Principal Software Engineer - 3D Visualization (OpenGL)

Principal Software Engineer - 3D Visualization (OpenGL)

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.

As a Principal Software Engineer - 3D Visualization (OpenGL) you will set the technical direction for real-time 3D visualization on the Prism Mapping platform - the rendering architecture behind every map clinicians work with. You'll lead architecture for the rendering pipeline (OpenGL, VTK, Qt/QML integration, GPU resource management, real-time performance), shape the long-term direction for how visualization scales to new clinical modalities and new hardware, and partner closely with UI/UX leaders, signals and algorithms leaders, and product to define what's possible. You'll mentor senior engineers across the visualization space, drive root cause on the hardest rendering and performance problems, and raise the bar for visual fidelity, latency, and reliability in a medical device.

About the Affera Prism Mapping System

The Affera Prism Mapping System is an advanced electrophysiology mapping platform used by physicians to diagnose and guide the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. It captures and processes signals from inside the beating heart, builds detailed real-time three-dimensional maps of cardiac anatomy and electrical activity, and presents that information to clinicians and mapping specialists during live procedures. Engineers on this team build the software that makes that possible — from the runtime and data pipelines that move signals in milliseconds, to the algorithms that turn raw signals into clinically meaningful information, to the visualization and UI surfaces clinicians rely on in the lab.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead architecture for the Prism Mapping 3D visualization stack — OpenGL/VTK pipeline, Qt/QML integration, GPU resource management, and real-time performance strategy.
• Define multi-release direction for visualization: new clinical modalities, new rendering capabilities, evolving GPU/driver landscape, and future hardware.
• Set the engineering bar for rendered output on visual fidelity, latency, determinism, and testability.
• Lead the design and delivery of major subsystems, cross-cutting architecture, or large technical initiatives.
• Exercise broad technical judgment in defining approaches to complex system and architectural problems with limited oversight.
• Drive technical alignment across software, systems, quality, product, and other cross-functional teams.
• Establish and promote software design patterns, engineering standards, and development best practices.
• Provide technical leadership across teams through mentoring, design reviews, and guidance on critical engineering decisions.
• Identify and drive improvements in architecture, development processes, and system design.
• Shape the technical roadmap and architectural direction for major subsystems or product capabilities.
• Communicate complex technical tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations to stakeholders across functions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience
• OR Master's degree with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience
• OR PhD with 3 years relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep expertise architecting real-time 3D visualization systems in OpenGL, WebGL, Vulkan, DirectX, or comparable rendering APIs, integrated with VTK and Qt/QML.
• Strong understanding of GPU pipelines, shader architecture, and rendering performance under real hardware constraints.
• Track record of shaping visualization architecture for complex technical or clinical products across multiple releases.
• Deep expertise in Python and C++ and in software architecture for complex, multi- component systems.
• Proven experience delivering complex, real-time, device-integrated, or networked systems.
• Experience leading large, complex, cross-functional technical initiatives.
• Experience defining architecture, standards, or technical direction across multiple components or teams.
• Experience solving ambiguous, high-impact technical problems spanning multiple domains or subsystems.
• Experience influencing technical decisions beyond immediate team boundaries.
• Experience in regulated environments preferred.
• Advances how the team uses AI tools — introduces new approaches that raise team productivity and quality.

AfferaSWFY27 #LI-MDT

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.

Join us in our mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life—where your unique background and perspective are valued.

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):$152,800.00 - $229,200.00This 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 pertains 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).

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), and 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

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.

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