Job Function:
Supply Chain Engineering

Job Sub Function:
Manufacturing Engineering

Job Category:
Scientific/Technology

All Job Posting Locations:
Milpitas, California, United States of America, Santa Clara, California, United States of America

Job Description:

About Johnson & Johnson MedTech:

J&J Robotics was established in 2020 with the integration of Auris Health, Verb Surgical, C-SATS, and Ethicon. It comprises three key med-tech platforms: Surgical Robotics (OTTAVA™), Flexible Robotics (MONARCH®), and Digital Solutions. Join our collaborative, rapidly growing team where you'll create breakthrough medical technologies that unite multiple subject areas to build a connected digital ecosystem that advances medical professionals' skills and improves patient outcomes.

In this role, you will lead manufacturing engineering activities for the precision mechanical and electromechanical systems that enable the OTTAVA™ surgical robotics platform. You will develop, validate, and scale assembly processes, tooling, equipment, and manufacturing controls that translate complex design requirements into reliable production solutions. This is an exciting opportunity to help build the future of surgical robotics.

Fueled by innovation at the intersection of biology and technology, we're developing the next generation of smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments.

Are you passionate about improving and expanding the possibilities of surgery? Ready to join a team that's reimagining how we heal? Our Surgery team will give you the chance to deliver surgical technologies and solutions to surgeons and healthcare professionals around the world. Your contributions will help effectively treat some of the world's most prevalent conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Patients are waiting.

Your unique talents will help patients on their journey to wellness. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/medtech

Purpose:

We are seeking a Senior Manufacturing Mechanical Engineer with exceptional drive and urgency to lead new product introduction, process development, and industrialization activities for our advanced robotic medical device systems.

The successful candidate will bring specialized expertise in surgical robotic arm structures and instrument-drive end mechanisms, leading process design, precision assembly, metrology, and validation for one of the most technically demanding product families in medical robotics.

This role owns the complete manufacturing engineering lifecycle for robotic arm kinematic chains, multi-degree-of-freedom joint assemblies, wrist mechanisms, and instrument drive units, where micron-level assembly precision directly translates to surgical accuracy, patient safety, and clinical outcomes.

The ideal candidate combines deep mechanical intuition with rigorous process engineering discipline, regulatory fluency, and hands-on expertise with the precision measurement and assembly equipment required to build and verify surgical-grade robotic mechanisms at scale.

This role demands someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, takes proactive ownership of complex technical challenges, and can rapidly troubleshoot and resolve manufacturing issues that impact product launches. You'll be instrumental in bridging design intent and manufacturing reality for next-generation surgical robotics platforms.

Why This Role Matters:

You'll be instrumental in bringing next-generation robotic surgical systems from concept to reality, working on mechanisms that require a high level of precision and reliability. This role offers the opportunity to shape manufacturing strategy early in the product lifecycle, prevent costly delays, and ensure our products can scale while meeting the highest quality standards. If you're energized by technical challenges, move with urgency, and take pride in getting products across the finish line, this is your opportunity.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and own assembly processes for multi-axis robotic arm structures
• Develop assembly sequence logic that controls the buildup of kinematic error through the arm chain, minimizing cumulative positional error at the tool center point (TCP)
• Define and validate datum schemes and fixturing strategies that enforce consistent reference frames throughout arm assembly, from individual joint builds through full-arm integration
• Author assembly processes for complex electromechanical assemblies
• Define assembly and inspection processes for link structures, including shim and seal installation, bonding, and inspection acceptance criteria
• Determine joint- and arm-level metrology and instrumentation requirements for assembly reliability and verification
• Define and implement precision fastening systems, such as smart torque drivers and micro-torque tools, to support reliable assembly and verification
• Define, source, and implement precision equipment, fixtures, and tools (EFT) for press-fit, bearing, and other mechanical interference assemblies
• Define, source, and implement precision bonding, potting, lubrication, and dispensing systems
• Define, source, and implement precision alignment and kinematic assembly fixtures
• Develop project plans and execute them through implementation
• Troubleshoot complex mechanical and electromechanical system issues
• Coach and mentor junior engineers and technicians on manufacturing best practices

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Technical Leadership

• Establish strong working relationships with R&D, Development Engineering, Operations Process Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Production to design, develop, test, document, and implement processes, tooling, and fixtures
• Partner with Quality to proactively address and resolve nonconformances before they affect production
• Identify process requirements, advise operations management, and implement the equipment and fixtures needed for process development and manufacturing
• Maintain attention to detail while moving with urgency, ensuring that critical actions do not fall through the cracks

Skills:

• Systems-level thinking connecting joint-level assembly precision to full-arm/robotic accuracy
• Exceptional technical writing capability for regulatory-grade process documentation
• Strong leadership presence - able to drive alignment across R&D, quality, regulatory, and operations without direct authority
• Passion for precision and zero-defect manufacturing in a life-critical product environment
• Deep curiosity about mechanism design and a hands-on instinct for understanding how things are built and how they fail
• Commitment to building processes that are not just capable today, but robust and scalable as production volumes grow

Qualifications
Education

• A minimum of a bachelor's degree and/or University degree in mechanical engineering, Mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field is required; a Master's degree is preferred

Required Experience:

• A minimum of four years of manufacturing or assembly engineering experience, including significant experience with surgical robotic arms or comparable precision electromechanical capital equipment
• Demonstrated expertise in precision joint assembly, including bearing preload, harmonic drives, cable-driven mechanisms, and encoder integration
• Strong manufacturing engineering background in BOM structures, process documentation (MPI, DHR, and MES), and PFMEA
• Medical device industry experience preferred; a proven track record in NPI environments is highly valued
• Electromechanical systems: Extensive troubleshooting capability across mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation domains
• CAD proficiency: Expert-level skills in CAD design (SolidWorks preferred), ASME Y14.5 GD&T, and 3D tolerance stack-up analysis
• Strong statistical proficiency in SPC, Cpk, DOE, and Minitab or equivalent tools
• Quality systems: More than three years of experience at J&J or in an equivalent regulated environment, with demonstrated proficiency in applicable systems, SOPs, and processes

Preferred:

• Experience with surgical robotics platforms
• Certification: Six Sigma Black Belt
• Direct experience with surgical robotic platforms
• Experience with ISO 9283 (manipulator performance evaluation) and robotic arm kinematic calibration
• Familiarity with EtherCAT, CAN bus, or real-time motion control communication architectures
• Experience with micro-assembly processes and magnification-assisted assembly techniques
• Knowledge of carbon fiber composite structural assembly and inspection
• Experience with MES systems and PLM tools in regulated industries

Other:

• May require up to 10% domestic and/or international travel to other locations and sites

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:
Accelerating, Coaching, Compliance Risk, Critical Thinking, Facility Management, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Lean Manufacturing Principles, Lean Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Performance Measurement, Product Design, Program Management, Project Engineering, Project Schedule, Robotic Automation, Safety-Oriented, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Application, Technologically Savvy