Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer - Irvine, CA

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in ...

Job description

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function
Supply Chain Engineering

Job Sub Function
Mechanical Engineering

Job Category
Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:
Irvine, California, United States of America

Job Description
Our J&J MedTech Electrophysiology Engineering team is currently recruiting for a
Sr. Principal Mechanical Engineer
. The position is located in Irvine, California. This position will report on-site 5 days a week.

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at

Fueled by innovation at the intersection of biology and technology, we're developing the next generation of smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments.

Are you passionate about improving and expanding the possibilities of Cardiovascular? Ready to join a team that's reimagining how we heal? Our Cardiovascular team develops leading solutions for heart recovery, electrophysiology, and stroke. You will join a proud heritage of continually elevating standards of care for stroke, heart failure and atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients.

Your unique talents will help patients on their journey to wellness. Learn more at

Job Summary
The Senior Principal Engineer role is pivotal in establishing the
Haifa Tech Incubator (HTI)
as a leader in disruptive catheter innovations. The Senior Principal Engineer will drive the incubation of early-stage ideas into high-impact, clinically relevant devices that redefine electrophysiology care. The Senior Principal Engineer leadership will accelerate the transfer of breakthrough technologies from concept to clinical application, ultimately improving patient outcomes and expanding market leadership.

As a
Senior Principal Engineer
within our
HTI
, this role will be a key driver of pioneering innovation in catheter development—focused on creating groundbreaking solutions that have the potential to revolutionize electrophysiology and cardiac care. This role is uniquely positioned at the intersection of scientific discovery, technological incubation, and strategic market disruption.

The Senior Principal Engineer is expected to lead early-stage projects, transforming visionary ideas into tangible prototypes and scalable devices, leveraging advanced materials, miniaturization, and novel navigation technologies.

This position offers the opportunity to shape the future of medical devices by incubating high-risk, high-reward innovations that align with our long-term strategic goals of market leadership and patient impact. The Senior Principal Engineer will operate with entrepreneurial agility, fostering a culture of rapid experimentation, iterative development, and scientific excellence. The Senior Principal Engineer work will directly influence the pipeline of next-generation catheter technologies, supporting EP mission to deliver transformative solutions that improve patient outcomes worldwide.

In this role, the Senior Principal Engineer will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, external research institutions, and industry partners, acting as a catalyst for disruptive innovation that positions our organization at the forefront of medical device technology.

The Senior Principal Engineer leadership will ensure that promising early-stage ideas are nurtured into commercially viable, regulatory-ready products that redefine standards in electrophysiology.

Job Responsibilities
Strategic Innovation & Vision Setting
: Develop and communicate a compelling innovation roadmap for catheter technologies, aligning with the incubator's mission to deliver transformative solutions. Identify emerging scientific trends, disruptive technologies, and market opportunities to inform long-term strategic goals.

Technology Incubation & Project Leadership
: Lead the ideation, conceptualization, and early-stage development of novel catheter designs, including integrating advanced materials, miniaturization techniques, and electromagnetic navigation concepts. Drive projects from proof-of-concept through prototype development, ensuring alignment with clinical needs and regulatory pathways.

Prototype Development & Validation:
Architect and oversee the creation of innovative prototypes, tools, and fixtures for pre-clinical testing and First-in-Human trials. Overseeing design and implement robust validation protocols ensuring that prototypes meet safety and regulatory standards and meet manufacturability criteria.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Leadership:
Act as a central figure in a multidisciplinary team—including R&D, manufacturing, regulatory, and external research partners—to facilitate seamless technology transfer and scale-up. Mentor junior engineers and technicians, fostering a culture of scientific curiosity, experimentation, and continuous improvement.

Knowledge Transfer & Process Optimization:
Establish and lead knowledge transfer initiatives from incubation to full development and production, including guiding the later stages of process characterization, risk assessments, and process validation.

Regulatory & Quality Assurance Leadership:
Develop and review technical documentation, validation protocols, and design controls to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and other relevant standards to support First In Human use. Facilitate regulatory submissions and support clinical trial activities by providing technical expertise.

Market & Technology Trend Analysis:
Stay at the forefront of electrophysiology and catheter innovation by evaluating emerging trends such as electromagnetically navigated devices, flexible materials, and miniaturized electronics. Translate insights into actionable project goals and prototypes that maintain competitive advantage.

Incubator Culture & Strategic Growth:
Foster an entrepreneurial environment within the incubator by encouraging risk-taking, rapid prototyping, and iterative testing. Contribute to strategic planning, partnership development, and external collaborations to accelerate incubation success and technology commercialization.

Qualifications
Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Biomedical, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Master's or PhD preferred, with a focus on medical device development, materials science, or related fields.
• Minimum of 10+ years in medical device R&D, with extensive experience in early-stage technology incubation, innovative device design, and development. Proven track record of leading complex projects from concept to prototype, initial validation to initial clinical use. Must possess a clear mastery of theoretical and practical fundamentals and experimental engineering techniques. Experience in catheter development a plus.
• Deep expertise in design, miniaturization, and advanced manufacturing techniques. Proficiency in prototyping tools (SolidWorks, AutoCAD), validation methodologies, and process excellence tools. Familiarity with electromagnetically navigated devices, advanced materials and flexible electronics is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, mentor junior engineers, and manage projects with minimal supervision. Strong entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on disruptive innovation and strategic growth.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting to executive leadership, regulatory bodies, and external partners. Proven ability to foster collaborative relationships across internal teams and external research institution.
• An estimate of travel up to 25% may be required both domestic and international

Preferred

• Experience with electromagnetically navigated devices
• Expertise in design validation, process development, and regulatory compliance
• Strong problem-solving, analytical reasoning, and decision-making skills
• Ability to operate independently within a fast-paced, innovative environment
• Knowledge in manufacturing technologies
• Experience in DTV, DTQ
• Strong English communication skills, written and oral
• Business/financial acumen

Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants' needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via

Internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.
Required Skills
Preferred Skills:
Contract Management, Design Thinking, Fact-Based Decision Making, Feasibility Studies, Financial Competence, Leadership, Lean Supply Chain Management, Mechanical Engineering, Product Development, Project Integration Management, Project Management Methodology (PMM), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Application, Strategic Supply Chain Management, Tactical Planning, Technical Credibility, Vendor Management

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :
$122K - $212K

Additional Description For Pay Transparency
The Company maintains highly competitive, performance-based compensation programs. Under current guidelines, this position is eligible for an annual performance bonus in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan. The annual performance bonus is a cash bonus intended to provide an incentive to achieve annual targeted results by rewarding for individual and the corporation's performance over a calendar/performance year. Bonuses are awarded at the Company's discretion on an individual basis. Employees and/or eligible dependents may be eligible to participate in the following Company sponsored employee benefit programs: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, business accident insurance, and group legal insurance. Employees may be eligible to participate in the Company's consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)). This position is eligible to participate in the Company's long-term incentive program. Employees are eligible for the following time off benefits: Vacation – up to 120 hours per calendar year Sick time - up to 40 hours per calendar year Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays – up to 13 days per calendar year Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year Additional information can be found through the link below.