Director Systems Engineering

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

The Endoscopy Operating Unit develops technologies, services, and solutions that support the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal conditions worldwide. Within this organization, the Esophageal portfolio focuses on advancing products and therapies that address unmet clinical needs while supporting business growth, global commercialization, and long-term portfolio strategy.
This position is part of the Endoscopy R&D leadership team and provides franchise-level leadership across a portfolio of product development programs, partnering closely with Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, Clinical, Operations, and commercial teams to deliver business and patient outcomes.

This is an onsite position and may be located in Lafayette, Colorado or Mounds View, Minnesota. Travel is required to support business, customer, and leadership engagements.

As Director, Systems Engineering, you will lead the Systems Engineering and Human Factors Engineering function supporting the development of complex medical technologies. This role is responsible for functional strategy, organizational development, technical leadership, and execution across a portfolio of product development programs. You will partner with cross-functional leaders to establish engineering practices, develop talent, and ensure system-level design excellence throughout the product lifecycle.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the Systems Engineering and Human Factors Engineering organization, including strategy, execution, workforce planning, and talent development.
• Functional Excellence: Drive systems engineering processes, design practices, tools, methodologies, and organizational capabilities that support product development success.
• Functional Excellence: Lead cross-functional teams to make timely technical decisions and recommendations that support major organizational objectives.
• Talent Development: Provide direct leadership, coaching, mentoring, and professional development for Systems Engineering and Human Factors Engineering team members while building organizational capability and succession plans.
• Program Execution: Oversee system-level engineering activities across the product development lifecycle, including requirements development, architecture definition, risk management, design integration, verification, and validation.
• Program Execution: Partner with functional and program leaders to evaluate technical solutions, resolve complex challenges, and align development efforts with customer, business, and regulatory requirements.
• Strategic Planning: Champion adoption of model-based systems engineering and other innovative approaches that improve development efficiency, product quality, and organizational effectiveness.
• Strategic Planning: Align organizational capabilities, talent strategies, and long-range planning with future research and development portfolio needs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of experience leading cross-functional project teams and 7+ years of people leadership experience OR advanced degree with 8+ years of experience leading cross-functional project teams and 7+ years of people leadership experience.
• Experience leading Systems Engineering, Human Factors Engineering, or product development teams within a regulated industry.
• Experience developing and executing functional strategies, organizational plans, and talent development initiatives.
• Experience influencing decisions across a matrixed organization and leading multiple concurrent programs or initiatives.
• Experience with medical product development processes, design controls, and regulatory requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Medical device industry experience in new product development, quality systems, clinical research, regulatory affairs, or Design Reliability and Manufacturability (DRM).
• Advanced degree in Engineering, Human Factors, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience implementing model-based systems engineering tools, processes, or methodologies.
• Knowledge of U.S. Food and Drug Administration and global medical device regulations.
• Experience leading engineering organizations supporting electromechanical, embedded software-enabled, or capital equipment products.

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 [email protected]. 

‌

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):$198,400.00 - $297,600.00

‌

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, andSimple 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), andCapital 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.