Sr Manager R&D Mechanical Engineering

Johnson Johnson; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson is seeking a Sr Manager R&D Mechanical Engineering based in Boston, MA (hybrid with occasional in-person collaboration in Grenoble) to lead a global team developing orthopedic robotics systems. You will own mechanical architecture, DFx, prototyping, and verification while coordinating with systems, software, electronics, clinical, quality, and regulatory functions.

You will drive design reviews, ensure regulatory compliance, and partner with supply chain to transfer designs to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, Biomedical Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.
• Experience designing electromechanical systems (actuators, gear trains, bearings, transmissions).
• Strong CAD experience (SolidWorks, Creo) and GD&T.
• Track record of taking products from concept through verification and transfer to manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow a global mechanical R&D team; drive hiring and career development.
• Define mechanical system and sub-system architecture for robotic platforms.
• Translate clinical and product requirements into detailed mechanical designs and DFx.
• Deliver prototypes and production-ready designs within program budgets and schedules.
• Establish verification & validation plans and support testing programs.
• Ensure designs meet medical device quality and regulatory expectations (ISO 13485, FDA 21 CFR 820).
• Collaborate with supply chain and manufacturing to qualify suppliers and transfer designs to operations.
• Lead cross-functional design reviews and manage risks.

Skills

People leadership

CAD

GD&T

System architecture

Cross-functional influence

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical Engineering/Mechatronics/Robotics

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

Job description

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 jnj.com

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function: R&D Product Development

Job Sub Function: R&D Mechanical Engineering

Job Category: People Leader

All Job Posting Locations: Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America

Job Description:

About OrthopaedicsFueled by innovation at the intersection of biology and technology, we're developing the next generation of smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments.Are you passionate about improving and expanding the possibilities of Orthopaedics? Ready to join a team that's reimagining how we heal? Our Orthopaedics teams help keep more than 6 million people moving each year while delivering clinical and economic value to surgeons and healthcare systems. Our teams build solutions for joint reconstruction; trauma and craniomaxillofacial; sports, extremities, and elective foot and ankle; spine; and robotics and digital surgery.Your unique talents will help patients on their journey to wellness. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/medtech

We are searching for Sr Manager R&D Mechanical Engineering to be based out of Boston, Massachusetts, USA or Grenoble, France with in office expectations of a minimum of 3 days per week.

Purpose:

Lead and grow a high-performing mechanical engineering team to develop current products and next-generation orthopedic robotic systems for the Joints robotics group. You will own mechanical architecture, design-for-manufacturability, prototype delivery, and some mechanical verification/validation while partnering closely with systems, software, electronics, clinical, quality, and regulatory functions to bring safe, effective robotic products from concept to production.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and grow a global mechanical R&D team. Drive hiring, performance management, and career development. team currently split between USA and France.
• Define mechanical system and sub-system architecture for robotic platforms.
• Translate clinical and product requirements into detailed mechanical designs, specifications, DFx, and engineering change controls.
• The role includes some hands-on part in parallel to people leadership.
• Deliver prototypes and production-ready designs on program schedule and budget; manage trade-offs between performance, cost, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Establish and drive robust verification & validation plans (unit, subsystem, system testing) and support clinical and bench testing programs.
• Ensure design outputs meet medical device quality and regulatory expectations (risk management, FMEA, design history file requirements, ISO 13485, FDA 21 CFR 820 familiarity).
• Partner with supply chain and manufacturing to qualify suppliers, support DFM/DFM reviews, ramp to production, and transfer designs to operations.
• Lead cross-functional design reviews and provide clear technical decision-making; elevate and mitigate technical and schedule risks.
• Manage project budgets, resource planning, and deliverable tracking for assigned programs.

Qualifications:

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, Biomedical Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience (managing engineers/teams).
• Demonstrated experience designing electromechanical systems: actuators, gear trains, bearings, transmissions, mechanisms, and precision assemblies.
• Strong hands-on experience with CAD (SolidWorks, Creo or equivalent), GD&T, tolerance analysis, and rapid prototyping techniques.
• Track record of taking products from concept through verification and transfer to manufacturing.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to influence cross-functional and executive stakeholders.

Preferred qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on mechanical design experience, with minimum 5 years in medical device or robotics product development.
• Direct experience in surgical robotics, orthopaedics, or other implantable medical systems.
• Solid understanding of medical device design controls, risk management (FMEA), and verification/validation processes.
• Familiarity with actuators (electric, harmonic drives, motors), position/safety sensors, cable-driven systems, and sterile field considerations.
• Experience