Principal Engineer, Early Innovation R&D

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine • Raritan, NJ

6d • $117,000 - $201,250 • Onsite

About The Position

Johnson & Johnson MedTech Surgery is currently seeking a Principal Engineer to join our R&D Innovation & Partnerships team located onsite at our Raritan, NJ location. This role will help shape the next generation of surgical, healing, and digitally enabled solutions by identifying and assessing external innovation, translating clinical unmet needs into technical requirements, and advancing high-potential technologies through structured due diligence, feasibility planning, and early development. The Principal Engineer will partner across R&D, Global Strategic Marketing, Business Development, Clinical, Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Quality, Supply Chain, and external partners to support portfolio decisions and accelerate meaningful innovation for patients and customers.

Requirements

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline is required.
• A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in medical device R&D, product development, advanced engineering, external innovation, digital health, or related technical roles is required.
• Experience leading front-end innovation activities, including customer discovery, unmet need definition, concept development, feasibility testing, technical de-risking, and transition to development programs is required.
• Experience evaluating external technologies and partners, conducting technical due diligence, and making evidence-based recommendations is required.
• Working knowledge of medical device design controls, risk management, verification and validation, quality systems, and regulated product development is required.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical, clinical, and business information clearly to senior leaders, clinicians, technical teams, and external partners is required.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in engineering, science, or a related technical discipline is preferred
• Experience with digital health technologies, connected medical devices, sensors, software-driven products, data platforms, AI/ML-enabled solutions, or clinical decision support tools is preferred.
• Experience in wound healing, tissue repair, regenerative medicine, advanced biologics, advanced wound care, or adjacent surgical device categories is preferred
• Prior experience in strategic partnerships or external innovation is preferred
• Design Excellence, Six Sigma, TRIZ, Design Thinking, Stanford Biodesign, or other structured innovation and problem-solving methodology experience
• Active network within digital health, healing sciences, or relevant startup ecosystems

Responsibilities

• Identify, assess, and recommend external technologies, platforms, and partnership opportunities aligned to J&J MedTech Surgery’s Wound Closure & Healing strategy and innovation pipeline.
• Conduct technical due diligence on startups, academic innovations, licensing opportunities, and strategic collaborations, including evaluation of clinical need, technical feasibility, intellectual property, regulatory pathway, quality considerations, scalability, and strategic fit.
• Develop technology landscapes, target scans, competitive intelligence, and evidence summaries across priority surgical, healing, regenerative medicine, and digital solution spaces.
• Translate customer, clinical, and technology insights into problem statements, user needs, system requirements, risk profiles, and evidence-based recommendations.
• Engage clinicians, key opinion leaders, academic collaborators, suppliers, incubators, accelerators, and external innovation partners to maintain a robust innovation pipeline.
• Lead front-end innovation activities, including customer discovery, unmet need definition, opportunity framing, concept generation, feasibility planning, prototype evaluation, and proof-of-concept execution.
• Partner cross-functionally to advance opportunities from assessment through technology de-risking and transition to formal product development, as appropriate.
• Prepare and communicate technical assessments, business cases, risk profiles, and recommendations to senior leaders and governance forums to support portfolio prioritization and investment decisions.
• Follow all applicable laws and regulations, J&J policies and procedures, design control expectations, quality system requirements, and health, safety, and environmental practices.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life insurance
• short- and long-term disability
• business accident insurance
• group legal insurance
• consolidated retirement plan (pension)
• savings plan (401(k))
• long-term incentive program
• Vacation – up to 120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - up to 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington – up to 56 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal