Microbiologist Sterilization Manager

Medtronic; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Medtronic is seeking a Microbiologist Sterilization Manager to lead microbiology and sterility assurance across multiple manufacturing sites in the Central Region. The role requires onsite presence and travels up to 25%.

You will build and grow a high-performing team, ensure regulatory compliance, support audits, and drive continuous improvement in microbiology and sterilization programs to protect product quality and patient safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of microbiology/sterilization experience, or advanced degree with 3+ years.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory or management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead microbiology and sterility programs across sites and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and mentor engineers and scientists responsible for microbiological testing, environmental monitoring, sterilization, and contamination control.
• Serve as SME for microbiology and sterilization during audits and regulatory assessments.
• Oversee the development, execution, and maintenance of microbiology, sterilization, environmental monitoring, and controlled environment programs.
• Lead investigations, CAPA activities, and continuous improvement initiatives related to microbiological quality and sterility assurance.
• Monitor, analyze, and report KPIs and quality metrics to support operational excellence.
• Support new product introductions, process transfers, and validation activities by establishing microbiology and sterilization requirements for manufacturing implementation.
• Represent microbiology and sterility assurance functions during internal audits, regulatory inspections, and external assessments.

Skills

Microbiology

Sterilization

Biocompatibility

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor\'s degree in science or technical field

Advanced Degree in Science or technical field

Job description

Onsite

Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America

Warsaw, Indiana, United States of America

Full time

R75993

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 11 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

The Microbiologist Sterilization Manager is part of the Global Operations & Supply Chain organization and provides microbiology and sterility assurance leadership for manufacturing sites within the Central Region. The team partners closely with Quality, Operations, Engineering, and Research & Development to ensure microbiological quality, regulatory compliance, and effective implementation of sterilization and contamination control programs across multiple facilities.

The position may be based in Fort Worth, TX; Memphis, TN; Warsaw, IN; or Milwaukee, WI. This position requires onsite presence a minimum of four (4) days per week. The role also requires up to 25% domestic travel.

This role provides technical and people leadership for microbiology and sterility assurance activities supporting medical device manufacturing operations. The position is responsible for ensuring compliance with microbiological and sterilization requirements, leading continuous improvement initiatives, supporting regulatory inspections and audits, and developing a high-performing team focused on product quality and patient safety.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead microbiology and sterility assurance programs that support manufacturing operations and regulatory compliance across assigned sites.
• Provide leadership and development for engineers and scientists responsible for microbiological testing, environmental monitoring, sterilization, and contamination control activities.
• Serve as the site and regional subject matter expert for microbiology and sterilization and provide guidance on technical and compliance-related issues.
• Oversee the development, execution, and maintenance of microbiology, sterilization, environmental monitoring, and controlled environment programs.
• Lead investigations, corrective and preventive action (CAPA) activities, and continuous improvement initiatives related to microbiological quality and sterility assurance.
• Monitor, analyze, and report key performance indicators and quality metrics to support operational excellence and compliance objectives.
• Support new product introductions, process transfers, and validation activities by establishing microbiology and sterilization requirements for manufacturing implementation.
• Represent microbiology and sterility assurance functions during internal audits, regulatory inspections, and external assessments.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this role, please ensure the minimum requirements are evident in your applicant profile.

• Bachelor’s degree in science or technical field with 5+ years of work experience in microbiology, sterilization, and/or biocompatibility experience OR Advanced Degree in Science or technical field with 3+ years of work experience in microbiology, sterilization, and/or biocompatibility experience.
• Requires a minimum of 2 years of prior experience supervising or managing others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the front room of FDA inspections or notified body audits.
• Experience serving as a subject matter expert during audits, inspections, or regulatory assessments.
• Demonstrated understanding of the industrial sterilization business and contract sterilizer operations.
• Experience supporting microbiology and sterilization programs within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience with controlled environment monitoring, process water systems, and/or industrial sterilization processes such as Ethylene Oxide (EO), Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP), Moist Heat, Dry Heat, or Radiation sterilization.

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.

The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 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.

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.

Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD):$120,000.00 - $180,000.00

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.

Further details are available at the link below:

Medtronic benefits and compensation plans (https://www3.benefitsolver.com/benefits/BenefitSolverView?page_name=signon&co_num=30601&co_affid=medtronic)

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 (https://www.medtronic.com/content/dam/medtronic-wide/public/united-states/employee-support-services/careers/la-county-legal-notice.pdf) 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.

We lead global healthcare technology and boldly attack the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions.

Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people.

We are engineers at heart— putting ambitious ideas to work to generate real solutions for real people. From the R&D lab, to the factory floor, to the conference room, every one of us experiments, creates, builds, improves and solves. We have the talent, diverse perspectives, and guts to engineer the extraordinary.

We change lives

Each team member, each day, helps to improve and redefine how the world treats the most pressing health conditions, from heart disease to diabetes. Our industry leadership comes from the passion and ingenuity of our people. That’s who we are. Working alongside one another, we use science, medicine, and a profound understanding of the human body to build extraordinary technologies that can transform lives.

We build extraordinary solutions as one team

With one Medtronic Mindset defining how we work. Speed and decisiveness run through our DNA. Diverse perspectives inspire our bold answers to any challenge that comes our way. And we deliver results the right way, breakthrough after patient breakthrough.

This life-changing career is yours to engineer

By bringing your ambitious ideas, unique perspective and contributions, you will…

• Build a better future, amplifying your impact on the causes that matter to you and the world
• Grow a career reflective of your passion and abilities
• Connect to a dynamic and inclusive culture that welcomes the challenge of life-long learning

These commitments set our team apart from the rest:

Experiences that put people first

Respect for people is the hallmark of our humanity. It fuels our team to positively impact even a single life. And it means we put our people first at Medtronic as well, creating a culture of belonging and always pushing to get you the career‑building resources you need.

Life-transforming technologies

No matter your role, you contribute to technologies that transform lives. What we build empowers patients to live life on their terms.

Better outcomes for our world

Here, it’s about more than the bottom line. Our Mission to improve human welfare drives us. We advance healthcare, society, and equity with every design, inside and outside our walls.

Insight-driven care

Fresh viewpoints. Cutting-edge AI, data, and automation. You're shaping the future of healthcare technology and defining the next generation of breakthroughs in care

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.

For sales reps and other patient facing field employees, going into a healthcare settingis considered an essential function of the job and we expect our employees to comply with all credentialing requirements at the hospitals or clinics they support.

This employer participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here (https://www.e-verify.gov/employees) .

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