VP R&D — Design for Excellence (DfX) – Electrophysiology

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.

Job Function:

R&D Product Development

Job Sub Function:

R&D Process Engineering

Job Category:

People Leader

All Job Posting Locations:

Irvine, California, United States of America, Remote (US)

Job Description:

Fueled by innovation at the intersection of biology and technology, we’re developing the next generation of smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments. Are you passionate about improving and expanding the possibilities of Cardiovascular? Ready to join a team that’s reimagining how we heal? Our Cardiovascular team develops leading solutions for heart recovery, electrophysiology, and stroke. You will join a proud heritage of continually elevating standards of care for stroke, heart failure and atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients.

Your unique talents will help patients on their journey to wellness. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/medtech

We are searching for the best talent to join our team as an VP R&D — Design for Excellence (DfX) – Electrophysiology to preferably be located in Irvine, California.

Purpose:

The VP R&D — Design for Excellence (DfX) owns the enterprise DfX strategy, roadmap, standards and governance that ensure new and evolving products meet target quality, cost, manufacturability, serviceability, sustainability and time-to-market objectives. This leader builds and operationalizes maturity models, checklists and tooling, drives cross-functional alignment, enables continuous improvement, and leads a team of DfX specialists across product development and operations.

The VP of DfX will be accountable to achieve the following outcomes:

• All designs are manufacturable, assemble-able, testable, automatable, cost-effective, reliable, serviceable and scalable, while meeting, quality safety, regulatory and business requirements
• Teams consistently use DfX methods and tools across programs
• Cross-functional decision-making improvements

You will be responsible for:

DfX Strategy, Governance and Operating model

• Create and maintain DfX standards, stage gate criteria checklists, templates / tools
• Track KPIs and drive continuous improvements Define and maintain the enterprise DfX vision, multi-year roadmap and value case aligned to business objectives (cost, quality, cycle time, sustainability).
• Translate strategy into prioritized programs, capability investments and KPIs
• Identify emerging DfX trends, technologies and business risks (e.g., advanced manufacturing, digital engineering, regulatory changes) and recommend strategic responses
• Sponsor pilots to validate high-value DfX initiatives and scale successful approaches
• Design and run the DfX governance framework (steering committees, stage-gate checkpoints, approval authorities, escalation paths)
• Establish design gates, formal DfX review cadence and sign-off criteria for product lifecycle stages
• Define roles & responsibilities for DfX accountabilities across R&D, manufacturing, quality and supply chain
• Implement audit and compliance processes for DfX adherence and continuous governance improvement

Program Oversight and Technical Leadership

• Lead early approach to implement tolerance stackups, process capability, automation, test, supply
• Lead portfolio-level DfX programs: set scope, milestones, resource plans and deliverables
• Own technical outputs: enterprise DfX standards, design rules, checklists, maturity models, DFMEA/DVP&R best practices and verification criteria
• Provide hands-on technical guidance on complex design-for-manufacturing, design-for-test, design-for-service, design-for-reliability and design-for-sustainability problems
• Define and track DfX KPIs (e.g., cost reduction, first-pass yield, warranty rate, rework, time-to-volume)
• Oversee root-cause analysis and corrective actions for high-impact field failures and design escapes

Cross-functional Integration

• Align manufacturing on early feasibility, tooling, process flow, PFMEA/control plans, and inspection strategy
• Align Quality on risk methods, verification approach, and CTQs
• Facilitate alignment between Product Development, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, Regulatory and Service
• Chair cross-functional DfX review panels and lead conflict resolution for competing tradeoffs (cost vs. reliability vs. time-to-market)
• Partner with suppliers to embed DfX expectations into early supplier involvement, design contracts and supplier scorecards
• Ensure DfX considerations are integrated into roadmaps, product requirements and stage-gate criteria

Process, Tooling and Automation Readiness

• Define process maps, line balance targets, test approach, equipment specs and validation needs
• Assess automation options and guide feasibility / ROI
• Define required digital tools and data flows (PLM, CAD/CAE rules, design rule checking, digital twin, simulation, automated checklist enforcement)
• Prioritize and sponsor tool rollouts, integration with enterprise systems and automation of DfX checks
• Oversee creation and maintenance of libraries: part families, standard modules, design patterns and approved suppliers
• Validate tooling readiness for scale, establish metrics for tool adoption and ROI

Capability Building and Change Management

• Build DfX community of practice
• Deploy enabling tools and drive adoption 
• Build a systematic capability plan: training programs, certifications, communities of practice and onboarding for DfX disciplines
• Create learning assets: templates, playbooks, maturity assessments, and on-the-job coaching
• Lead change-management activities to embed DfX practices across engineering and operations (communications, role-based training, incentives
• Measure and report improvements in organizational DfX maturity

Leadership and Organization & Technical Development

• Accountable for talent development, culture and capability 
• Recruit, mentor and develop a high-performing DfX team (discipline leads for manufacturability, reliability, testability, serviceability, sustainability)
• Set team objectives, performance metrics and career development plans
• Drive matrix collaboration, delegate authority, and ensure appropriate staffing for DfX programs
• Champion an inclusive culture that values technical excellence and continuous improvement
• Supports sustainable pipeline for the next generation of technical expertise
• Builds organizational capability to strengthen growth and development of employees and technical expertise
• Conducts business activities in compliance with internal and external Health, Safety & Environmental, ethics and legal regulations and policies

Qualifications / Requirements:

Required

• Minimum of 12 years of progressive leadership experience and in product development, manufacturing or related functions
• Deep technical knowledge across operations, project management, product or process development
• Strong systems thinking and ability to translate business goals into engineering standards and measurable outcomes
• Proven experience creating and implementing standards, maturity models and checklists
• Strong program and portfolio management skills: prioritization, resource planning, stage-gate discipline and metric-driven delivery
• Excellent influencing, stakeholder management and cross-functional facilitation skills at senior levels
• Solid change management experience (training design, adoption measurement, incentives)
• Financial acumen for building value cases and tracking cost/benefit of DfX investments
• Ability to lead technical teams, hire top talent and foster continuous-improvement culture
• Effective communicator with executive presence and ability to present to C-level stakeholders and boards

Preferred

• DfX domains: design-for-manufacturing (DFM), design-for-assembly (DFA), design-for-test (DFT), design-for-reliability (DFR), design-for-service (DFS), design-for-sustainability
• Hands-on familiarity with PLM, CAD/CAE tools, design rule checking, simulation, digital twin and lifecycle data management
• Experience with quality tools and methods (DFMEA, Root Cause Analysis, Six Sigma, statistical process control) and regulatory compliance where applicable
• Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent, PMP or comparable program management certification, PLM/CAD tool certifications as relevant

Other:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred
• Approximately 25% travel
• Preferred location: Irvine, CA however other locations may be considered (expected in Irvine 2/3 of time)

Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Johnson and Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, please email the Employee Health Support Center (ra-employeehealthsup@its.jnj.com) or contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

Budget Management, Business Planning, Crisis Management, Developing Others, Disruptive Innovations, Emerging Technologies, Engineering, Inclusive Leadership, Leadership, Managing Managers, Process Control, Program Management, Regulatory Compliance, Research and Development, SAP Product Lifecycle Management, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Application, Strategic Thinking, Technical Research

The anticipated base pay range for this position is :

$218,000.00 - $401,350.00

Additional Description for Pay Transparency: