What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal R&D Engineer position at Medical Engineering Consultants (MEC)?
Job 2756 - Principal R&D Engineer - Contract located near Phoenix, Arizona
Medical Engineering Consultants (MEC) support medical device and pharmaceutical companies to be more efficient and productive by providing resources, knowledge, and expertise to augment and supplement to their work. Our vision is to closely align our clients’ needs with the best resources available in the marketplace. We take proactive, preventative, and corrective action and create a roadmap for ongoing future improvement by identifying, integrating, and executing sustainable solutions that validate processes, ensure fully compliant quality systems, and close gaps between current and FDA expected stages.
MEC offers companies short or long-term support — from high-end leaders, managers and consultants to skill-set Engineering staff and SME’s (Subject Matter Experts).
MEC's mission is to inspire positive cultural change from within, and always exceed our clients’ expectations.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. in accordance with applicable law. This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization now or in the future.
Onsite
Position Summary
Our Client is seeking a Principal R&D Engineer to support the development and transfer of advanced wafer-based manufacturing processes within a highly regulated product development environment.
This role will be responsible for developing, optimizing, and scaling innovative fabrication processes from concept through manufacturing transfer while ensuring robust process performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
The successful candidate will lead process development initiatives involving thin-film deposition, photolithography, and advanced microfabrication techniques. This individual will work cross-functionally with R&D, Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Product Development teams to establish scalable, cost-effective, and high-yield manufacturing processes.
This position will serve as a technical leader, driving innovation and applying scientific and engineering principles to solve complex process challenges and advance next-generation manufacturing capabilities.
Essential Responsibilities
Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
Required Qualifications
Top Technical Skills:
Principal Professional Career Stream
This position serves as a recognized technical leader responsible for solving complex engineering challenges and driving strategic process development initiatives. The Principal R&D Engineer provides technical direction across multiple projects and contributes significantly to innovation, process excellence, and commercialization efforts.
Autonomy
AAP/EEO DFWP
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Medical Engineering Consultants (MEC) support medical device and pharmaceutical companies to be more efficient and productive by providing resources, knowledge, and expertise to augment and supplement to their work. Our vision is to closely align our clients’ needs with the best resources available in the marketplace. We take proactive, preventative, and corrective action and create a roadmap for ongoing future improvement by identifying, integrating, and executing sustainable solutions that validate processes, ensure fully compliant quality systems, and close gaps between current and FDA expected stages.
MEC offers companies short or long-term support — from high-end leaders, managers and consultants to skill-set Engineering staff and SME’s (Subject Matter Experts).
MEC's mission is to inspire positive cultural change from within, and always exceed our clients’ expectations.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. in accordance with applicable law. This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization now or in the future.
Onsite
Position Summary
Our Client is seeking a Principal R&D Engineer to support the development and transfer of advanced wafer-based manufacturing processes within a highly regulated product development environment.
This role will be responsible for developing, optimizing, and scaling innovative fabrication processes from concept through manufacturing transfer while ensuring robust process performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
The successful candidate will lead process development initiatives involving thin-film deposition, photolithography, and advanced microfabrication techniques. This individual will work cross-functionally with R&D, Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Product Development teams to establish scalable, cost-effective, and high-yield manufacturing processes.
This position will serve as a technical leader, driving innovation and applying scientific and engineering principles to solve complex process challenges and advance next-generation manufacturing capabilities.
Essential Responsibilities
Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
- Lead the innovation, development, optimization, and transfer of advanced manufacturing processes into production environments.
- Develop highly stable, scalable, and cost-effective wafer fabrication processes to support product development and commercialization.
- Design, execute, analyze, and document experiments to establish robust process windows and manufacturing controls.
- Develop and support fabrication processes involving:
- Thin-film and metal deposition technologies
- Photolithography and patterning techniques
- Polymer and organic layer deposition processes
- Surface treatment and microfabrication methods
- Apply Design for Reliability and data-driven methodologies throughout process development activities.
- Define equipment, tooling, metrology, and manufacturing requirements necessary to support process development and scale-up.
- Establish process controls, monitoring strategies, and manufacturing specifications.
- Perform process characterization, optimization, and root cause investigations to improve yield, reliability, and process capability.
- Utilize statistical methods and scientific principles to design experiments and evaluate process performance.
- Conduct and support:
- Equipment Qualifications (IQ)
- Operational Qualifications (OQ)
- Performance Qualifications (PQ)
- Test Method Validations (TMV)
- Measurement System and Gage R&R studies
- Collaborate with Product Development teams to ensure product designs align with manufacturing capabilities and process requirements.
- Provide technical support for manufacturing operations and resolve complex process or equipment-related challenges.
- Evaluate and integrate new materials, technologies, equipment, and manufacturing concepts.
- Generate and maintain technical reports, protocols, engineering documentation, and quality records.
- Ensure compliance with applicable quality systems, regulatory requirements, and internal procedures.
- Mentor and provide technical leadership to engineers and cross-functional project teams.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related technical discipline required.
- Minimum of 7 years of relevant engineering experience with a Bachelor's degree, or
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant engineering experience with an advanced degree.
Top Technical Skills:
- Thin Film / Metal Deposition Processes
- Photolithography and Patterning Techniques
- Design of Experiments (DOE) and Process Development
- Experience developing or supporting wafer fabrication processes.
- Experience with process development, process optimization, equipment development, or manufacturing operations.
- Strong understanding of process characterization, process controls, and manufacturing transfer activities.
- Experience applying statistical methods to engineering and manufacturing challenges.
- Strong technical problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
- Ability to work independently while managing complex technical projects.
- Advanced degree in:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Related technical discipline
- Experience with microfabrication or MEMS technologies.
- Experience with:
- Photolithography
- Thin-film deposition
- Patterning and etching techniques
- Semiconductor manufacturing processes
- Experience developing processes from concept through manufacturing transfer.
- Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing environments.
- Knowledge of automated equipment, machine vision systems, and automated metrology tools.
- Experience programming, troubleshooting, or supporting automated manufacturing systems.
- Experience with:
- Design for Reliability (DfR)
- Design for Six Sigma (DFSS)
- Lean Manufacturing
- Six Sigma methodologies
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification preferred.
- Knowledge of statistical analysis software such as:
- JMP
- Minitab
- Similar analytical tools
Principal Professional Career Stream
This position serves as a recognized technical leader responsible for solving complex engineering challenges and driving strategic process development initiatives. The Principal R&D Engineer provides technical direction across multiple projects and contributes significantly to innovation, process excellence, and commercialization efforts.
Autonomy
- Works independently with minimal supervision.
- Leads complex technical initiatives and process development programs.
- Exercises significant judgment in determining project direction and technical solutions.
- Drives achievement of critical development and manufacturing objectives.
- Influences process strategy, technology selection, and manufacturing readiness activities.
- Contributes to long-term business and operational success.
- Solves highly complex technical problems requiring advanced engineering and scientific expertise.
- Develops innovative manufacturing solutions, technologies, and methodologies.
- Advances organizational capabilities in process development and manufacturing excellence.
- Collaborates across R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations functions.
- Communicates technical concepts, recommendations, and project outcomes to stakeholders and leadership.
- Influences key technical and business decisions through data-driven recommendations.
- Provides mentorship and technical guidance to engineers and project teams.
- Serves as a subject matter expert within the organization.
- Supports the development of engineering best practices and technical standards.
- Sponsorship is not available for this position
AAP/EEO DFWP
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.