Senior Principal Stent Frame Design Engineer

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Stock options

Paid time off

Job summary

Gore is seeking an experienced Design Engineer to join our team in developing self-expanding stent frames for implantable transcatheter devices. You will apply stent design, shape memory materials, computational engineering, and manufacturing knowledge to create robust, manufacturable solutions that advance cardiovascular technologies.

This role offers collaboration with cross-functional teams, hands-on prototyping, and the chance to influence product development from concept to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Biomedical Engineering with 8+ years' design experience.
• Experience in transcatheter stent frame design or computational design for complex mechanical structures.
• Strong knowledge of structural mechanics, materials, GD&T, and ASME standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of self-expanding stent frames for transcatheter devices.
• Develop and optimize architectures, geometries, and materials for device performance.
• Apply structural mechanics and manufacturing knowledge to guide design decisions.
• Deliver comprehensive design packages with CAD models, drawings, tolerances, and specs.
• Plan and execute engineering evaluations, mechanical testing, and DOE.
• Collaborate with Modeling & Simulation (FEA) for use-condition analysis.
• Lead technical design reviews and mentor other design engineers.
• Automate design workflows for parametric CAD, FEA, DOE.
• Contribute to innovation and IP generation.

Skills

Transcatheter Stent Frame Design

Computational Design & Engineering

Structural mechanics

Travel up to 10%

Technical communication

Team collaboration across disciplines

Stent design verification

Automation of design workflows

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

Rhino/Grasshopper

Job description

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Design Engineer to join our team, focused on developing self-expanding stent frames for implantable transcatheter medical devices. In this role, you will apply expertise in stent frame design, shape memory materials, computational engineering, structural mechanics, and engineering evaluation to develop and optimize complex stent geometries. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate clinical use conditions, material properties, product requirements, and manufacturing capabilities into innovative, manufacturable device designs. This position provides an opportunity to solve complex technical challenges, develop advanced computational methods, and influence next-generation cardiovascular technologies from concept through commercialization.

Diversity is a core value at Gore. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all Associates. We believe every member of our team enriches our work environment by exposing us to a broad range of perspectives to understand and engage with our customers, suppliers, and each other.

This position will be located at one of our facilities in Phoenix or Flagstaff, Arizona, with the possibility of a hybrid work arrangement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of self-expanding stent frames and related implantable structures for transcatheter cardiovascular devices, translating design input requirements into robust design solutions while delivering against project priorities and timelines from concept through commercialization.
• Develop and optimize stent frame architectures, geometries, and materials to meet device performance requirements, including but not limited to radial stiffness, flexibility, fatigue durability, deployment behavior, and manufacturability.
• Apply knowledge of structural mechanics, material behavior, and manufacturing processes to guide design decisions, evaluate technical tradeoffs, and develop robust design solutions.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive design packages, including detailed CAD models, parametric designs, engineering drawings, specifications, tolerance analyses, performance evaluations, and technical rationales supporting design decisions in accordance with ASME and applicable quality system requirements.
• Plan, execute, and document engineering evaluations, mechanical testing, and design of experiments (DOE), to evaluate stent performance, optimize designs, and reduce technical risk.
• Partner closely with Modeling & Simulation (FEA) team to evaluate stent frame behavior under representative use conditions, including compression, catheter loading, delivery, deployment, and cyclic mechanical loading, and use computational analysis results, experimental testing, and dimensional or image-based measurements to inform design decisions.
• Collaborate with teams specializing in materials, manufacturing, quality, testing, suppliers, etc. to develop manufacturable stent frame designs.
• Lead and participate in technical design reviews, serve as a formal technical reviewer within the quality system, and apply structured problem-solving methods.
• Develop and improve computational design and engineering capabilities through automating design workflows for parametric CAD product modeling, FEA, DOE, tooling, statistical analysis, etc.
• Contribute to innovation through new device concepts, hands‑on prototyping, engineering evaluation methods, and intellectual property generation while providing technical guidance and mentorship to other Design Engineers.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline with a minimum of 8 years of relevant design engineering experience
• Demonstrated experience in one of the following areas:
  • Transcatheter Stent Frame Design: hands‑on experience designing and developing self-expanding or balloon‑expandable stent frames, nitinol‑based implantable structures, or closely related transcatheter cardiovascular devices, OR
  • Computational Design & Engineering: experience applying computational design and engineering methods to complex mechanical structures, parametric CAD modeling (e.g., using Solidworks, Rhino/Grasshopper), computational workflow automation, and experience integrating experimental or image‑based data (e.g., UCT) into engineering analyses to inform designs
• Strong understanding of structural mechanics, material behavior, and mechanical performance, including stress, strain, compression, stiffness, fatigue, durability, and failure mechanisms
• Proficiency with CAD software (e.g., Solidworks, Creo, Rhino/Grasshopper), to develop complex mechanical designs, 3D models, assemblies, and drawings, demonstrated through SolidWorks certifications (e.g., CSWA, CSWP), or equivalent skills and experience
• Experience applying engineering evaluation methods, including mechanical testing, analytical calculations, statistical analyses, or design of experiments, to inform design decisions and evaluate technical risks with demonstrated ability to learn new technical methods
• Demonstrated experience independently driving complex product or mechanical design activities throughout the development lifecycle, identifying technical challenges, evaluating design alternatives, and developing solutions.
• Experience developing engineering specifications, drawings, design documentation, and technical rationales to support design decisions, including the application of tolerance analysis, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), and applicable ASME standards
• Experience collaborating across engineering disciplines, including modeling & simulation (FEA), materials, manufacturing, and testing, to develop and evaluate complex mechanical systems
• Strong technical communication, structured problem‑solving, and data driven decision making skills, with demonstrated ability to solve complex engineering challenges with significant technical uncertainty
• Demonstrated ability to foster an inclusive environment that engages and empowers fellow Associates
• Ability to travel up to 10%

Desired Qualifications

• Experience developing implantable cardiovascular devices, including self-expanding nitinol stents, stent grafts, transcatheter heart valve frames, or other complex implantable structures, with knowledge of nitinol material behavior, laser-cut, wire-wound, or braided frame designs, and shape‑setting processes.
• Advanced computational engineering experience, including nonlinear finite element analysis, fatigue analysis, simulation‑to‑test correlation, parametric design optimization, and automated CAD/FEA workflows using Python, Rhino/Grasshopper, Solidworks or similar tools.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing innovative design methods, tools, standards, or workflows that influence technical strategy, drive adoption across multiple projects, and improve design quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.

This position offers a hybrid work arrangement in the country from which the Associate is employed. Eligibility is dependent on the responsibilities of the role and business needs, and the Associate must agree to comply with Gore's work arrangement policies.

What We Offer

Our success is based on the capability and creativity of our Associates, and we are proud to offer a comprehensive and competitive total rewards program that supports your everyday and helps you build your tomorrow. We provide benefits that offer choice and flexibility and promote overall well‑being. And in keeping with our belief that every Associate should share in the collective success of the enterprise; we provide a distinctive Associate Stock Ownership Plan in each country as well as potential opportunities for "profit‑sharing". Learn more at gore.com/careers/benefits

Gore is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, status as a qualified individual with a disability, genetic information, pregnancy status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, status as a protected veteran, gender identity and expression, and any other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

Gore is committed to a drug‑free workplace. All employment is contingent upon successful completion of drug and background screening. Gore will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, e.g., arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws.

Gore requires all applicants to be eligible to work within the United States. Gore generally will not sponsor visas unless otherwise noted on the position description.