Principal Research & Development (R&D) Engineer

Treace; Ponte Vedra Beach (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Treace in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, is seeking a Principal Research & Development Engineer to lead product development initiatives. This role is crucial for managing key design projects from concept to production and mentoring other engineers. Candidates should possess expert CAD knowledge, especially in SolidWorks, with significant experience in mechanical design and product development in regulated industries. The position emphasizes collaboration with teams and customer engagement to foster innovative solutions.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of mechanical design and manufacturing experience.
• 5+ years of actual product development experience in a regulated industry.
• Proficient in interacting with design and manufacturing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support product development in concept generation and execution.
• Engage with customers to gather design ideas and transition them into production.
• Ensure compliance with the design quality system.

Skills

Expert CAD knowledge (preferably SolidWorks)

Manufacturing Feasibility

Analytical and Technical Expertise

Communication and Leadership

Customer-Centric Approach

Collaborative Team Player

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Microsoft Office

Job description

Principal Research & Development (R&D) Engineer

Full-time

Treace’s mission is to be the leader in the surgical treatment of bunions by establishing the Lapiplasty® System as the standard of care. We are committed to operating our business with the highest standards of ethical conduct. We intend to exceed our customers’ expectations through an innovation-driven, high-velocity approach to solving treatment and surgical problems. With our products and services, our mission is to assist foot and ankle surgeons in improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs, while providing rewarding experiences and opportunities for our employees and stakeholders.

Are you a technical expert and innovative leader looking to make a significant impact in product design and development? We are seeking a Principal R&D Engineer to manage and execute key design projects while mentoring other engineers. This role offers the opportunity to lead major product development initiatives from concept to production and contribute to the company’s short-term and long-term goals.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

As a Principal R&D Engineer, your responsibilities include:

• Leading, participating in, and supporting activities throughout product development, including:
  • Concept generation
  • Project planning, design, and execution stages
  • Prototyping, design for manufacturability (DFM), design for inspection (DFI)
  • Risk assessments, pilot production, and design reviews
  • Verification, validation, and testing (protocol authorship, physical testing, reports)
  • Pre-production and full production launch
• Demonstrating expertise in material selection, manufacturing methods, inspection techniques, and critical measurements.
• Engaging directly with customers alongside sales and marketing to gather design ideas, document concepts, and transition them into high-quality production-ready products.
• Ensuring compliance with the company’s design quality system.

Qualifications

Design Expertise – Expert CAD knowledge (preferably SolidWorks) for creating parametric models and ASME Y14.5-compliant prints.

Manufacturing Feasibility – Proficient in interacting with design and manufacturing teams to balance manufacturability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

Analytical and Technical Expertise – Advanced knowledge of CAD design, 3D print generation, FEA simulations, and ISO standards.

Communication and Leadership – Strong ability to communicate schedules, budgets, designs, and testing results effectively to teams and stakeholders.

Customer-Centric Approach – Ability to generate product designs based on customer input and surgeon feedback.

Hands-On Approach – Comfort with cadaver work, surgical settings, and detailed research experiments to test feasibility.

Collaborative Team Player – Proven ability to work on cross‑functional teams and assist in creating design documentation for medical devices.

To excel in this role, you should demonstrate:

• Exceptional organizational and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Expertise in product development, material selection, and industry best practices.
• A desire to work on complex engineering problems and mentor your peers to grow the team’s capabilities.

Educational and Software Proficiency

• Advanced experience using Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project).
• SolidWorks proficiency required; familiarity with FEA and GD&T is a must.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent engineering discipline
• 7+ years’ mechanical design and manufacturing experience of which 5+ years of actual product development experience bringing innovative product to market from conception to launch in regulated industry. (Preference is given to medical device development).

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

It is Treace’s policy not to discriminate against any applicant for employment or any employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. EEO/Disabled/Veterans Employer