Senior R&D Materials Engineer - Interventional Neuromodulation

Job description

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 28 Oct 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 LifeMedtronic Neuromodulation has pioneered life-changing therapies for 50 years, helping patients with movement disorders and chronic pain. From spinal cord stimulation and deep brain stimulation to implantable drug delivery systems, we continue to advance technologies that restore patient freedom. Our vision is to become the undisputed world leader in Neuromodulation, improving patient lives through innovative solutions. The Senior Materials R&D Engineer will provide materials expertise within the Galway Interventional R&D team, with technical ownership of the bone cement materials portfolio. Collaborating with global colleagues, suppliers and partners to develop and optimise medical device materials and processes. The role spans early investigation through verification, validation and commercialisation, alongside support for existing products. You will guide materials selection, characterisation and testing, resolve complex technical challenges and mentor colleagues to deliver safe, reliable products that support our vision. Expertise in bone cement formulation, processing and performance evaluation would be an advantage. Come for a job, stay for a career!Within Medtronic’s Neuromodulation R&D organisation, you will work with teams developing and testing products for the Pain Interventions business. The team develops innovative, minimally invasive therapies for musculoskeletal conditions, including vertebral compression fractures, nerve pain, and metastatic and benign bone tumours. The role may be based in Galway, Ireland or Minneapolis, Minnesota, and will work with colleagues across sites. As a Senior Materials R&D Engineer, you will provide materials science and engineering expertise to new product development and released product reliability teams. Your work will include materials selection and problem-solving, with a focus on areas such as balloon catheter design, bone cement optimisation and polymer component design. You will contribute technical leadership in materials processing, characterisation and analysis, and help teams understand how material properties and processing affect product performance. You will also support material stability, biocompatibility and biostability assessments; identify and help mitigate product-related risks; and communicate technical issues, resource gaps and recommendations to project and functional leaders. Working with cross-functional teams, you will help shape product strategies, identify technologies and initiatives needed to develop innovative, reliable and cost-effective therapies, and develop and execute plans to address those needs. You will also contribute to intellectual property generation: Contribute to the development of products used in medical procedures, aligned with business needs and patient requirements. Address complex materials challenges across early-phase product development projects, using sound engineering judgement and materials science expertise. Apply materials science principles to develop and evaluate polymer and composite material solutions, including associated manufacturing, fabrication and assembly processes. Provide materials expertise to new product development teams and support sustaining engineering activities for commercial products. Take technical ownership of the bone cement materials portfolio, supporting development, material characterisation, performance evaluation and sustaining activities. Previous bone cement expertise would be an advantage Lead the development of product and process requirements, with particular focus on material specifications. Establish effective, reliable and cost-conscious material processing methods for manufacturing. Provide technical support for clinical programmes, field-related activities and complaint investigations. Lead design and technical reviews with cross-functional partners, suppliers and other stakeholders. Develop strategies and evaluation plans to address gaps in materials, design and processes, balancing timelines, cost, technical requirements, patient safety and product reliability. Participate in sourcing, testing and approval of materials. Set technical expectations for supplier and vendor deliverables, review their work and provide direction as needed. Provide day-to-day technical direction, coaching and mentorship to junior engineers and technicians. Key Skills & Experience  Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, with at least seven years of relevant experience; or a master’s degree with at least 4 years of relevant experience; or a PhD with at least 2 years of relevant experience Developing, analysing or specifying materials and related processing or fabrication methods Material characterisation, laboratory testing, test method development and interpretation of technical data. Knowledge of material properties, design requirements, processing controls and quality specifications Medical device development or another regulated industry is preferred. Polymers, biomaterials, bone cement or other materials used in implantable or interventional devices is an advantage. Familiarity with design controls, risk management, material equivalency, failure analysis or supplier process reviews is beneficial. Knowledge of design of experiments, statistical methods, Six Sigma or design for manufacture. Ability to work independently on complex technical problems, manage project deliverables and influence decisions through clear technical communication. Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work across functions, sites and organisational boundaries. Medtronic offer a competitive salary and flexible Benefits Package 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. 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. 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 rol