Principal Process Development Engineer- Laser

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 6 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 LifeAt 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. This Principal Process Development Engineer will be responsible for the development of laser based processes through release to manufacturing. The Engineer will lead process development and process improvement projects in laser joining and laser cutting of metal and glass materials. Process development work scope may span across multiple process areas with a primary focus in laser equipment. They will coordinate risk burn down and problem-solving experiments by utilizing DRM/DFSS (Design and Reliability for Manufacturing / Design For Six Sigma) and data driven methods. They will also be responsible for managing the validation activities for the development work including requirements flow down, effective control and monitoring strategies and ensuring compliance to regulations and safety for our patients. Responsibilities may include the following and other duties may be assigned. Lead the innovation, development and/or optimization of new manufacturing concepts, processes and procedures for transfer to manufacturing operations. Champion the use of Design for Reliability and Manufacturing (DRM) and data driven methods through process development Work with process owners and product development teams to define robust process flows for new products Work with technology development to understand new process technologies for research and development towards release to manufacturing operations. Own requirements flow down from product design to process development, including working with process owners to disposition inputs / outputs to deliver efficient, cost effective and robust control and monitor strategies Own equipment scouting, down selection, qualification and characterization. Own process characterization and process validation activities to ensure maturity and stability of processes when released to manufacturing. Own the interfaces and interactions between processes and determine product integration risks Lead risk assessments and risk burn down activities for process interfaces and interactions Provide input into product and process design based on an understanding of the integration risks Applies statistical methods and science-based decisions to design experiments and implement improvements Coordinate and/or perform necessary experiments and product builds to establish robust processes Implement and own yield monitoring systems and procedures for equipment and processes developed Monitor, root cause and resolve process yield issues during product and process development Lead the identification and implementation of corrective actions for yield issues in collaboration with process owners and product engineers Reviews product development requirements for compatibility with processing methods to determine costs and schedules Interacts with product design and development personnel to ensure that processes and designs are compatible Generates and maintains documentation per quality system regulations Ensures processes and procedures are in compliance with regulations Required Knowledge and Experience: Bachelor's degree plus a minimum of 7 years relevant hands-on experience with laser systems and optical components or advanced degree plus a minimum of 5 years relevant experience with laser systems and optical components OR PhD with 3 years relevant experience. Preferred Experience (Nice to Have):Experience in laser applications, including laser selection, optics package selection and ideally in joining, cutting, and marking Experience with G-code or other programming languages to support laser system recipe development Experience with DRM / Design for Six Sigma, Lean Sigma, or Green/Black Belt Lean Sigma certification Knowledge of DOE, statistical analysis methods and data analysis tools (Minitab, JMP, etc.)Strong problem-solving skills Experience with wafer fabrication processes Experience in developing a process from concept to transfer in manufacturing and/or experienceworking in a high-volume manufacturing environment Advanced degree in Physics, Optics, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or similar 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.