Principal Process Engineer - Automated Optical Inspection

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 7 Jul 2026 Careers that change lives start here. Medtronic is a global leader in healthcare technology with a Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Our 95,000 employees work across more than 150 countries to put patients first — developing innovative medical technologies that improve the lives of 72+ million patients each year. Your unique talents will help shape the future of healthcare while building a career grounded in purpose, growth, and impact. A Day in the Life 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 5 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 Principal Process Engineer will be responsible for the development, integration, and optimization of wafer scale Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) systems from concept through release to manufacturing at our Medtronic Tempe Campus. This role will lead the definition of inspection strategies, platforms, and validation methods to ensure robust, scalable, and cost-effective inspection solutions that enable high-yield wafer scale manufacturing. The Principal Process Engineer will drive system-level integration by deeply understanding interactions between wafer fabrication processes, inspection hardware, optics, illumination, algorithms, data systems, and manufacturing operations. They will lead risk identification, mitigation, and burn-down activities using Design for Reliability Manufacturing (DRM) and data-driven methodologies. This role will also be responsible for managing validation activities, including requirements flow-down, control and monitoring strategies, and ensuring compliance with quality system and regulatory requirements. Responsibilities may include the following and other duties may be assigned. Lead the innovation, development, and optimization of wafer scale AOI processes and systems for transfer to manufacturing operations Champion the use of Design for Reliability Manufacturing (DRM) and data-driven methods throughout AOI system development Define and integrate inspection strategies, process flows, and design rules aligned with wafer fabrication and product requirements Collaborate with process owners, product development teams, equipment suppliers, and manufacturing to define robust, scalable AOI solutions Own requirements flow-down from product and quality requirements to AOI system capabilities, including inspection sensitivity, defect classification, throughput, and false-call management Develop, implement, and disposition control and monitoring strategies to ensure inspection effectiveness and manufacturability Own and manage AOI-related process validation deliverables at the product and system level Lead risk assessments and risk burn-down activities associated with inspection coverage, detection limits, data integrity, and system reliability Provide input to product and process design based on inspection capability, integration risks, and cost-of-quality considerations Apply statistical methods and science-based decision making to design experiments, optimize inspection parameters, and implement improvements Implement and own inspection performance and yield monitoring systems, including defect density, trend analysis, and excursion detection during development Monitor, root-cause, and resolve inspection-related yield and escape issues during development and ramp Review product development requirements for compatibility with inspection methods, influencing cost, cycle time, and schedules Ensure alignment between product design, wafer processes, and AOI system capabilities Generate and maintain technical and quality documentation in compliance with quality system regulations Ensure AOI processes, data systems, and procedures comply with applicable regulatory and quality requirements Must Have: Minimum Qualifications Requires a Baccalaureate degree and minimum of 7 years of relevant experience OR Master's degree with a minimum of 5 years relevant experience OR PhD with 3 years relevant experience. Hands-on experience with Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) systems, including optics, illumination, image acquisition, defect detection, and classification Nice to Have Experience with Design for Reliability Manufacturing (DRM), Design for Six Sigma, or Lean Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt preferred) Strong knowledge of DOE, statistical analysis, and data analysis tools (e.g., Minitab, JMP, Python, SQL) Demonstrated system-level problem-solving skills in complex manufacturing or inspection environments Experience with wafer fab integration and wafer scale manufacturing Experience developing and deploying inspection systems from concept through manufacturing transfer Familiarity with high-volume manufacturing environments and production-scale inspection challenges Experience working with equipment vendors and cross-functional engineering teams Advanced degree in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline 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. ‌ Recruitment Fraud Alert We are aware of phishing scams targeting job seekers. Please keep the following in mind: Apply only through official Medtronic channels. All legitimate Medtronic recruiting communications come from approved Medtronic platforms and official @medtronic.com email addresses. Medtronic will never ask for payment or sensitive personal information (such as bank account or Social Security details) during early stages of the hiring process. Any such requests are not legitimate. If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Medtronic, do not respond, click links, or open attachments. If you have any questions, concerns regarding the authenticity of a communication alleged to have been made by or on behalf of Medtronic, please contact us immediately at View email address on click.appcast.io. ‌ 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):$128,800.00 - $193,200.00 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. 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. We change lives. Each team member, each day, helps to improve and redefine how the world treats the most pressing health conditions, from heart disease to diabetes. Our industry leadership comes from the passion and ingenuity of our people. That’s who we are. Working alongside one another, we use science, medicine, and a profound understanding of the human body to build extraordinary technologies that can transform lives. We build extraordinary solutions as one team. With one Medtronic Mindset defining how we work. Speed and decisiveness run through our DNA. Diverse perspectives inspire our bold answers to any challenge that comes our way. And we deliver results the right way, breakthrough after patient breakthrough. This life-changing career is yours to engineer. By bringing your ambitious ideas, unique perspective and contributions, you will… Build a better future, amplifying your impact on the causes that matter to you and the world Grow a career reflective of your passion and abilities Connect to a dynamic and inclusive culture that welcomes the challenge of life-long learning These commitments set our team apart from the rest: Experiences that put people first. Respect for people is the hallmark of our humanity. It fuels our team to positively impact even a single life. And it means we put our people first at Medtronic as well, creating a culture of belonging and always pushing to get you the career-building resources you need. Life-transforming technologies. No matter your role, you contribute to technologies that transform lives. What we build empowers patients to live life on their terms. Better outcomes for our world. Here, it’s about more than the bottom line. Our Mission to improve human welfare drives us. We advance healthcare, society, and equity with every design, inside and outside our walls. Insight-driven care. Fresh viewpoints. Cutting-edge AI, data, and automation. You're shaping the future of healthcare technology and defining the next generation of breakthroughs in care 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. For sales reps and other patient facing field employees, going into a healthcare setting is considered an essential function of the job and we expect our employees to comply with all credentialing requirements at the hospitals or clinics they support. This employer participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here. For updates on job applications, please go to the candidate login page and sign in to check your application status. If you need assistance completing your application please email View email address on click.appcast.io To request removal of your personal information from our systems please email View email address on click.appcast.io