Principal Test Automation Engineer (Robotics & Test Systems) - Surgical

About the job

Careers that change lives start here. Medtronic is a global leader in healthcare technology with a Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Our 95,000 employees work across more than 150 countries to put patients first — developing innovative medical technologies that improve the lives of 72+ million patients each year. Your unique talents will help shape the future of healthcare while building a career grounded in purpose, growth, and impact.

A Day in the Life

Making the best possible surgery accessible to every patient. We believe the future of surgery is less invasive and more precise, predictable, and personalised.
We bring together sharp surgical expertise, extensive medical knowledge, and cutting-edge technology with a single-minded focus on each patient - wherever they are, and however they need to be treated.
Each surgical specialty faces unique challenges, yet the goal is universal: better care for patients. By understanding these differences, we deliver solutions that empower surgeons and keep patients at the heart of every decision.
We are seeking a Principal Test Automation Engineer to lead the architecture, development and deployment of automated test systems for advanced medical devices, surgical instruments and robotic systems. The role turns purpose-built test rigs into integrated, repeatable and scalable test platforms by controlling equipment, synchronising sensors, automating test sequences and data acquisition, and converting test objectives into reliable software and controls solutions.
This is a principal-level individual-contributor role with broad technical influence across multidisciplinary teams. The successful candidate will define reusable automation architectures, lead critical software and system-integration decisions, and establish engineering practices that improve test throughput, repeatability, traceability, maintainability and data quality. The role combines hands-on implementation with technical leadership from early feasibility and prototyping through commissioning, qualification, release and lifecycle support.
The role will be based at the Mervue Campus in Galway, Ireland.

• Lead the automation architecture, software design and development of test systems used for instrument performance testing, characterisation, identification, verification and engineering investigations.

• Translate test methods, product requirements and measurement needs into robust automated sequences, state machines, equipment interfaces, data-acquisition workflows and system specifications.

• Integrate motion equipment, robotic systems, sensors, instrumentation, data-acquisition hardware, cameras, safety systems and device interfaces into coordinated automated test platforms.

• Develop modular, reusable and maintainable test software using appropriate languages and frameworks such as Python, LabVIEW, C/C++, MATLAB, or comparable industrial automation technologies.

• Design deterministic sequencing, synchronisation, triggering and timestamping approaches that align commanded test conditions with sensor, image, controller and device data.

• Build software interfaces and drivers for instruments, controllers and embedded systems using protocols such as Ethernet, EtherCat, TCP/IP, serial, or vendor APIs, as applicable.

• Define automated data capture, configuration management, metadata, logging, traceability, error handling, diagnostics and reporting to support high-quality engineering decisions.

• Lead concept development, prototyping, code and design reviews, integration, commissioning, qualification, troubleshooting and release of automated test systems.

• Partner with mechanical, electrical, mechatronics, controls, systems, product, quality and data engineers to ensure test rigs are designed for automation, serviceability and reliable operation.

• Apply sound software-engineering practices including version control, code review, modular design, automated checks, documentation and controlled deployment of test-system software.

• Lead root-cause investigations for complex interactions between instruments, robotic systems, equipment controls, sensors, communications, timing and data pipelines.

• Drive common architectures, libraries and standards across test platforms to reduce technician-intensive work, accelerate new-test deployment and enable scalable test capacity.

• Mentor engineers, provide technical guidance and influence project and platform decisions without direct people-management responsibility.

Key Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or a related engineering discipline with 7+ years of relevant experience, OR a Master’s/advanced degree with 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing, developing and deploying automation software for complex test systems, robotics, capital equipment, laboratory automation or special-purpose machinery.
• Strong programming capability in Python, , C/C++, MATLAB or similar languages, with the ability to select technologies appropriate to the system and lifecycle needs.
• Proven experience architecting modular test frameworks, equipment abstractions, reusable libraries, sequencing engines or hardware-in-the-loop and system-in-the-loop test solutions.
• Hands-on experience integrating instrumentation, sensors, data-acquisition systems, motion equipment, cameras, embedded devices and industrial or laboratory communications interfaces.
• Strong understanding of test sequencing, synchronisation, triggering, sampling, timestamping, signal integrity, calibration, measurement uncertainty and data traceability.
• Experience with software-engineering practices and tools such as Git, code review, issue tracking, automated testing, continuous integration and controlled software releases.
• Demonstrated ability to translate system and test requirements into automation architecture, detailed designs, risk controls and maintainable released solutions.
• Proven ability to lead complex technical decisions, conduct design and code reviews, manage technical risk and solve multidisciplinary test-system problems.
• Strong communication, collaboration, technical leadership and mentoring skills, with the ability to influence across functions without direct authority.
• Experience with machine safety, interlocks, fault handling, equipment commissioning, cybersecurity considerations and preventive-maintenance needs is desirable.
• Experience in medical devices, robotics, regulated product development, design verification or high-reliability test environments is advantageous.

Physical Job Requirements
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position.

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Benefits & Compensation