Diversity In Action

Medtronic: opportunities for techies who seek exciting career paths

Technical expertise is in demand across all areas of the company, to ensure its medical products are turned out efficiently and within timelines

Medtronic (Minneapolis, MN) is looking for technical experts to help streamline its production of technologies that treat chronic diseases, especially at its Spinal and Biologics business unit in Memphis, TN.

“We are working to improve the efficiency of the design process, and technical expertise helps with that,” says Jasmine Pree-Cary, principal talent acquisition specialist. “Our cross-functional teams design tools for the surgeon, and the distribution teams do research to see where the tools are needed.

“Across all the areas, we need to make sure the product is done efficiently and within the timeline. Technically skilled people understand the process. It’s neat to watch them work!”

Medtronic develops and manufactures a wide range of products and therapies. Its products are used in six medical areas: cardiac rhythm disease management, spinal and biologics, cardiovascular, neuromodulation, diabetes, and surgical technologies.

Right now the company needs technical help in the business unit that makes medical devices for spinal conditions. The unit also makes maxofacial products, which deal with areas in the mouth and face, Pree-Cary says. Mechanical, packaging, quality, biologics and R&D engineers are all needed.

Medtronic employees fall into one of four categories, based on experience. Associates have up to two years of experience; intermediates, two to four; principals, seven to ten; and consultants, ten to fifteen years.

“We’re focusing our hiring efforts on the quality group, the mechanical engineering group and packaging to improve our product lines and expedite the timelines,” Pree-Cary says. “Our projections indicate that we will fill about twenty positions by early 2010.” The company filled IT positions in 2009 so not much hiring is expected in that area right now.

Medtronic continually sets goals to recruit diversity. In 2009 it worked to build relationships locally with the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) and SWE, and will be recruiting at the NBMBAA, NSBE and SWE national conventions. The company is also forming partnerships with HBCUs that have a heavy engineering focus.

New employees go through a half-day diversity training program on “maximizing performance through inclusion,” says Jim Price, diversity consultant. The program, in place for the past two years, addresses the evolution of diversity issues since the Civil Rights Act of 1964 took effect.

“Primarily, we don’t look at it as a compliance issue. We approach it from the inclusion standpoint and the fact that people stay within an organization because they feel included,” Price says.

There’s also a CEO inclusion council, chaired by the CEO, and a diversity leadership council for the Medtronic Spinal and Biologics business unit which is headed by that unit’s president. Some other business units also have their own councils.

Medtronic is in the second year of its “blueprint for change” corporate initiative. Driven by a diversity leadership council, it helps top management promote diversity in representation, retention, recruitment and promotion. “We’re proud of the results and attribute some of the diversity and inclusion accomplishments we’ve seen to this program,” Price says.

The company also has a workplace inclusion network council which involves leaders of its employee resource groups, Price says. There are eight groups: a group for African Americans, an Asian resource group, Women Aspiring with a Vision for Excellence (WAVE), a Christian employee resource group and one for employees with disabilities.

Some of the newer groups are the Medtronic Triangle Alliance, for LGBT people and their friends; the Veterans Employee Resource Group; and the field inclusion team which gives field-based employees some welcome togetherness.

Price adds that all the groups welcome any interested employees, whether or not they share their diverse backgrounds.

Community involvement is of high importance to these groups. Among them, they get involved with Junior Achievement, Girls Inc., a multiple sclerosis bike tour, and projects for Habitat for Humanity. All employees can participate, even if they are not members of the groups, Price says. Medtronic is also involved in the FIRST Robotics national competition: its engineers volunteer time and expertise with several high school teams.

The employee resource groups have their own joint mentoring network. It’s been in place two years, and has its own database and an application process that matches mentees with mentors. There’s also a company-driven mentoring program.

In Memphis, Medtronic subsidizes child care, and “We are experimenting with work-life balance programs,” Price says. Flex time is based on the needs of employees and the specific organization, but HR and management are reviewing ways to make it available to nearly everyone, depending on job context and location.

“Medtronic is a great place to work,” Pree-Cary notes. “There are a lot of opportunities for those seeking exciting career paths.”

D/C