R&D Program Manager

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

R&D Program Manager

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your family, be your true self, and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.

• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.

• An excellent retirement savings plan with a high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program, and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries worldwide and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

This position works out of our Plymouth, MN location for our Electrophysiology Medical Device business. In Abbott’s Electrophysiology (EP) business, we’re advancing the treatment of heart disease through breakthrough medical technologies in atrial fibrillation, allowing people to restore their health and get on with their lives.

The R&D Program Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing catheter or implantable device projects on time, within budget, and within scope. This role involves coordinating cross-functional teams, managing resources, mitigating risks, and ensuring stakeholders are informed and aligned throughout the project lifecycle.

What You’ll Work On

Key Responsibilities

• Drive product development execution with a cross-functional team to achieve project contract deliverables (product, features, COGS, timeline, capacity, etc.)
• Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables from concept through commercialization in collaboration with stakeholders
• Develop detailed project plans, schedules, and budgets with input from the cross-functional team
• Monitor progress, track milestones, and adjust plans as needed

• Identify, assess, and mitigate program risks, issues, and dependencies while ensuring timely escalation and resolution.
• Manage project resources effectively, including personnel and budget
• Balance development speed with feature scope while meeting Abbott’s high quality expectations

• Communicate project status, updates, and risks to stakeholders and leadership
• Ensure alignment with organizational goals, quality standards, and best practices
• Facilitate meetings, maintain documentation, and ensure project governance
• Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned and process optimization

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering/Mechanical Engineering or a related field
• 10+ years of leadership experience in a medical device, biomedical or high technology industry
• Minimum 4+ years of project management experience
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience with budgeting and financial tracking
• Experience with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint)
• Familiarity with project management methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, or hybrid)

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP), and/or advanced degree(s) in Engineering, Sciences, Business Administration or related discipline
• Experience in Medical Device industry, with project management experience
• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills

Key Competencies

• Leadership and team collaboration
• Strategic thinking and decision-making
• Time management and prioritization
• Risk management
• Communication
• Attention to detail
• Adaptability and resilience
• Self-Starter

Success Metrics

• On-time and on-budget project delivery
• Stakeholder satisfaction
• Quality of deliverables
• Effective risk mitigation
• Team performance and engagement

What We Offer

At Abbott, you can have a good job that can grow into a great career. We offer:

· A fast-paced work environment where your safety is our priority

· Production areas that are clean, well-lit and temperature-controlled

· Training and career development, with onboarding programs for new employees and tuition assistance

· Financial security through competitive compensation, incentives and retirement plans

· Health care and well-being programs including medical, dental, vision, wellness and occupational health programs

· Paid time off

· 401(k) retirement savings with a generous company match

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