Senior Principal Engineer - R&D Digital

Johnson & Johnson•Boston, MA

22h•Remote

About The Position

Johnson & Johnson is seeking a Senior Principal Engineer – R&D Digital to join its Orthopaedics team. This remote position has a preference for candidates located in Boston, Massachusetts. The role guides technical direction, architecture, scope, and execution for complex, multidisciplinary robotics projects, serving as a bridge between engineering teams and cross-functional business stakeholders. The engineer is the technical owner for robotic-enabled joint solutions, driving system-level design decisions, cross-discipline alignment, and activities supporting successful commercialization. The position defines system architecture and project scope with others, makes core engineering decisions, and evaluates and manages third-party contributions when applicable. In collaboration with Project Management, it leads technical execution, addresses roadblocks and design conflicts, and promotes engineering best practices. The role translates business goals into technical requirements and coordinates work across commercial, quality, regulatory, supply chain, education, and service care, maintaining continuity among mechanical, electrical, and software design. The engineer communicates project status and technical decisions to leadership and business stakeholders, leads technical voice-of-customer activities, and supports commercial launch readiness. The work also includes system-level design and integration of robotic subsystems for joint-replacement workflows; DFx/DFM and DFMEA activities; supplier and contract-manufacturer collaboration; verification and validation planning and execution; mentoring engineering staff; and providing technical input to regulatory submissions, clinical evaluations, and launch readiness. Johnson & Johnson has announced plans to separate its Orthopaedics business as DePuy Synthes. If the transaction is completed, the employee is anticipated to become an employee of DePuy Synthes, subject to the transaction’s conditions and applicable processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, such as Mechanical, Biomedical, Mechatronics, Electrical, or Robotics Engineering, or a related engineering discipline, from an accredited institution or foreign equivalent.
Familiarity with medical device design controls, verification and validation, and applicable regulations or standards, including FDA 510(k)/PMA processes, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, and IEC 60601 where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in engineering or a related technical field.
10 or more years of relevant product development experience, with progressive responsibility in robotics, electromechanical systems, or medical devices.
Prior experience in orthopaedic joints, surgical robotics, or related implant/robotics systems.
Demonstrated experience defining system architecture and making high-impact engineering trade-offs for multidisciplinary programs.
Hands-on experience with mechanism design, actuation, sensors, embedded controls, and system-level integration.
Strong software and controls familiarity, such as ROS, real-time control frameworks, C/C++, Python, or MATLAB/Simulink.
Experience with model-based design, system simulation, motion planning, and/or kinematics/dynamics analysis.
Track record of leading cross-functional teams and managing third-party engineering partners or contract manufacturers.
Experience with DFMEA, tolerance analysis, GD&T, and supplier quality management.
Strong communication skills and experience presenting technical strategy and status to senior leadership and business stakeholders.
Demonstrated customer-facing experience, including voice-of-customer work, clinical stakeholder engagement, or technical support for launches.
Patent filings, publications, or recognized technical contributions in robotics or medical devices.

Responsibilities

Define system architecture and project scope with others, and make core engineering decisions throughout the project.
Evaluate opportunities for third-party involvement and manage third-party output when applicable.
Lead technical project execution in collaboration with Project Management; remove technical roadblocks, resolve design conflicts, and promote engineering best practices.
Translate business goals into technical requirements and drive collaboration across commercial, quality, regulatory, supply chain, education, and service care functions.
Ensure continuity among mechanical, electrical, and software design efforts.
Communicate project status and key technical decisions to leadership and business stakeholders.
Lead technical voice-of-customer activities, identify unmet needs, and pressure-test design solutions.
Support commercial launch by helping ensure stakeholders have the resources needed to sell, train, and service the product.
Support system-level design and integration of robotic subsystems, including motion/actuation, sensors, end-effectors, and controls for joint-replacement workflows.
Lead and support DFx/DFM activities, contribute to DFMEA, and partner with suppliers and contract manufacturers to support manufacturability and scalability.
Drive and support verification and validation planning and execution with Quality and Test teams to meet clinical and regulatory expectations.
Mentor and coach engineering staff, foster a collaborative engineering culture, and uphold design control best practices.
Provide technical inputs for regulatory submissions, clinical evaluations, and launch readiness activities.

Benefits

Consolidated retirement plan (pension) and 401(k) savings plan, subject to plan terms.
Vacation: 120 hours per calendar year, subject to policy and hire date.
Sick time: 40 hours per calendar year; 48 hours for Colorado residents; 56 hours for Washington residents, subject to policy and hire date.
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, or foster care of a child.
Bereavement leave: 240 hours for an immediate family member and 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year.
Caregiver leave: 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period.
Volunteer leave: 32 hours per calendar year.
Military spouse time-off: 80 hours per calendar year.