Staff AI/ML Software Engr, Navigation

Biopharma Careers; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 109,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Synthes division seeks a Staff AI/ML Software Engineer for the Navigation R&D team. Hybrid role based in Boston, MA or Warsaw, IN, to architect and lead AI/ML for next‑gen surgical navigation and planning systems.

You’ll collaborate across software, hardware, and regulatory partners to deliver safe, scalable AI/ML solutions with clinical impact, mentoring engineers and driving regulatory alignment.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Machine Learning, AI, CS, or related field.
• 8+ years in ML engineering with regulated environments.
• Strong Python, ML fundamentals, model training/validation.
• Experience with on-device and cloud ML (SageMaker/Azure).
• Ability to document AI/ML training and implementations.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI/ML development for surgical navigation systems.
• Collaborate with software, hardware, QA, regulatory teams.
• Build production AI/ML on-device and cloud systems.
• Mentor junior AI/ML engineers.
• Contribute to regulatory docs and V&V per IEC/ISO.
• Lead design/code reviews within Agile/Scrum.

Skills

Python

ML fundamentals

Supervised learning

Unsupervised learning

Model evaluation

SDLC in regulated env

Technical documentation

Communication

Leadership

Education

BS/MS in Machine Learning, AI, CS, CE

Tools

TensorFlow

Keras

PyTorch

scikit-learn

AWS SageMaker

Azure Studio

Polarion

JAMA

Job description

Job Function:

R&D Product Development

Job Sub Function:

R&D Software/Systems Engineering

Job Category:

Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:

• Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
• Warsaw, Indiana, United States of America

Job Description:

About Orthopaedics

Fueled 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 hiring for Staff AI/ML Software Engineer in a hybrid role to be based out of Warsaw, IN or Boston, MA.

Purpose:

As a Staff AI/ML Software Engineer in the Navigation R&D team, you will architect, plan and lead the AI/ML development and integration for next‑generation surgical navigation and planning systems. You’ll collaborate closely with a cross‑functional team of software, systems, hardware, firmware, quality, and regulatory partners to deliver safe, reliable, and scalable software that directly impacts patient outcomes.

Job Responsibilities:

• Be a key contributor in the evolution of DePuy Synthes’ AI/ML platform for flexible machine learning model training, fine‑tuning, transformation and evaluation use cases across various surgical navigation initiatives.
• Participate in product planning sessions to accurately define development timelines.
• Build production ready, on‑device and cloud‑based, AI/ML systems with real clinical impacts to our customers.
• Mentor junior AI/ML software engineers.
• Drive model improvements using the latest techniques and approaches for evaluation and tuning.
• Contribute to regulatory documentation, traceability, and V&V aligned with IEC 62304, ISO 14971, and related guidance; support submissions (e.g., FDA 510(k)) as needed.
• Collaborate in Agile/Scrum workflows, mentor junior engineers, and lead design/code reviews to sustain long‑term maintainability.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• BS/MS in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 8+ years of experience in machine learning engineering (or equivalent)
• Highly proficient in Python
• Strong AI/ML fundamentals – Strong grounding in supervised and unsupervised learning, model section, cross‑validation, and evaluation metrics
• Hands‑on experience developing machine learning models using various input data types (static images, point clouds, numerical data, textual data, etc.)
• Demonstratable experience and deep knowledge of ML frameworks such as Tensorflow, Keras, Pytorch, scikit‑learn, etc.
• Demonstratable expertise in ML model training/optimization, local/cloud (AWS Sagemaker, Azure Studio)
• Experience developing AI systems in regulated environments (e.g., SaMD), such as surgical, medical imaging, or healthcare‑related ML/AI applications, with attention to traceability, validation, and auditability.
• Excellent ability to author technical documentation for AI/ML training and implementations.
• Proficiency across the full SDLC in a regulated environment: requirements, design, implementation, testing, traceability, release, and maintenance.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and influence skills; ability to lead architecture and design reviews.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in applying multiple types of AI technologies to products beyond traditional Machine Learning (Agentic AI, Generative AI, LLMs) (Big plus)
• Experience with on‑device and cloud‑based AI/ML implementations.
• Experience with AI‑driven development and testing.
• Demonstratable experience with one or more object‑oriented programming languages.
• Experience with requirements, design documentation in tools like Polarion, JAMA, etc.

Johnson & Johnson announced plans to separate our Orthopaedics business to establish a standalone Orthopaedics company, operating as DePuy Synthes. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to legal requirements, including consultation with works councils and other employee representative bodies, as may be required, regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and approvals.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Johnson & Johnson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

For more information on how we support the whole health of our employees throughout their wellness, career, and life journey, please visit www.careers.jnj.com

Preferred Skills:

• Agility Jumps
• Analytical Reasoning
• Coaching
• Collaboration
• Critical Thinking
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
• Product Design
• Report Writing
• Requirements Analysis
• Research and Development
• SAP Product Lifecycle Management
• Scripting Languages
• Software Architectures
• Software Development Management
• Software Engineering Practices
• Software Quality Assurance (SQA)
• Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
• Technologically Savvy

The anticipated base pay range for this position is : $109,000.00 - $174,800.00

Additional Description for Pay Transparency:

Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).

This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long‑term incentive program.

Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off benefits:

• Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
• Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period10 days
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year

For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits