Principal Control & Automation Engineer

Principal Controls & Automation 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.

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 onsite 4 days a week as part of our commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth and cross-functional collaboration as we work together to engineer the extraordinary. The person in this role will work from the Medtronic facility located in Dexter, Michigan. This role will require 20% of travel to Grand Rapids, MI to enhance collaboration and ensure successful completion of projects.

The Principal Controls & Automation Engineer is a senior technical leader responsible for driving automation strategy and execution across the Dexter and Grand Rapids, Michigan manufacturing sites. This role focuses on PLC-based controls engineering, industrial automation systems, robotics integration, and equipment validation within a regulated manufacturing environment. The position will play a key role in transitioning manual processes to automated solutions, strengthening controls architecture standards, ensuring robust system validation, and representing Medtronic's technical and quality expectations with vendors and internal stakeholders.

We believe that when people from different cultures, genders, and points of view come together, innovation is the result —and everyone wins. Medtronic walks the walk, creating an inclusive culture where you can thrive. Our unwavering commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity (ID&E) means zero barriers to opportunity within Medtronic and a culture where all employees belong, are respected, and feel valued for who they are and the life experiences they contribute. We know equity starts beyond our workplace, and we must play a role in addressing systemic inequities in our communications to achieve long-term sustainable impact. Anchored in our Mission, we continue to drive ID&E forward both to enhance the well-being of Medtronic employees and to accelerate innovation that brings our lifesaving technologies to more people in more places around the world.

Bring your talents to an industry leader in medical technology and healthcare solutions – we're a market leader and growing every day. You can be proud to be a part of technologies that are rooted in our long history of mission-driven innovation. You will be empowered to shape your own career. We encourage and support your growth with the training, mentorship, and guidance you need to own your future success. Together, we can transform healthcare. Join us for a career that changes lives.

Responsibilities

• Lead automation initiatives from concept through design, FAT/SAT, validation, and production deployment.
• Architect, program, and maintain PLC-based automation systems using industry-standard controls platforms.
• Develop and standardize controls architectures for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Integrate industrial robots with PLC control systems, including communication protocols, safety interlocks, and motion coordination.
• Troubleshoot and optimize automation equipment to improve uptime, throughput, reliability, and product quality.
• Support equipment commissioning, system debugging, and start-up activities for new and modified automation systems.
• Execute equipment validation activities (IQ/OQ/PQ) and ensure automation systems meet regulatory and quality requirements.
• Collaborate with manufacturing engineering, quality, and operations teams to deploy scalable automation solutions.
• Provide technical oversight and hold vendors accountable for controls design, programming quality, and project execution.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual manufacturing processes and improve production efficiency.

Minimum Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience with a bachelor's degree or 5+ years of experience with an advanced degree

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong PLC programming and troubleshooting experience (ladder logic, structured text, or similar controls languages).
• Hands-on controls engineering experience in automated manufacturing environments.
• Experience integrating robotics and automated equipment within production lines.
• Background in equipment commissioning, controls debugging, and production support.
• Experience supporting validation and regulated manufacturing environments.
• Vendor coordination or technical leadership experience in automation projects.
• Automation development, equipment design, or deployment experience in medical device or comparable industries (automotive, aerospace, defense, etc.)

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.

Learn more about our business, mission, and our commitment to diversity here.

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