Sr Mechanical Manufacturing Engineer/Surgical Robotics-OTTAVA

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine•Santa Clara, CA

1d•$109,000 - $154,280•Onsite

About The Position

Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a member of Johnson & Johnson's Family of Companies, is recruiting for a Senior Manufacturing Mechanical Engineer to join our team in Santa Clara, 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 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 https://www.jnj.com/ About Johnson & Johnson MedTech: J&J Robotics was established in 2020 with the integration of Auris Health, Verb Surgical, C-SATS, and Ethicon. It comprises three key med-tech platforms: Surgical Robotics (OTTAVA™), Flexible Robotics (MONARCH®), and Digital Solutions. Join our collaborative, rapidly growing team where you'll create breakthrough medical technologies that unite multiple subject areas to build a connected digital ecosystem that advances medical professionals' skills and improves patient outcomes. In this role, you will lead manufacturing engineering for the OTTAVA™ surgeon input device, the surgeon-facing control subsystem attached to the Physician Console that captures precise hand inputs used to remotely control surgical instruments and endoscopes. You will integrate mechanical, electrical, firmware, software, assembly, calibration, and test requirements to deliver robust and scalable production processes for this critical electromechanical subsystem. 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 surgery? Ready to join a team that’s reimagining how we heal? Our Surgery team will give you the chance to deliver surgical technologies and solutions to surgeons and healthcare professionals around the world. Your contributions will help effectively treat some of the world’s most prevalent conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Patients are waiting. Your unique talents will help patients on their journey to wellness. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/medtech

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering, Robotics, Precision Engineering, or related field.
8-10 years of manufacturing or assembly engineering experience, with a minimum of 5 years supporting precision electromechanical mechanisms, haptic devices, robotic controls, medical capital equipment, or comparable high-reliability systems.
Demonstrated expertise in precision mechanism assembly, including bearing preload, cable-, belt-, or gear-driven mechanisms, encoder and sensor integration, motor assemblies, alignment, bonding, and controlled lubrication.
Strong manufacturing engineering background — BOM structure, process documentation (MPI, DHR, MES), and PFMEA.
Medical device experience with a proven track record in NPI environments.
Electromechanical Systems: Extensive troubleshooting capability across mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation domains.
CAD Proficiency: Expert-level skills in CAD design (SolidWorks preferred), ASME Y14.5 GD&T, and 3D tolerance stack-up analysis.
Strong statistical proficiency — SPC, Cpk, DOE, Minitab, or equivalent.
Demonstrated experience developing and implementing end-to-end manufacturing processes for precision electromechanical assemblies, including process flows, tooling, fixtures, measurement strategies, assembly equipment, documentation, and process controls.
Proven experience maturing manufacturing processes from prototype or pilot builds through validation, launch, and scalable production.
Experience planning and executing cross-functional process development, equipment, documentation, and validation deliverables.
Quality Systems: Over 3 years in J&J (or equivalent regulated environment), fully trained and proficient in J&J systems, SOPs, and processes.
Systems-level thinking that connects component and assembly precision to full-device system accuracy, friction, calibration performance, input fidelity, reliability, and surgeon experience.
Exceptional technical writing capability for regulatory-grade process documentation.
Strong leadership presence with the ability to drive alignment across R&D, Quality, Regulatory, and Operations without direct authority.
Passion for precision and defect prevention in a life-critical product environment.
Deep curiosity about mechanism design and a hands-on instinct for understanding how products are built and how they fail.
Ability to translate technical requirements into clear manufacturing plans, align cross-functional stakeholders, and communicate risks, decisions, and implementation status.
Commitment to building processes that are capable today and robust and scalable as production volumes grow.
Proven ability to work in a collaborative, cross-functional environment while maintaining individual accountability.
Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple parallel NPI programs.
Excellent troubleshooting mindset — persistent in finding root causes.
Comfortable challenging design decisions when manufacturing concerns arise.
Thrives in ambiguity and rapidly changing priorities.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering, Robotics, or Precision Engineering.
Direct experience with surgical robotics, haptic interfaces, force-feedback devices, teleoperation controls, or surgeon-facing input mechanisms.
Certification: Six Sigma Black Belt.
Experience with precision calibration and test systems for multi-axis electromechanical assemblies.
Experience with system calibration, encoder calibration, friction characterization, parameter testing, and burn-in of robotic or haptic mechanisms.
Familiarity with industrial communication protocols, real-time motion control, motor drives, and sensor communication architectures.
Experience with micro-assembly, magnification-assisted assembly, precision bonding and dispensing, bearing installation, and cable, belt, or gear-drive setup.
Experience applying SPC, capability analysis, DOE, and structured root-cause analysis to improve yield, friction performance, calibration results, and cycle time.
Experience with MES systems and PLM tools in regulated industries.

Responsibilities

Design and own assembly processes for the OTTAVA™ surgeon input device and its major precision mechanical subassemblies, links and joints, motors, encoders, sensors, and integrated electronics.
Develop assembly sequence logic that controls system error, friction, preload, transmission tension or engagement, encoder alignment, and cumulative variation across the device workspace.
Define and validate datum schemes, fixturing strategies, and measurement methods that maintain consistent reference frames from component-level assembly through full device integration.
Author and release manufacturing processes for complex electromechanical assemblies, including MPIs, travelers, eDHR workflows, process maps, and inspection criteria.
Define assembly and inspection processes for integrated electromechanical assemblies incorporating bearings, shafts, belts, cables, springs, seals, shims, adhesives, lubricants, fasteners, PCAs, harnesses, and precision-machined structures.
Determine component-, subassembly-, and device-level metrology, instrumentation, and test requirements for assembly reliability and verification.
Define and implement precision assembly equipment and fixtures designed for scalable industrialization, such as fastening systems, micro-torque tools, press-fit equipment, bonding and dispensing systems, and alignment fixtures.
Develop and improve the mechanical processes and inputs that influence calibration and test outcomes, including assembly setup, alignment, preload, friction, and other mechanical parameters used in system calibration, performance testing, burn-in, and functional verification.
Use SPC, capability analysis, yield data, and issue Pareto analysis to detect drift, prioritize root-cause investigations, and improve first-pass yield and cycle time.
Develop and mature manufacturing processes from prototype and pilot builds through validated, repeatable, and scalable production.
Develop project plans and execute process development, equipment, documentation, and validation deliverables through implementation.
Troubleshoot mechanical, electromechanical, sensing, calibration, and test failures in partnership with R&D, Test Engineering, Quality, Operations, and suppliers.
Lead manufacturing change control, configuration updates, and production release activities in partnership with Engineering, Quality, and Operations.
Monitor, coach, and mentor junior engineers and technicians on precision assembly, calibration, validation, and manufacturing best practices.
Establish strong working relationships with R&D, Development Engineering, Operations Process Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Production to design, develop, test, document, and implement processes, tooling, and fixtures.
Partner with Quality to proactively address and resolve nonconformances before they affect production.
Identify process requirements, advise operations management, and implement equipment and fixtures for process development and manufacturing.
Lead cross-functional technical reviews, communicate risks and tradeoffs, and drive timely decisions from development through production implementation.
Provide technical coaching and feedback to engineers and technicians on process development, problem solving, validation, and manufacturing best 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 –120 hours per calendar year
Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year (or 56 hours for Washington State residents)
Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
Condolence Leave – 30 days for an immediate family member: 5 days for an extended family member
Caregiver Leave – 10 days
Volunteer Leave – 4 days
Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours