Demo

Associate Buyer/Planner

Medtronic
Santa Ana, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 4/17/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/16/2026
We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 26 Apr 2026

At Medtronic you can begin a life-long career of exploration and innovation, while helping champion healthcare access and equity for all. You’ll lead with purpose, breaking down barriers to innovation in a more connected, compassionate world.

A Day in the Life

At Medtronic, we seek out and hire a diverse workforce at every level. We need fresh ideas and inclusive insights to continue to be an innovative industry leader. That’s why we attract, develop, and retain employees who are patient‑centric, passionate, and who represent the same wide variety of life experiences as our patients.

We are currently seeking an Associate Buyer/Planner (Operations Planner) to join our Medtronic campus in Santa Ana, CA. This entry‑level to early‑career role supports supply chain planning and procurement activities for external service partners supporting the Santa Ana and Irvine sites. The Associate Buyer/Planner will support day‑to‑day execution of purchasing, materials planning, and supplier coordination activities while learning Medtronic’s supply chain processes, systems, and quality requirements. This role works closely with cross‑functional partners to ensure continuity of supply, adherence to quality standards, and alignment with business priorities.

At Medtronic, we bring bold ideas forward with speed and decisiveness to put patients first in everything we do. In-person exchanges are invaluable to our work. We’re working a minimum of 5 days a week onsite as part of our commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth and cross-functional collaboration as we work together to engineer the extraordinary. This position will work onsite at our campus in Santa Ana, California.

Key Responsibilities include:

Procurement & Purchasing Support

  • Support the procurement of goods and services from approved external suppliers in accordance with sourcing strategies and contracts
  • Assist with purchase order creation, tracking, and follow‑up to ensure on‑time delivery


Planning & Scheduling

  • Support materials planning, demand alignment, and capacity coordination with service providers
  • Assist in maintaining purchasing and planning parameters within MRP/ERP systems


Supplier Coordination

  • Communicate with suppliers regarding delivery schedules, order status, and basic issue resolution
  • Support supplier performance tracking and escalation of issues to senior team members as needed


Inventory Management

  • Monitor inventory levels and help identify risks related to shortages or excess inventory
  • Support inventory accuracy and data integrity through regular analysis and reporting


Data & Performance Monitoring

  • Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) related to delivery, inventory, and supplier performance
  • Use data to support continuous improvement initiatives and decision‑making


Cross‑Functional Collaboration

  • Work closely with Operations, Sourcing, Engineering, Quality, and Scheduling teams to support business execution
  • Participate in cross‑functional meetings and provide planning and procurement support


Quality & Compliance

  • Ensure purchasing and planning activities comply with Medtronic policies, quality system requirements, and applicable regulations
  • Support documentation and audit readiness activities as required


Continuous Improvement & Teamwork

  • Contribute to process improvement initiatives within procurement and planning
  • Work collaboratively with the broader supply chain team to meet departmental goals


Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree


Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience working with MRP/ERP systems (SAP or Blue Yonder preferred)
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel
  • Strong analytical, data management, and quantitative skills
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills with a collaborative, team‑oriented mindset
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Ability to connect detailed tasks to broader business objectives
  • Working knowledge of quality systems and good manufacturing practices
  • Experience in a regulated environment (medical device, pharmaceutical, or similar)
  • APICS and/or CPM certification
  • Basic understanding of cost accounting principles
  • Familiarity with contract concepts (supply, services, NDAs)
  • Lean / Six Sigma Green Belt or comparable training


For Baccalaureate degrees earned outside of the United States, a degree that satisfies the requirements of 8 C.F.R.

  • 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) is required.


Physical Job Requirements

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position. 

The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. For Office Roles: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to be independently mobile. The employee is also required to interact with a computer, and communicate with peers and co-workers. Contact your manager or local HR to understand the Work Conditions and Physical requirements that may be specific to each role.

U.S. Work Authorization & Sponsorship

At Medtronic, we are committed to fostering an environment where employees can thrive and make a meaningful impact. In alignment with our enterprise-wide workforce planning approach, U.S. work authorization sponsorship (H-1B, TN, J, etc.) is offered exclusively for Principal-level roles and above, where specialized expertise aligns with long-term business needs. Roles below the Principal level require candidates to possess unrestricted U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and for the duration of employment.

Join us in our mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life—where your unique background and perspective are valued.

Benefits & Compensation

Medtronic offers a competitive Salary and flexible Benefits Package

A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values. We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help to create. We offer a wide range of benefits, resources, and competitive compensation plans designed to support you at every career and life stage.

Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD):$55,200.00 - $82,800.00

This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP).

The base salary range is applicable across the United States, excluding Puerto Rico and specific locations in California. The offered rate complies with federal and local regulations and may vary based on factors such as experience, certification/education, market conditions, and location. Compensation and benefits information pertains solely to candidates hired within the United States (local market compensation and benefits will apply for others).

The following benefits and additional compensation are available to those regular employees who work 20 hours per week: Health, Dental and vision insurance, Health Savings Account, Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Life insurance, Long-term disability leave, Dependent daycare spending account, Tuition assistance/reimbursement, and Simple Steps (global well-being program).

The following benefits and additional compensation are available to all regular employees: Incentive plans, 401(k) plan plus employer contribution and match, Short-term disability, Paid time off, Paid holidays, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Employee Assistance Program, Non-qualified Retirement Plan Supplement (subject to IRS earning minimums), and Capital Accumulation Plan (available to Vice Presidents and above, or subject to IRS earning minimums).

Regular employees are those who are not temporary, such as interns. Temporary employees are eligible for paid sick time, as required under applicable state law, and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Please note some of the above benefits may not apply to workers in Puerto Rico.

Further details are available at the link below:

About Medtronic

Medtronic benefits and compensation plans

We lead global healthcare technology and boldly attack the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions.

Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000 passionate people.

We are engineers at heart— putting ambitious ideas to work to generate real solutions for real people. From the R&D lab, to the factory floor, to the conference room, every one of us experiments, creates, builds, improves and solves. We have the talent, diverse perspectives, and guts to engineer the extraordinary.

Learn more about our business, mission, and our commitment to diversity here.

It is the policy of Medtronic to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, Medtronic will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

If you are applying to perform work for Medtronic, Inc. (“Medtronic”) in any position which will involve performing at least two (2) hours of work on average each week within the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, you can find here a list of all material job duties of the specific job position which Medtronic reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. Medtronic will consider for employment qualified job applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Salary : $55,200 - $82,800

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