Materials Engineer I_Neuro/Metal

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.

A Day in the Life

Neuromodulation & Pelvic Health | Materials Engineer I

Medtronic's Neuromodulation and Pelvic Health Operating Unit develops life-changing therapies for patients living with chronic pain, movement disorders, and pelvic health conditions. Our implantable neurostimulation systems, drug delivery devices, and sacral neuromodulation therapies are designed to restore function and improve quality of life for millions of patients worldwide. This team sits at the intersection of advanced materials science and cutting-edge medical device innovation.

Onsite At Medtronic, we bring bold ideas forward with speed and decisiveness to put patients first in everything we do. We're working onsite 4 days a week to drive performance, foster an environment of belonging, and collaborate to inspire as we engineer the extraordinary.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities may include the following and other duties may be assigned.

• Analyzes, researches, designs and develops materials and their related fabrication and application processes to develop and optimize materials for use in engineering design of and/or application in structures, systems and subsystems.
• Applies principles of chemistry, physics, and material behavior to develop metallic, non-metallic and composite material and processing specifications, fabrication and assembly processes.
• Develops, analyzes and applies material properties and design allowables, processing processes and quality engineering specifications.
• Material analyses may include failure analysis of components, systems and subsystems, life predictions, and definition and requirement specifications.
• May review and approve subcontractor material processing procedures.
• Demonstrate expertise in material characterization, failure analysis, and materials degradation using advanced metallography, light optical microscopy, SEM/EDS, Microprobe/WDS, EBSD, XRD, XRF, DSC, and fractography.
• Interpretation of materials processed through complex thermomechanical and manufacturing pathways and material qualification programs.
• Characterization of advanced alloy systems including stainless steels, PtIr systems, medical Co-Cr-Mo alloys, precipitation hardenable grades, and controlled-thermal-expansion electronic packaging alloys.
• Hands-on experience with integrated alloy design and development including computational thermodynamic tools, experimental melting, forging, heat treatment, and microstructural/mechanical validation.
• Development of metallographic preparation techniques including electrolytic etching (controlled current density, electrolyte chemistry, polarization behavior) and phase-selective etchant formulation for complex alloy systems.
• Serial metallography and defect reconstruction techniques for characterization of ultrasonic testing indications and subsurface features.
• Experience applying computational thermodynamic modeling tools including Thermo-Calc and/or JMatPro to evaluate phase stability, precipitation behavior, and alloy chemistry optimization for material/process improvement.
• Mechanical testing methods including hardness testing (micro and macro), tensile testing, Charpy impact (ambient and cryogenic), creep/stress rupture, fatigue, and fracture toughness testing.
• Corrosion testing methodologies including salt spray, humidity exposure, KorroPad testing to evaluate passive film stability and corrosion resistance.
• Experience supporting process variation reduction, stability analysis, and defect cost modeling using Excel and Python-based data analysis.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and relevant industry standards.

Differentiating Factors

• Autonomy: Works independently with general supervision on larger, moderately complex projects and assignments. Collaborates with experienced materials and manufacturing professionals to develop and apply understanding of implantable device materials, alloy systems, and fabrication processes. Possesses strong detail orientation and organizational skills essential for managing material qualification programs and defect investigations.
• Technical Skills: Proficient in advanced materials characterization techniques including metallography, SEM/EDS, XRD, XRF, EBSD, and fractography. Demonstrated working knowledge of metallic alloy systems relevant to implantable medical devices including stainless steels, Co-Cr-Mo alloys, and PtIr systems. Familiarity with computational thermodynamic modeling tools such as Thermo-Calc and JMatPro. Working knowledge of regulatory requirements and industry standards applicable to implantable neuromodulation and pelvic health devices.
• Innovation and Complexity: Problem-solving mindset with ability to interpret complex material behaviors resulting from thermomechanical processing pathways. Capable of identifying root causes in failure analysis investigations and recommending material or process enhancements to improve device performance and reliability.
• Communication and Influence: Communicates primarily with internal contacts across a matrixed organization including R&D, manufacturing, and quality teams. Shares findings, material characterization data, and failure analysis results clearly through strong written and verbal communication skills to inform design and process decisions.
• Organizational Impact: Sets objectives for own job area to meet project and program goals. Develops cross-functional relationships to support materials qualification, failure analysis, and process improvement assignments within the Neuromodulation and Pelvic Health OU.
• Leadership and Talent Management: May provide guidance to entry-level professionals or support staff on materials testing methods, metallographic preparation techniques, and laboratory best practices.
• Lab Skills: Cross sectioning, metallography, tensile testing (e.g. Instron or MTS), optical microscopy, SEM, DMA, FTIR, DSC, XRF, TGA, XPS, rheometry, GPC, electrochemical and corrosion characterization (EIS, cyclic voltammetry, potentiodynamic polarization, electrodeposition).

Minimum Requirements

• Requires a Material Science, Material Engineering, Chemical Engineering with Materials, or Equivalent Baccalaureate degree and minimum of 2 years of relevant experience OR a Master's degree with a minimum of 0 years relevant experience.

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.
 

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.

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.