Wetlab Supervisor, Surgical Training Research & Development Process & Product Design

At Alcon, we're passionate about enhancing sight and helping people see brilliantly. With more than 25,000 associates, we innovate fearlessly, champion progress, and act swiftly to impact global eye health. We foster an inclusive culture, recognizing your contributions and offering opportunities to grow your career like never before. Together, we make a difference in the lives of our patients and customers. Are you ready to join us?

This role is part of Alcon's Research & Development function, a team that innovates boldly and delivers new products and services to help revolutionize the eye care industry, advance optimal patient outcomes and help people see brilliantly and is located at Alcon's Research & Development location in Lake Forest, CA.

The Wetlab Supervisor, Surgical Training Research & Development Process & Product Design, is primarily responsible for leading process research, development, and upscaling for new medical device products. You will guide teams, ensure compliance with regulations, and provide engineering solutions to departmental challenges.

The Wetlab Supervisor for Surgical Training in the Research & Development Process & Product Design department will lead a dynamic team, ensuring efficient logistics organization and scheduling for both onsite and offsite support. This role is pivotal in driving new product development through essential training sessions and setting up surgical material for doctor demonstrations, while also extending support to overseas teams. The Wetlab Supervisor will oversee the controls for lab environments to maintain compliance with GxP standards and relevant SOPs, as well as the staff supporting these activities.  The Supervisor is responsible for planning, directing and implementing all aspects of design and development of products, investigates and evaluates the conceptualization of new methodologies, materials, processes, or products from initial design to market release and monitors documentation throughout product life cycle.

The R&D Wetlabs have a team of four people and requires frequent logistics organization as well as scheduling for offsite and onsite support. The Supervisor will be performing trainings essential to the team for new product development, and doctor demonstrations, as well as occasionally performing trainings offsite to other teams to assist our own with overseas support. Included is the additional need for handling the controls for the lab environments necessary to maintain GxP relevant activities, as well as their governing SOPs.

In this role, a typical day will include:

• Oversee process research, development, and upscaling for new medical device products, ensuring the effective integration of new methodologies, materials, machines, and processes into product development

• Provide hands-on leadership in designing components, functional systems, prototypes, and medical device solutions, applying intermediate-level engineering principles to balance technical innovation with manufacturing feasibility

• Manage a team of researchers and engineers, fostering a culture of excellence by leading performance management, driving talent development, ensuring positive employee relations, and enhancing engagement and recognition

• Evaluate existing technologies and recommend improvements, leveraging prior experience to adapt and refine approaches that optimize product quality and reliability

• Interpret complex technical information to make informed decisions impacting project scope while escalating critical issues as needed

• Lead design reviews, ensuring compliance with regulatory, statutory, and legislative requirements while coordinating cross-functional collaboration for seamless product transitions from development to production

• Act as a technical advisor within the department, guiding problem-solving initiatives and ensuring alignment with company objectives and industry best practices

• Travel anticipated as 10-35% domestic and international on an as needed basis.

What You’ll Bring to Alcon:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent year of directly related experience (or high school +13 yrs; Assoc. +9 yrs; B.S. +5yrs; M.S. +2yrs; PhD +0yrs)

• The ability to fluently read, write, understand and communicate in English

• 2+ yrs of relevant experience

How You Can Thrive at Alcon:

• Join Alcon’s mission to provide outstanding, innovative products and solutions to improve sight, improve lives, and grow