Principal Quality Engineer

Regulatory Jobs; New Brighton (MN); On-site; USD 102,000 - 177,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Long‑term incentive program

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson is seeking a Principal Quality Engineer (Design Assurance) to lead QA for new medical device development in New Brighton, MN. The role partners with R&D, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs, and Clinical teams to ensure design compliance and successful product launches.

You will apply ISO 13485, ISO 14971, FDA QMSR requirements, and lead V&V activities, DHF completeness, and risk management. Travel up to 10% may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 10+ years in medical devices.
• Hands-on V&V, TMV, and risk management per ISO 14971.
• Regulatory knowledge: ISO 13485, FDA QMSR, 21 CFR Part 820.
• Strong statistical/analytic skills with hypothesis testing.
• Experience interpreting and applying regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead quality assurance for new product development.
• Provide Design Assurance across design reviews and DHFs.
• Oversee V&V activities, protocols, and reports.
• Support design transfer and validation with manufacturing.
• Prepare and participate in FDA/Notified Body audits.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure regulatory compliance.

Skills

Coaching

Controls Compliance

Critical Thinking

Engineering

Quality Systems

Process Improvements

Quality Validation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical/Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Minitab

Job description

Job Function:

Job Sub Function:

Job Category:

All Job Posting Locations:

New Brighton, Minnesota, United States of America

Job Description:

Johnson & Johnson is hiring for a Principal Quality Engineer (Design Assurance) to support the Shockwave Reducer business located in New Brighton, MN.

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/.

Cardiovascular Solutions from Johnson & Johnson

Across Johnson & Johnson, we are tackling the world’s most complex and pervasive health challenges. Through a cardiovascular portfolio that provides healthcare professionals with advanced mapping and navigation, miniaturized tech, and precise ablation, we are addressing conditions with significant unmet needs such as heart failure, coronary and peripheral artery disease, stroke, and atrial fibrillation. We are the global leaders in heart recovery, circulatory restoration and the treatment of heart rhythm disorders, as well as an emerging leader in neurovascular care, committed to taking on two of the leading causes of death worldwide in heart failure and stroke. For more information on circulatory restoration, visit our website.

Position Overview

The Principal Quality Engineer (Design Assurance) is responsible for ensuring medical devices are designed, developed, and transferred to manufacturing in compliance with applicable quality system and regulatory requirements. This role partners closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Affairs, and Marketing to provide hands‑on Design Assurance support throughout new product development. This role applies and interprets relevant medical device standards and regulations as they relate to design and development activities, advising design teams on the quality and compliance impacts of design decisions. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the Principal Quality Engineer is expected to influence design assurance strategy across programs, provide mentoring and technical guidance to senior engineers, and serve as a subject matter expert during regulatory interactions. This role provides practical, execution‑focused quality engineering support with an emphasis on risk management, verification and validation oversight, and design transfer, enabling timely and compliant product launches.

Essential Job Functions

Lead quality assurance for new product development

• Partner with design teams to ensure compliance with ISO 13485 and applicable regulatory requirements
• Serve as technical subject matter expert on regulatory standards, statistical methods, test design, and acceptance criteria
• Participate in design reviews to provide an independent perspective on compliance and risk
• Ensure Design History Files (DHFs) are complete, accurate, and inspection‑ready throughout the development lifecycle
• Develop and maintain Risk Management Files including plans/reports, hazard analyses, FMEAs, risk control strategies, and risk assessments
• Support development and execution of incoming inspection plans, first article inspections (FAI), and related documentation to ensure alignment with design intent
• Advise design teams on quality system and regulatory implications of design decisions and changes
• Provide Design Assurance oversight for Verification and Validation (V&V) activities
  • Review and approve protocols, test methods, and reports
  • Provide quality oversight to ensure test strategies, acceptance criteria, and sample sizes are appropriate and compliant with applicable standards
  • Serve as a quality advisor for V&V activities including biocompatibility, sterilization validation, packaging validation, and shelf‑life studies
  • Lead or support test method validation (TMV) activities to ensure methods are suitable for their intended use and comply with internal and regulatory expectations
  • Perform or witness hands‑on Design V&V testing when needed to support design assurance assessments
• Partner with to Manufacturing and Operations on design transfer and validation
  • Support equipment and process validation activities (IQ/OQ/PQ) associated with new product introduction
  • Ensure manufacturing processes, controls, and validations support design intent and regulatory requirements
• Support Contract Manufacturing and Supplier Quality in identifying, qualifying, and managing suppliers to support new product development and design transfer

• Participate in FDA, Notified Body, and ISO 13485 audits/inspections

• Contribute to regulatory submissions (510(k), CE Technical Files, PMA modules)

• Understand and apply Johnson & Johnson’s Credo and Leadership Imperatives in day‑to‑day interactions with team

• Perform additional duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical/ Mechanical, or related Engineering discipline with 10+ years of experience in the medical device industry, or Master’s degree with 8+ years of experience
• Demonstrated progression providing technical leadership across multiple complex development programs, including hands‑on experience across
  • Design Verification and Validation (V&V), including review and approval of protocols and reports
  • Test Method Validation (TMV), including development, execution, or quality oversight of validated methods
  • Risk Management in accordance with ISO 14971
  • Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) development and management
  • Application of FDA GMP and ISO 13485 requirements within a design and development environment
• Demonstrated ability to independently interpret and apply applicable medical device quality system and regulatory requirements as they relate to design and development activities, including ISO 13485, ISO 14971, 21 CFR Part 820 / FDA QMSR, and EU MDR (2017/745)

• Strong statistical and analytical skills, including hypothesis testing, sample size determination, and data analysis

• Proficiency with statistical software (e.g., Minitab or equivalent)

• Strong technical writing skills for quality-related documentation, including protocols, reports, and design history records

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex development activities simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and compliance

• Acts as a Principal‑level technical authority, providing coaching and informal mentorship to Senior and mid‑level Quality Engineers and influencing cross‑functional decision‑making.

• Self‑directed and accountable, with the ability to independently execute assigned responsibilities and follow through on commitments

• Experience supporting regulatory inspections and audits (FDA, Notified Body, ISO) through preparation, participation, and response development

• Clear and effective communicator, able to convey technical and quality concepts to diverse audiences

• Willingness to travel up to 10% of the time

• Ability to lift objects up to 25 lbs

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting development of Class II or Class III medical devices, preferably within cardiovascular or interventional product areas
• Familiarity with balloon catheter, interventional, or sterile single‑use devices
• Experience contributing to quality activities supporting regulatory submissions (e.g., 510(k), CE Technical Files, PMA modules)
• Working experience supporting biocompatibility and sterilization activities within a design and development environment
• Hands‑on experience with PLM systems (e.g., Windchill) and manufacturing execution systems (MES)
• Experience supporting manufacturing readiness and transfer activities for new product introductions, including associated validation efforts
• Knowledge of human factors and usability engineering principles (e.g., IEC 62366‑1)
• Lean, Six Sigma or Design for Six Sigma certification

Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected under federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers or contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

Coaching, Controls Compliance, Critical Thinking, Engineering, Fact-Based Decision Making, Financial Competence, ISO 9001, Lean Supply Chain Management, Non-Conformance Reporting (NCR), Organizing, Process Improvements, Quality Control Testing, Quality Standards, Quality Systems Documentation, Quality Validation, Safety‑Oriented, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Application

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :

$102,000.00 - $177,100.00

Additional Description for Pay Transparency:

• Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).
• This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long‑term incentive program.
• Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off benefits:
• Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
• Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period10 days
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time‑Off – 80 hours per calendar year
• For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits