Principal R&D Engineer

At Medtronic you can begin a life-long career of exploration and innovation, while helping champion healthcare access and equity for all.
You'll lead with purpose, breaking down barriers to innovation in a more connected, compassionate world.
A Day in the Life At our Medtronic, plc, R&D (Research & Development) Department in Galway, Ireland, we develop cutting-edge medical devices across Cardiac Ablation Solutions, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Coronary & Renal Denervation, Structural Heart & Aortic, Peripheral Vascular Health and Neuromodulation.
Our engineers are at the forefront of innovation, shaping technologies that transform patient care.
Come for a job, stay for a career
A Day in The Life Of: There is an exciting opportunity for a Principal R&D Engineer with a strong track record in the medical device industry and deep expertise in Biomedical or Mechanical Engineering to join our Structural Heart & Aortic operating unit.
This role demands a deep, fundamental understanding of mechanical principles and their application to medical device development.
The ideal candidate will be a proactive technical leader, capable of identifying and mitigating technical risk across all phases of product development, from concept through to commercialization.
This is a highly collaborative role, requiring strong cross-functional engagement and the ability to influence and align diverse teams around technical strategy and execution.
Lead the design, development, and troubleshooting of catheter-based and other mechanical systems for medical devices.
Apply core mechanical engineering principles to solve complex problems and guide design decisions.
Translate physician insights into robust product requirements and innovative design concepts.
Drive technical innovation and provide strategic direction across the department.
Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks early and throughout the development lifecycle.
Advance projects from early-stage research through to commercial launch, owning technical execution.
Integrate knowledge of anatomy, physiology, materials science, and mechanical behaviour to develop high-performance solutions.
Design and execute studies to answer key engineering and life science questions.
Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and global suppliers and internal stakeholders to accelerate development and resolve challenges.
Foster a culture of open communication, shared learning, and mutual accountability within project teams.
Resolve technical challenges in existing designs with creativity and rigor.
Contribute to intellectual property generation and protection.
Mentor and coach junior engineers, fostering technical excellence and team growth.
Engage in cross-site technical forums and build a strong internal and external technical network.
Key Skills & Experience Level 8 Engineering degree (in biomedical or mechanical engineering or equivalent) with 7+ years of relevant experience, or PhD with 5+ years of experience Proven expertise in mechanical engineering fundamentals, with a strong track record of device design Demonstrated ability to proactively manage and reduce technical risk through deep mechanical insight.
Experience in medical device product development, including catheter-based technology preferred but not essential.
History of design ownership including component/system design, CAD, material selection (polymers and metals), development of product design and performance specifications, sterilization and test method development Strong understanding of design for six sigma, ISO standards, and design control processes.
Passion for engineering-driven by curiosity and a desire to understand how and why things work.
Collaborative mindset with a track record of working effectively in high-performing, multidisciplinary teams.
Influential technical leader with a track record of driving large-scale technical initiatives.
Medtronic offer a competitive salary and flexible Benefits Package #IJA 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.
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.
This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP).
About Medtronic 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.
Learn more about our business, mission, and our commitment to diversity here To be considered for this role you will be redirected to and must complete the application process on our careers page.
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