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

Join our Global Supplier Optimization team as a Principal Sourcing Engineer, where you utilize your strong track record of delivering results in a matrixed organization, where collaboration with diverse individuals, teams, and skill sets is essential for success. As the Principal Sourcing Engineer, you will lead, direct, plan, and execute cross-functional projects, with a focus on driving strategic decisions, managing business risks, applying technical rigor, and ensuring effective communication. You will lead the execution of supplier transfer projects on schedule and within budget while enhancing supplier capabilities and driving operational excellence.

In this critical role, you will implement comprehensive operational strategies aimed at achieving process capability through Six Sigma methodologies in collaboration with our suppliers, with a focus on ensuring value stream stability, optimizing lead times, and eliminating waste. Additionally, you will lead supplier optimization initiatives, driving robust supply chain resilience, cost reduction, and continuous quality improvement.

As a Principal Sourcing Engineer, you will utilize Lean Six Sigma tools to work as a strategic problem solver with deep expertise in process improvement methodologies, supplier management, project leadership, and data analysis. Utilizing your strong communication skills, you will drive sustainable performance improvements within the supplier base while fostering a collaborative, continuous improvement culture.

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 4 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. 

As the Principal Sourcing Engineer, you will:

• Develop and manage comprehensive business cases, including project plans, major deliverables, milestones, and financial calculations, covering capital, direct, and labor expenses.

• Support the Supply Management team in identifying and executing cost-saving opportunities across key initiatives such as manufacturing transfers, Advanced Sourcing ideation program, VA/VE, and Value Stream Improvement, leveraging Lean-Sigma tools and PMP best practices to drive current and future cost savings pipelines.

• Lead and provide direction to cross-functional teams on project transfers, ensuring commitments are met through effective organization, leadership, stakeholder engagement, risk management, issue resolution, and execution.

• Develop and communicate project strategies, including budget development, detailed scheduling, and KPI tracking. Contribute to establishing objectives, timelines, milestones, and budgets.

• Establish and manage a structured reporting framework to track and communicate project progress to stakeholders and management teams.

• Utilize project management tools and risk management techniques to enhance project planning and execution rigor.

• Develop and oversee Supplier Excellence programs, including performance monitoring, capability improvement initiatives, and strategic partnerships to strengthen supply chain resilience and quality. Evaluate supplier performance using Lean Six Sigma tools and key metrics such as on-time delivery, quality, cost, and lead time.

• Collaborate with suppliers to assess capabilities, drive continuous improvement, and implement supplier development initiatives, mapping processes, and recommending solutions for performance enhancement.

• Lead supplier engagement programs focused on innovation, cost efficiency, and optimizing supplier processes using Lean Six Sigma methodologies, driving quality consistency, cost savings, and improved efficiency.

• Cultivate strong supplier relationships and instill a culture of continuous improvement, advancing quality, cost, and delivery over time.

• Work with suppliers to implement best-in-class manufacturing and quality control processes, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations.

• Champion continuous improvement programs within the supplier base, fostering collaboration, innovation, and alignment with organizational goals.

Must Have: Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience, or an advanced degree with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience