Whether it’s Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Electrical Engineering, you’ve chosen your field of study for a good reason. Engineering is at the forefront of Medical Technology innovation and the lifeblood of a MedTech company. A company needs to stay relevant in today’s environment of accelerated product evolution to continue to deliver on its mission of improving patient care and quality of life. If you want to be a part of this mission, you’ll need to consider what roles you are best suited for and what suits you best, meaning what jobs your skill set is designed for and what environment you enjoy most. In other words, consider a day in the life of a few of these MedTech engineering career roles
Field Technical and Clinical Support
Field Tech Support Engineers and Clinical Support Engineers are not at a corporate office but “in the field,” visiting hospitals and physician offices to aid in the troubleshooting and implementation of medical device products and equipment and assisting with patient care checks. The daily schedule changes, as it is determined by patient care, so no two days are alike, and schedule variability is the name of the game. This role involves a lot of practitioner and patient interaction, so if you are not a people person, this might not be your best fit. In addition, some of these products require invasive procedures, so if you are squeamish at the sight of blood, consider an alternative position.
Research and Development
R&D Engineers are behind the scenes in the “upstream” part of a product or device’s life cycle, working on the conception, development, testing, and implementation of a product or pharmaceutical. If you get excited about being behind the scenes and working on the inception and evolution of products and enjoy the lab environment, this is where the magic happens. Depending on the company’s products, you could study new materials for medical devices or work on novel drug delivery systems for a pharmaceutical company.
Medical Equipment and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Med and Pharma Equipment Manufacturing Engineers work in developing medical devices, equipment, and pharmaceuticals and oversee the myriad of precise processes in product manufacturing, ensuring quality control. You could be working on a specific production line or testing product integrity. If you are wired for methodical processes and consistent work projects, this role is designed for you.
Robotics, Imaging, Software and Artificial Intelligence
Today’s MedTech world is about creating smaller, more intelligent devices and products. Wireless monitoring and AI are the buzzwords of new development as they can deliver real-time data in a minimal or noninvasive manner, greatly improving patient quality of life. These roles will continue to grow. For software and AI, these roles are all about continually improving a product’s digital capabilities in disease diagnosis and treatment.
If you weigh your skill set, industry sector of choice, and work environment preferences, you’ll be able to quickly identify those opportunities that are the best fit for you.
