Principal NPI Engineer (m/f/d)

Description

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com .

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

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Principal NPI Engineer (Supplier & Process Engineering) (m/f/d)

Job Summary

The Principal NPI Engineer is the technical authority for supplier and process industrialization across new product programs. This role sets strategy, defines standards, and leads the execution of complex, high‑impact NPI initiatives. The Principal NPI Engineer ensures that new products launch with fully capable, scalable, and compliant manufacturing and supplier processes.
This position influences design architecture, drives cross‑functional alignment, and serves as the key technical leader for manufacturing readiness, risk management, and supplier capability across the product lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as the technical expert and decision-maker for supplier and process engineering strategy across major NPI programs.

• Act as a key technical leader in the process development and engineering space. Leading initiatives to support process and SOP improvement while upskilling existing team members, and supporting the implementation of a structured approach to process development.

• Lead efforts to optimize new and existing manufacturing processes through the application of scientific and data-driven methodologies, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and compliance with regulatory standards.

• : Implement and promote the use of data analytics to drive decision-making processes, leveraging statistical methods and process monitoring tools.
  

• Establish best practices, process standards, and validation frameworks that elevate organizational capability.

• Drive long‑term manufacturing and supplier technology roadmaps that support product innovation and business growth.

Supplier & Process Industrialization

• Lead industrialization strategies for highly complex, novel, or critical manufacturing processes at internal sites and supplier locations.

• Oversee advanced development of high‑risk processes and ensure design concepts align with manufacturability, yield, reliability, and scalability.

• Assess and develop supplier capabilities, including technology readiness, process robustness, and capacity planning.

Influence on Product Architecture

• Drive early and deep engagement with R&D to shape product design through advanced DFX, cost modeling, and capability analysis.

• Influence design decisions to mitigate risk, enhance robustness, and accelerate commercialization.

• Serve as the technical voice representing manufacturing, scalability, and supplier capability in design reviews and program governance.

Process Validation & Quality Compliance

• Define validation approaches for complex or novel processes, ensuring full alignment with FDA, ISO 13485, and internal quality systems.

• Challenge and elevate risk management practices (PFMEA, control plans, capability studies).

• Provide technical oversight for supplier PPAP, tooling qualifications, and readiness assessments.

Program Leadership

• Lead cross‑functional teams through readiness reviews, risk closure, and launch decision gates.

• Anticipate risks early, develop mitigation plans, and guide resolution of technical issues.

• Communicate technical direction, risks, and recommendations to leadership and executive stakeholders.

Technical Coaching & Capability Development

• Mentor senior, mid‑level, and junior engineers to build organizational expertise in NPI, supplier engineering, and process development.

• Coach teams on advanced problem-solving methodologies (DMAIC, DOE, statistical modeling, root cause analysis).

• Serve as a subject-matter expert for global manufacturing sites and supplier networks.

Qualifications – Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Biomedical, or related engineering discipline; Master’s preferred.

• 10–15+ years of experience in NPI, Supplier Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Process Engineering.

• Proven track record leading NPI industrialization for complex electromechanical, micro‑assembly, or high‑reliability components in regulated industries (medical devices strongly preferred).

• Deep expertise in DFX, advanced process development, PFMEA, validation strategies, and supplier technology readiness.

• Strong experience collaborating with global suppliers and leading high‑impact technical initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to influence product architecture and cross-functional decision-making.

Qualifications – Preferred

• Experience with PPAP/APQP, high-complexity supplier ecosystems, or advanced automation.

• Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent advanced statistical training.

• Experience in scaling technologies across global supply networks.

• History of coaching, mentoring, and elevating engineering capability at an organizational level.

Key Competencies

• Strategic technical leadership

• Manufacturing & supplier technology expertise

• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills

• Influence & executive communication

• Systems thinking & lifecycle perspective

• Risk management excellence

• Execution rigor & ownership

The anticipated base pay range for this position is 78.300 EUR to 135.700 EUR.

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