SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 117,000 - 201,250 / annual
Johnson & Johnson's Orthopaedics division (operating as DePuy Synthes) is seeking a Principal R&D Project Manager to lead the Navigation Platform within Digital R&D. Based in Boston, MA with a hybrid model that includes coordination with Gieres, France, this role owns end-to-end project execution for medical device navigation systems in a regulated environment.
You will report to the Platform Program Manager – Navigation and be responsible for comprehensive project planning, baseline management, and delivery across scope, schedule, cost, and quality. Key responsibilities include:
• Owning project planning and baseline management: project charter, scope baseline, work breakdown structure (WBS), integrated master schedule (IMS), and alignment to platform program plans
• Managing project schedule execution, critical path tracking, milestone readiness, and schedule recovery; communicating weekly status to platform leadership
• Owning project budget baseline, tracking actuals and forecasts, and performing earned value management (EVM); providing inputs for program-level financial reviews
• Maintaining and actively managing the RAID log (risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies) with proactive mitigation and escalation through the Platform Program Manager
• Leading weekly project core team meetings, driving action and decision tracking across cross-functional contributors
• Driving disciplined design controls and Design & Development Planning (DDP) execution to meet regulatory and quality expectations
• Planning and executing phase-gate readiness activities and toll-gate submissions (schedule, documentation, V&V readiness, risk status, stakeholder alignment)
• Managing project change requests (scope/schedule/cost) with proper governance and documentation
• Coordinating resource demand and capacity planning with functional leaders; resolving resource conflicts and negotiating mitigation plans
• Supporting hybrid execution cadence (Agile sprints + hardware work packages) by coordinating sprint planning, backlog readiness, and integration dependencies
• Coordinating vendor/contractor deliverables and procurement tracking (SOW/PO/PCARD) with PM Operations and Finance
• Executing project closure activities including lessons learned, final reporting, and transition to sustaining/operations
• Producing transparent project dashboards and stakeholder communications (status, KPIs, risks, decisions, milestones); managing escalations through closure
This is a people-leadership role managing cross-functional project teams in a complex, regulated medical device environment. You will coordinate software, systems, V&V, clinical, quality, regulatory, and manufacturing partners to drive predictable delivery outcomes.
REQUIREMENTS:
Required:
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Life Sciences, or related field
• 5+ years of project management experience within regulated Class II and Class III medical device product development environments (robotics, navigation, or software-enabled products preferred)
• Experience with phase-gate execution and design controls documentation in a Quality Management System (QMS) environment
• Deep understanding of regulated medical device product development and phase-gate execution, including FDA 21 CFR 820.30 / ISO 13485 design controls
• Experience managing complex, cross-functional programs across software, systems, and hardware, including integrated planning across requirements, architecture, V&V, clinical, quality, and regulatory deliverables
• Demonstrated technical problem-solving leadership
• Excellent knowledge of Agile, Lean, SAFe, or hybrid execution models
• Strong project controls and financial acumen including budget baselining, forecasting, earned value management (EVM) concepts, and data-driven performance reporting
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage integrated schedules (IMS/WBS), critical path, and dependency mapping across cross-functional teams
• Proficiency with project management tooling (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Planisware/Cadence PPM, Jira/Azure DevOps) and documentation practices
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills; ability to produce clear dashboards, executive updates, and decision briefs
• Experience operating in Agile/SAFe or hybrid delivery models; ability to drive project resource and schedule planning
• Strong in RAID management and structured escalation; ability to drive mitigation actions and decisions to closure
Preferred:
• Experience with Class II or Class III medical devices, robotics, navigation, or software-enabled products
• Skills in computer programming, consulting, critical thinking, data-driven decision making, developing others, inclusive leadership, innovation, manufacturing technologies, product knowledge, prototyping, quality assurance, research and development, robotic automation, SAP Product Lifecycle Management, and team management
