Principal Sourcing Engineer

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.

About the role

Join our Global Supplier Optimization team as a Principal Sourcing Engineer, where you utilize your strong track record of delivering results in a matrixed organization. Collaboration with diverse individuals, teams, and skill sets is essential for success. In this role, you will lead, direct, plan, and execute cross-functional projects, focusing on driving strategic decisions, managing business risks, applying technical rigor, and ensuring effective communication. You will lead the execution of supplier transfer projects on schedule and within budget while enhancing supplier capabilities and driving operational excellence.

In this critical role, you will implement comprehensive operational strategies to achieve process capability through Six Sigma methodologies, collaborating with our suppliers to ensure value stream stability, optimize lead times, and eliminate waste. Additionally, you will lead supplier optimization initiatives, driving robust supply chain resilience, cost reduction, and continuous quality improvement.

In-person exchanges are invaluable to our work. We’re working a minimum of 4 days a week onsite as part of our commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth and cross-functional collaboration. This position will be onsite, based at a Medtronic site in: Danvers, MA; Mounds View, MN (Twin Cities Campus); Boulder, CO (Colorado Campus); or Irvine, CA.

Responsibilities

• Manage one or more developed or mature supplier transfer projects with well-defined plans and delivery methodologies. Accountable for overall project progress, performance, and customer satisfaction.
• Lead cross-functional teams including design, operations, category management, contract manufacturers/OEM, supplier quality, to ensure successful completion of projects and business goals.
• Develop, communicate, and document transfer project strategies and plans including budget, detailed schedule creation/maintenance, KPIs. Provides input to establishing program objectives, timelines, milestones and budgets.
• Ensure projects remain aligned with the project plan by addressing any resource conflicts and addressing problems as they emerge. Facilitate project team meetings; prepare agenda, facilitate discussion during meeting, take and distribute meeting minutes.
• Track spending associated to project. Provide monthly forecasts on upcoming spending. Forecast resource and skill set needs for the project and participate in resourcing discussions/negotiation.
• Demonstrated business acumen and successful experience managing all aspects of programs, including communicating with stakeholders and directing matrixed teams and resources.
• Product/Process technical expertise include reviewing and ensuring adequacy of supplier part Qualifications activities (i.e. Validation including IQ, OQ, PQ activities).
• Proficient in structured problem-solving techniques.
• Execute and support phase in – phase out (PIPO) planning for assigned transfer projects.
• Conduct supplier design reviews to identify and mitigate test coverage gaps and address quality and manufacturability defect points.
• Establish a measurement and reporting framework to review and report project progress with key stakeholders and management teams.
• Use appropriate project management tools, communicate plans and risk management techniques to create rigor in project planning and execution.

Requirements

Must Have: Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in plastics processing and supplier qualification, OR
• Master’s degree with a minimum of 5 years relevant experience in plastics processing and supplier qualification, OR
• PhD with 3 years relevant experience in plastics processing and supplier qualification.
• 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.

Nice to Have

• Extensive experience leading projects/programs including financial accountability; strong preference for PMP certification.
• Prior experience managing site-to-site transfer projects in a manufacturing environment.
• Effective planning and organization skills including the proven ability to work against multiple objectives simultaneously.
• Excellent knowledge of systems including PowerPoint, MS Project.
• Ability to establish and maintain a trusted role with various stakeholders in coordinating multiple functions across the organization.
• Supplier Quality experience.
• Injection Molding knowledge.
• Working knowledge of Extrusions.

Benefits

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, and 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.

• 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
• Simple Steps (global well-being program)
• Incentive plans (Medtronic Incentive Plan - MIP)
• 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)
• Capital Accumulation Plan (available to Vice Presidents and above, or subject to IRS earning minimums)

Pay

Salary ranges for U.S. (excluding PR) locations (USD): $131,200.00 - $196,800.00. 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. Base pay is based on numerous factors and may vary by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Schedule

This is an onsite position requiring a minimum of 4 days a week in the office to foster professional growth and cross-functional collaboration.