Diversity In Action

Medtronic, the medical device giant, seeks techies in many fields

While the hiring outlook for the next fiscal year has not been determined, strong engineering talent is always needed, says the HR director

While engineering jobs at Medtronic are essentially industry-specific, the company seeks techies in a surprising variety of disciplines to help design its medical devices and also, at times, to custom-redesign them.

At the Medtronic Spine, Biologics and Kyphon businesses (Memphis, TN), for example, the work requires MEs, often joined by automotive and even aerospace engineers. Johnel Evans, Medtronic Spine, Biologics and Kyphon HR director for talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion and HR compliance, explains that the reason is "not only the product design and the frequent use of metal, but because those types of engineers work in a highly regulated environment and know the constraints involved. In our core spine products, the focus is on the mechanics of how the metal products work.

"A surgeon might need custom design changes made to a product for a surgery to fit a specific patient or procedure. We have engineers in house who can adjust the original design to meet the new specs. Actually we do a lot of business in that area, and it's by no means one-size-fits-all."

Medtronic, Inc partners with medical professionals to change the way chronic diseases are treated. Its technologies cover solutions for cardiac rhythm disease management, spinal and biologics, cardiovascular, neuromodulation and neurostimulation systems. It also offers implantable drug delivery systems for chronic pain, common movement disorders, urologic and gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes, plus other surgical technologies. Medtronic Spine, Biologics and Kyphon is among the company's most active businesses.

Clearly, engineering jobs at Medtronic will be varied, Evans says. But they revolve around product development engineers and quality engineers who are experienced in medical devices or the auto and aerospace industries. Software design experience is valuable across the company; Medtronic Spine, Biologics and Kyphon is particularly interested in techies who have experience with AutoCAD and Pro E-type software.

Medtronic Spine, Biologics and Kyphon also needs R&D engineers to handle new product development, and "concurrent" engineers who form the link between product development and manufacturing in order to increase productivity and product quality, Evans says. "For those jobs we look for mechanical, manufacturing or industrial engineering experience. We want them to look at our new product designs to determine if there are manufacturability or functionality issues as early as possible in the process, and to suggest needed changes and redesigns."

Then there are product development engineers, who work in the company's important biologics business. "They work with regenerative materials that we use as part of our implants. Biomechanical engineering is a growing and changing area of our business, and we anticipate it will provide significant business opportunities in the near future."

The overall hiring outlook for the next fiscal year has not been determined, but there's always a need for "strong engineering talent," Evans says. "Medtronic has engineering opportunities at all levels." The specific experience needed varies, depending on where the opportunities exist and the needs of the business.

Obviously people from within the medical device industry with three to five years of experience are "highly desired." For new grads, school project experience with AutoCAD and Pro E may be adequate. "It's not as difficult to get in when we have entry-level positions open, but they don't come as often," Evans explains.

Medtronic also seeks IT pros. "We hire typical project managers, business analysts, developers, and more. Our big focus is on SAP talent," Evans says. IT pros don't necessarily need a clinical or industry-specific background for these roles.

To recruit diverse candidates the Memphis-based businesses are currently in the process of developing an HBCU campus recruiting program. They also participate in corporate-sponsored national recruiting events and national conferences like NSBE, SWE and SHPE.

Once on the job, there is a corporate-sponsored mentoring program for diverse employees, and an employee-sponsored general mentoring program is available to everyone. There are a number of Medtronic-wide employee resource groups (ERGs): for Asians, people with disabilities, vets, Christians, African Americans and LGBT employees. "Our ERGs provide career development, employee education and training, recruitment and retention and community involvement," Evans notes.

There are also Professional Association Networks (PANs) to help employees connect with peers who share professional interests: National Black MBA and SWE, for example.

"All the employee groups believe that volunteering is important," Evans explains. It's done on a local level, but there's also a Medtronic corporate-sponsored program called Project Six that Evans describes as "a volunteer opportunity for employees across the globe to meet the needs of their local communities."

Medtronic has a CEO inclusion council led by CEO Bill Hawkins. The group is made up of senior leaders from each business, appointed by the CEO and selected for their understanding that an inclusive environment is a business imperative. They shape policies and champion programs that lead to a more inclusive culture.

Work-life balance is recognized as an important employee benefit. The Memphis Medtronic facility has an onsite fitness center, a partially subsidized daycare facility two blocks away and a "robust" employee assistance program, Evans concludes.

D/C