Principal Packaging Engineer

A Day in the Life

Help engineer packaging solutions that protect patients and power surgical care worldwide. In this role, you'll lead the research, development, and design of advanced packaging systems for new and existing medical devices, with a primary focus on steam sterilization cases and trays. Your work will directly support life saving technologies by ensuring packaging solutions that are robust, compliant, efficient, and intuitive for end users in the operating room. You'll serve as a packaging subject matter expert, influencing decisions from early concept through manufacturing scale up, while partnering closely with teams across R&D, Operations, Quality/Regulatory, Labeling, Tooling/Automation, Sourcing, Marketing, and surgical end users. Together, you'll deliver innovative, best in class packaging solutions aligned with Medtronic's strategic goals. You'll also play a key role in advancing global packaging excellence, driving long term manufacturing efficiency, quality, and regulatory compliance across multiple sites. While this role is primarily focused on steam sterilization sets (cases and trays), it may also include opportunities to contribute to sterile and non sterile packaging development, offering variety and technical breadth. At Medtronic, we bring bold ideas forward with speed and decisiveness to put patients first in everything we do. In-person exchanges are invaluable to our work. We're working a minimum of 4 days a week onsite as part of our commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth and cross-functional collaboration as we work together to engineer the extraordinary.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and testing of packaging systems and containers used to protect, handle, and present medical devices
• Define packaging specifications based on product needs, cost, regulatory requirements, and environmental risks such as moisture, temperature, corrosion, handling, and tampering
• Design package exteriors with consideration for usability, identification, aesthetics, printing, and manufacturability
• Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, Quality/Regulatory, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Marketing, and surgical staff to capture functional requirements and real-world workflows
• Apply working knowledge of FDA, OUS regulations, ISO, and ASTM standards related to medical device packaging and labeling
• Manage or contribute to GMP documentation, Design History Files (DHFs), and change control activities
• Support prototype builds and production line development in manufacturing facilities as needed

Must Haves

• Bachelor's Degree and 7+ years of Packaging Engineering experience OR Master's Degree and 5+ years of experience OR PhD and 3+ years of experience
• Experience with and passion for Cases and Trays designed for Steam Sterilization

• Demonstrated mastery of core engineering principles and high-level CAD skills

Nice to Have

• Degree in Packaging Science, Mechanical Engineering, or Biomedical Engineering
• Experience working in medical device or pharmaceutical industry

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.

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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): $124,000.00 - $186,000.00 This 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

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.