Senior R&D Engineer

Medtronic plc; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

Medtronic plc in Santa Ana, CA, is seeking a Senior R&D Engineer to lead design and development of implant and catheter technologies within the CVS Operating Unit. You will work with cross-functional teams, ensure design integrity, and support innovative medical devices that impact patients globally.

The role emphasizes hands-on engineering, technical guidance, and collaboration with executives, customers, and regulatory bodies, with on-site work four days per week and limited travel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or math or a related technical discipline and a minimum of 4 years of technical experience
• Understanding of Reliability Engineering and Statistical Methods
• CAD experience especially in SolidWorks
• Experience with catheters and stents, especially with Nitinol
• Demonstrated aptitude for assessing emerging technologies
• Demonstrated business acumen, executive presence, and communication skills
• Proven skills in quantitative analysis and data-driven decision making
• Experience with conducting strategic brainstorm sessions and ideation activities
• Flexible and adaptable, comfortable working in a dynamic environment

Skills

Reliability engineering

SolidWorks CAD

Catheters & stents (Nitinol)

Emerging technologies assessment

Communication skills

Data analysis

Brainstorming / ideation

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 16 Nov 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 Senior R&D Engineer Careers That Change Lives At Medtronic, we push the limits of what technology can do to make tomorrow better than yesterday and that makes it an exciting and rewarding place to work. We value what makes you unique. Be a part of a company that thinks differently to solve problems, make progress, and deliver meaningful innovations. Medtronic’s Cardiovascular Surgery R&D group is looking for a motivated engineer to be part of a high-performing team that is revolutionizing the design and development of medical devices. In this role, you will leverage both your technical breadth and business acumen to maintain the design integrity of commercially available products. The work you do will impact patients globally and help support Medtronic’s mission of alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions. The Senior R&D Engineer will serve as a technical expert, executing and providing guidance to the team in achieving innovative engineering solutions. As a design engineer, you will be responsible for developing and modifying implant and catheter designs, understanding use conditions and boundary conditions, and evaluating interactions with various components, including delivery systems. In this role, you will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including executive leadership, customers, vendors, and regulatory agencies, to ensure the successful development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies. Leveraging advanced engineering expertise and reliability concepts, you will proactively identify and resolve complex technical challenges. You may provide guidance, coaching, and training to engineers while fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. Additionally, you may lead root cause investigations, developing both short-term and long-term corrective actions in partnership with cross-functional teams. You will work closely with project teams to develop first-principle models, enabling predictive design performance and ensuring product reliability that meets Medtronic’s high standards. This position is in Santa Ana, CA, within the Cardiovascular Surgery (CVS) Operating Unit. At Medtronic, we bring bold ideas forward with speed and decisiveness to put patients first in everything we do. In-person exchanges are invaluable to our work. We are working on-site 4 days per week as part of our commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth and cross-functional collaboration as we work together to engineer the extraordinary. This role will require less than 10% of travel to enhance collaboration and ensure successful completion of projects. We believe that when people from different cultures, genders, and points of view come together, innovation is the result - and everyone wins. Medtronic walks the walk, creating an inclusive culture where you can thrive.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or math or a related technical discipline and a minimum of 4 years of technical experience OR a Master's degree with a minimum of 2 years technical experience
• Understanding of Reliability Engineering and Statistical Methods
• CAD experience especially in SolidWorks
• Experience with catheters and stents, especially with Nitinol
• Demonstrated aptitude for assessing emerging technologies
• Demonstrated business acumen, executive presence, and communication skills
• Proven skills in quantitative analysis and data-driven decision making
• Experience with conducting strategic brainstorm sessions and ideation activities
• Flexible and adaptable, comfortable working in a dynamic environment

Physical Job Requirements PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS - 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. (ADA-United States of America) 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.

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.

If you need assistance completing your application please email [e-mail]. To request removal of your personal information from our systems please email [e-mail].

Benefits & Compensation

Medtronic offers a competitive Salary and flexible Benefits Package. Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD):$105,600.00 - $158,400.00. 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 base salary range is applicable across the United States, excluding Puerto Rico and specific locations in California.

We recognize the diverse needs and contributions of our workforce and offer a comprehensive benefits portfolio: 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).

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.

We 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.

We 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.