Medical Device Incubator | Implantable Devices | Contract (Sydney)This is not a traditional R&D role.
Cochlear's Incubation Operations team works alongside innovative, ground‐breaking medical device start‐ups to help transform bold ideas into real, manufacturable, implantable products.We are seeking highly experienced Senior Mechanical Engineers who thrive in fast‐paced, start‐up environments where requirements evolve, ambiguity is the norm, and progress depends on sound judgement rather than perfect information.The environmentThis role sits within Cochlear R&D - Incubation Operations.You should expect:A start‐up culture operating inside a global medical device leaderRapid iteration, changing requirements, and incomplete informationA need to make clear, defensible engineering trade‐offsHands‐on involvement across design, test, tooling, and early productionClose collaboration with start‐up companies, suppliers, quality, regulatory, and manufacturingIf you are energised by uncertainty and enjoy developing ground-breaking commercial medical devices under pressure, this will feel familiar.What you will be doingThis is a senior, delivery‐focused role with genuine end‐to‐end ownership.You will:Lead detailed mechanical design of implantable components and assemblies, with strong consideration of biocompatibility, fluid ingress, tolerancing, and long‐term reliabilityDrive DFM/A decisions with suppliers and process engineering to ensure designs can be built, inspected, and scaledOwn mechanical verification, validation, and characterisation testing, including test method development, fixtures, execution, and failure investigationDesign or specify simple production tooling, jigs, fixtures, and silicone moulding tools to support pilot and early production buildsSupport design transfer and NPI, including CTQs, inspection strategies, pilot builds, and design convergenceThis is an end-to-end, solutions-focused role with a sense of urgency to ensure the successful delivery of start-up medical device technology.Who this role is forYou will likely have:10+ years mechanical engineering experience, including 5+ years in medical devices or other highly regulated industriesA proven track record of delivering complex electromechanical or implantable products from detailed design through V&V and into manufacturingStrong DFM/A capability, including tolerance analysis and GD&THands‐on experience leading verification, validation, and reliability testingComfort wearing different hats across design, test, tooling, and early productionDemonstrates outstanding communication abilities and consistently exhibits a proactive approach to teamwork and collaboration.Experience with implantable devices and production tooling is a strong advantage.Who thrives hereEngineers who succeed in this team tend to:Enjoy solving hard, real‐world problems, not just producing CADTake ownership for outcomes, not just tasksStay calm and pragmatic when requirements changeHave an appetite for bold experimentation, grounded in strong engineering judgementCare deeply about developing solutions that genuinely improve patients' lives