand lessons learned; managing device evaluations and compliance with Quality, Regulatory and company policies and systems;
• May represent Cook in industry standards, working groups and present on Cooks behalf in industry conferences;
• Act as a mentor to other personnel in the department.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field required and 7 years’ relevant experience OR;
• Master’s Degree and 5 years’ relevant experience OR;
• PhD and 4 years’ relevant experience;
• Experience in Product Development projects within Medical Device or regulated industry/adjacent experience;
• Proven project/technical leadership;
• Project management methodology and skills;
• Proven experience working closely with project managers;
• Knowledge of medical device quality standards ISO13485/FDA practices, EUMDR, GMP and similar regulated industry standards;
• This role requires fluency in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data concepts, including the ability to critically evaluate AI outputs, improve workflows using approved tools, identify and mitigate bias or inaccuracies, and communicate AI‑driven insights clearly and responsibly to peers and managers;
• Qualified candidates must be legally authorized in the United States. Cook does not intend to provide sponsorship for employment visa status’ for this employment position.