Senior R&D Engineer - Cardiovascular Surgery

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

Job summary

Medtronic in Santa Ana, CA, is seeking a Senior R&D Engineer to join the Cardiac Surgery R&D group. You will apply advanced engineering principles to maintain design integrity of medical devices and lead cross-functional teams in post-market activities.

You will influence design verification/validation, collaborate with suppliers, and support regulatory submissions while traveling minimally. This role combines technical breadth with leadership and impact on patient care.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or math with 4+ years of technical work experience OR a Master’s degree with 2+ years experience.
• Experience with failure analysis and statistical techniques.
• Nitinol material and stent processing experience is a plus.
• Experience with textile and suture development and testing is a plus.
• Experience in design verification and validation and in design/process qualification.

Responsibilities

• Maintain product design integrity of commercially available products within Design Control.
• Apply problem solving, technical principles, and theories to complex vascular disease products.
• Investigate design and reliability issues with cross-functional teams to determine root cause and solutions.
• Review and approve change orders for post-market products to meet reliability targets.
• Review and approve design and process qualifications.
• Review and approve verification and validation documentation.
• Oversee process development objectives with internal and external partners.
• Develop technical solutions and conduct testing with statistical evaluation and test reports.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to maintain post-market quality.
• Provide technical input for submissions to regulatory bodies and agencies.

Skills

Technical leadership

Problem solving

Statistical analysis

Design Control

Medical device design

Team collaboration

Nitinol knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or math

Master’s degree in a related field

Job description

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 3 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. This position requires strong technical and leadership skills to support commercial product continuity and our global supply of products designed to treat diseases of the vascular system. The Sr. R&D Engineer will apply advanced engineering principles, theories, and concepts in working on complex technical problems and will provide technical leadership on post market objectives.

This position is in Santa Ana, CA. within the Cardiac Surgery (CS) 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.

Responsibilities

• Maintain product design integrity of commercially available products using sound engineering principles while working within appropriate Design Control requirements.
• Apply problem solving skills, critical thinking, technical principles, and theories to solve complex problems in the field of aortic disease treatment.
• Investigating product design and reliability issues in partnership with other R&D Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Quality Engineers, and other cross-functional departments to determine root cause and implement solutions.
• Review and approve change orders of post-market products ensuring design integrity and reliability targets are met.
• Review and approve design and process qualifications.
• Review and approve verification and validation documentation.
• Oversee process development objectives of internal and external manufacturing partners.
• Develop technical solutions and conduct testing, evaluate results using appropriate statistical analysis tools, and generate test reports.
• Work collaboratively with external suppliers and business partners as well as internal cross-functional team members to maintain post market product quality.
• Provide technical input supporting submissions to regulatory bodies and governmental agencies.

Qualifications

Must Have - Minimum Requirements TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ROLE, PLEASE BE SURE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ARE EVIDENT ON YOUR RESUME

• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, or math and a minimum of 4 years of technical work experience OR a Master's degree with a minimum of 2 years technical work experience
• Nice to Have High level proficiency of technical principles, theories, and design concepts in the field of medical device design
• Experience with failure analysis and statistical techniques
• Nitinol material and stent processing experience a plus.
• Experience with textile and suture development and testing a plus.
• Experience in design verification and validation.
• Experience with design and process qualification.
• Demonstrated ability to lead others from a technical perspective while building a collaborative work environment.

About Medtronic

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 3 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. This position requires strong technical and leadership skills to support commercial product continuity and our global supply of products designed to treat diseases of the vascular system.

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.

Must Not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not Must not

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. 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):$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 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 pertain 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).

Benefits

• 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
• Simple Steps (global well-being program)

Additional Benefits

• 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)
• 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

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.

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.