We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 30 May 2025
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
Medtronic’s Cranial and Spinal Technologies (CST) Operating Unit is committed to transforming patient care through groundbreaking innovations in neurosurgery and spinal procedures. Our comprehensive portfolio includes spinal implants, robotics-assisted surgical solutions like the Mazor™ Robotic Guidance System, StealthStation™ surgical navigation, and biologics for bone healing, all designed to enhance surgical precision, efficiency, and patient outcomes. Beyond technology, we support surgeons through education, training, and clinical research, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to achieve the best possible results. By continuously driving innovation and collaboration, Medtronic is redefining cranial and spinal care, improving lives worldwide.
Join a diverse team of innovators who bring their worldview, their unique backgrounds and their individual life experiences to work every day. It’s no accident – we work hard to cultivate a workforce that reflects our patients and partners. We believe it’s the only way to drive healthcare forward and remain a global leader in medical technology and solutions.
Learn more about Cranial and Spinal Technologies here.
#Neuroscience
Careers That Change Lives
As a Senior R&D Engineer, you will develop life-saving medical device products for spine surgery. Key responsibilities include collaborating with a team to lead new product development; developing and designing implants, instruments, and systems; conducting product and use testing; and managing system interfaces. You will actively seek out Voice of the Customer (VOC) input and translate that into product requirements, design specifications, and physical prototypes. You will work under general direction and may serve as key functional core team member or as an engineer on an extended team. The product focus will be on Biologic Bone Grafts and their interactions with spinal implants and instrumentation to treat degenerative, deformity, and tumor/trauma conditions.
Responsibilities may include the following and other duties may be assigned:
Leads design and development of new medical devices or biologics from concept to market launch, ensuring alignment with timelines and quality standards.
Defines complex spinal systems, translating customer needs into system requirements and optimizing designs through testing and evaluation.
Provides technical leadership in risk management, system integration, issue resolution, and verification/validation activities.
Engages with customers, applies feedback, and supports product registration by interpreting and applying global standards.
Contributes to domain knowledge, mentors team members, supports post-market changes, and ensures compliance with quality systems.
Conducts in-depth literature reviews, field visits, and pre-clinical labs to inform clinical use and product development.
Collaborates with external suppliers and consultants to meet development goals and ensure timely project execution.
Documents engineering decisions, tradeoffs, and testing outcomes through clear reports and presentations.
Investigates existing technologies to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement.
Contributes novel ideas, inventions, and designs recognized as advancements in medical technology.
Location: Memphis, TN (Onsite)
Ability to travel up to: <10%
Must Have (Minimum Requirements)
To be considered for this role, please ensure the minimum requirements are evident on your resume.
Nice to Have (Preferred Qualifications)
MS or PhD in Engineering preferred, with a strong foundation in medical device design and development.
4+ years of engineering experience, including 2+ years in medical devices—ideally in spine, trauma, orthopedics, or biologics.
Proficient in engineering drawing standards, including GD&T, tolerance stacks, and manufacturing processes like machining and 3D printing.
Solid background in bone biology, bone grafting technologies, and clinical applications, with knowledge of spinal anatomy and surgical procedures.
Hands-on laboratory experience following safety protocols, handling chemicals, and using lab equipment appropriately.
Familiarity with biocompatibility standards, ISO, FDA regulations, and Quality System Requirements in a medical device environment.
Skilled in systems engineering methods: requirements development, analysis, traceability, verification, and validation.
Experience conducting research, design verification, and preclinical studies, including animal studies with histopathology.
Effective communicator and team player, with strong initiative and a track record of staying current with relevant technology trends.
Proven ability to lead concept development, manage product requirements, and create innovative system designs based on user needs.
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.
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):$104,000.00 - $156,000.00This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP).
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, andSimple Steps (global well-being program).
The following benefits and additional compensation are available to all regular employees: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), andCapital 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
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.
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.
If you are applying to perform work for Medtronic, Inc. (“Medtronic”) in any position which will involve performing at least two (2) hours of work on average each week within the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, you can find here a list of all material job duties of the specific job position which Medtronic reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. Medtronic 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.
