Senior Packaging Engineer – CST – Lafayette, CO or Fort Worth, TX (Onsite)

Medtronic•Lafayette, CO

11d•Onsite

About The Position

As one of three comprehensive portfolios at Medtronic, Neuroscience is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with neurological disorders, spine conditions, and chronic pain. Guided by our Mission—to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life—we develop technologies and therapies that help people regain function, reduce pain, and return to the activities that matter most. Our Cranial & Spinal Technologies (CST) Operating Unit develops and delivers an integrated ecosystem of spinal implants, navigation and robotic guidance systems, advanced imaging, and data-driven planning tools for complex spine and cranial procedures. Platforms such as AiBLE™ connect these technologies to enhance surgical precision, streamline workflows, and support improved patient outcomes across the globe. In this role as Senior Packaging Engineer, you will lead the development, commercialization, and sustainment of innovative medical device packaging solutions that ensure product safety, sterility, and performance throughout the product lifecycle. As a Senior Packaging Engineer, you will serve as the technical expert for packaging development, partnering with cross-functional teams to deliver compliant, scalable, and cost-effective packaging solutions that support manufacturing and global distribution.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related engineering field with minimum of 4 years of relevant experience, OR Master's degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related engineering field with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience, OR PhD in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related engineering field with 0 years of relevant experience.
Possess unrestricted U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and for the duration of employment (for roles below Principal level).

Nice To Haves

Experience leading packaging development projects or serving as a technical lead on cross-functional engineering teams.
Hands-on experience with sterile barrier systems and sterilization methods, including ethylene oxide (EtO), gamma irradiation, or electron beam (E-beam).
Working knowledge of packaging validation standards, including ISO 11607, ASTM, and ISTA distribution testing.
Experience developing packaging solutions for sterile medical devices and capital equipment.
Understanding of medical device design controls, risk management, and quality system requirements.
Experience using CAD software such as Creo (Pro/ENGINEER) or SolidWorks.

Responsibilities

Lead packaging engineering activities for new product development and sustaining projects, providing technical direction, risk mitigation, and packaging strategy.
Design, develop, evaluate, and validate packaging systems and materials for sterile medical devices, reusable instruments, capital equipment, and associated components to ensure product protection, sterility, manufacturability, and regulatory compliance.
Develop packaging specifications based on product requirements, sterilization methods, distribution environments, cost, and applicable regulatory and industry standards (e.g., FDA, ISO, ASTM).
Plan and execute packaging validation activities, including protocol development, testing, data analysis, and reporting to verify packaging performance throughout sterilization, distribution, storage, and shelf life.
Lead packaging design reviews, risk assessments, and cross-functional project meetings while representing packaging engineering throughout the product development process.
Collaborate with Research & Development, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and external suppliers to integrate packaging requirements and support successful product commercialization.
Develop and maintain packaging documentation, including specifications, drawings, bills of materials, validation reports, and engineering change documentation in accordance with quality system requirements.
Investigate packaging-related issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive actions to improve product performance and reliability.
Partner with suppliers to define technical requirements, evaluate packaging materials, and support the development and qualification of packaging components.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on packaging performance, sustainability, quality, manufacturability, and cost optimization.
Mentor and provide technical guidance to engineers and project teams on packaging design, validation strategies, and regulatory expectations.