Senior Staff Scientist

Stryker is hiring a Senior Staff Scientist in Portage, MI to join our Instruments Division supporting our Surgical Technologies business unit.

As a key member of the New Product Development (NPD) team, you’ll play an integral role in driving innovation for new product development while also supporting sustaining activities to ensure continued product excellence and reliability.

As a member of our Clinical Sciences team, you’ll be at the forefront of ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices that improve lives worldwide. This is an opportunity to lead technical initiatives, influence global standards, and advance innovation in sterilization, biocompatibility, and device processing—all while collaborating with passionate experts across the organization.

What You Will Do

• Be responsible for providing technical support to various areas of the business including biocompatibility, cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of reusable and single use medical devices.
• Collaborate closely with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Clinical, Marketing and Project Management to ensure project success.
• Develop and implement compliant testing protocols and guidelines to support regulatory submissions for new and existing medical devices.
• Coordinate and deliver project milestones in partnership with cross-functional teams, ensuring timelines and quality standards are met.
• Interpret and apply international standards for sterilization, cleaning, disinfection, and biocompatibility; mentor team members on best practices.
• Lead investigations and resolve complex technical issues, including customer complaints, adverse events, and non-conformances.
• Perform gap assessments on evolving standards and drive updates to quality system procedures.
• Serve as a subject matter expert during internal and external audits and regulatory interactions.
• Create and refine documentation for sterilization, biocompatibility, and reusable device processing evaluations in compliance with design control procedures.
• Train and guide junior team members to build technical expertise and ensure consistent execution.

What You Will Need

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or a related scientific degree.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in medical device or related regulated industry.
• Proven knowledge of FDA and GMP standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Familiarity in sterilization validation principles and biocompatibility testing within a regulated environment.
• Experience with multiple sterilization modalities (e.g., irradiation, ethylene oxide, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, moist heat).
• Familiarity with ISO standards for medical devices (ISO 13485, ISO 10993, ISO 11135)
• Familiarity with environmentally controlled area qualification principles.
• AAMI CISS certification is desirable