Principal Engineer (R&D Lead)

How you will make an impact

• Represent R&D on New Product Development Core Teams, partnering cross-functionally with Quality, Regulatory, Medical/Clinical Affairs, Global Supply Chain/Operations, Marketing, Sourcing, and Project Management.
• Lead the technical delivery of new product development projects, integrating design activities and coordinating multidisciplinary R&D teams of engineers, scientists, human factors/usability engineers, technicians, subject-matter experts, and external development partners to ensure technical outputs meet quality, design, and user requirements.
• Develop and execute technical project plans and schedules from technology readiness through commercialization, using appropriate project planning tools including Gantt Charts, Network Logic Diagrams, Work Breakdown Structure, and/or other tools as needed.
• Align internal teams, external suppliers, and development partners on activities, dependencies, deliverables, and timelines.
• Identify and manage project resources, including internal team members, suppliers, and external development partners, to support delivery against project objectives and schedules.
• Manage technical project budgets, tracking actual spend against forecast and communicating status to R&D leadership and Project Management.
• Prepare and present written project status updates to functional management and leadership as appropriate, including progress against schedule and budget, technical progress, key risks, and mitigation activities.
• Engage with customers and clinicians to understand medical conditions, user needs, and project feedback, supporting an innovative and interactive development process.
• Evaluate new medical device technologies for potential development and commercialization opportunities.
• Identify and document intellectual property arising from assigned projects.
• Ensure project activities comply with product development and design control processes, driving completion and maintenance of required project deliverables through development governance.

Your Skills and Expertise

To set you up for success in this role from day one, Solventum requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Materials Science or another Scientific discipline AND a minimum of seven (7) years of experience leading cross-functional product development projects from concept through commercialization.
• OR High School Diploma/GED AND a minimum of eleven (11) years of experience leading cross-functional product development projects from concept through commercialization.
• Three (3) years minimum experience applying Design Control requirements in accordance with FDA, ISO 13485, and global regulatory expectations.
• Three (3) years minimum of experience in verification, validation, risk management, and product performance testing.
• Experience developing products using wound care materials and technologies, such as adhesives, films, foams, hydrocolloids, superabsorbents, nonwovens, antimicrobials, and tissue matrices.
• Experience influencing technical decisions across multifunctional teams and managing project timelines, risks, budgets, and deliverables.

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further

• Master's Degree or Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemistry, Tissue Engineering, or related discipline.
• Experience developing Advanced Wound Care dressings, Advanced Skin Protection products, Ostomy products, Surgical Site Management products, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) devices or dressings, or related healthcare technologies.
• Experience with global product launches and commercialization activities.
• Strong understanding of wound healing science, skin physiology, human factors engineering, and clinical evidence generation.
• Demonstrated innovation records including patents, invention disclosures, publications, or successful commercialization of healthcare products.
• Technical leadership of multidisciplinary development teams.
• Experience mentoring technical contributors and developing R&D team capability.
• Experience managing external development partners, suppliers or contract manufacturers.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Strategic thinking balanced with execution excellence.
• Passion for patient-focused innovation and continuous improvement.

Work location: Hybrid Eligible (Job Duties allow for some remote work but require to be in San Antonio or Eagan at least 3 days per week). Travel: May include up to 20% domestic/international. Relocation Assistance: May be authorized. Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).