Principal R&D Project Manager

Principal R&D Project Manager – Navigation Platform

Location: Boston, MA and Gières, France.

Purpose: The Principal R&D Project Manager – Navigation Platform is responsible for planning and executing assigned projects within the Navigation platform in Digital R&D, ensuring delivery against scope, schedule, cost, and quality in a regulated medical device environment. Reporting to the Platform Program Manager – Navigation, this role owns the project‑level integrated plan (WBS/IMS), project budget baseline and EVM tracking, project RAID management, change control, and stakeholder communications. The Project Manager coordinates cross‑functional execution across software, systems, V&V, clinical, quality, regulatory, and manufacturing partners, and drives disciplined design controls and phase‑gate readiness to enable predictable delivery outcomes.

Job Responsibilities

• Own project planning and baseline management for assigned Navigation projects, including project charter, scope baseline, WBS, and an integrated master schedule aligned to the platform program plan.
• Manage project schedule execution, critical path tracking, milestone readiness, and schedule recovery actions; maintain and communicate weekly status to the platform leadership team.
• Own the project budget baseline, track actuals and forecasts, and perform earned value management (EVM) tracking; provide inputs for program‑level financial reviews and funding decisions.
• Maintain the project RAID log (risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies) with proactive mitigation actions; elevate cross‑project or platform‑level risks and decisions through the Platform Program Manager.
• Lead weekly project core team meetings, drive action/decision tracking, and ensure timely follow‑through across cross‑functional contributors.
• Drive disciplined design controls and Design & Development Planning (DDP) execution, ensuring required evidence packages and reviews support regulatory and quality expectations.
• Plan and execute phase‑gate readiness activities and toll‑gate submissions (schedule, documentation, V&V readiness, risk status, and stakeholder alignment).
• Manage project change requests (scope/schedule/cost) and ensure changes are reviewed, approved, and documented per governance and change control expectations.
• Drive project resource demand and capacity planning with functional leaders; resolve resource conflicts and negotiate mitigation plans or escalations as needed.
• Support hybrid execution cadence (Agile sprints + hardware work packages) by coordinating sprint planning inputs, backlog readiness, and integration dependencies with the Scrum Master, Software Lead, and technical leads.
• Coordinate vendor/contractor deliverables and procurement tracking (SOW/PO/PCARD) in partnership with PM Operations and Finance; ensure supplier work aligns to schedule, quality, and deliverables.
• Execute assigned project(s) and provide data‑driven recommendations and inputs.
• Lead project closure activities including lessons learned, final reporting, and transition to sustaining/operations as applicable.
• Provide transparent project dashboards and stakeholder communications (status, KPIs, risks, decisions, and next milestones), and initiate/ manage project escalations through closure when required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Life Sciences, or related field.
• 5+ years of project management experience within regulated classII product development environments (medical device, robotics, navigation, or software‑enabled products preferred).
• Experience with phase‑gate execution and design controls documentation in a QMS environment.
• Deep understanding of regulated medical device product development and phase‑gate execution, including FDA21CFR820.30 / ISO13485 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/CadencePPM, Jira/AzureDevOps) 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.
• Strong in project controls including budget baselining, forecasting, and earned value management (EVM) concepts.

• Experience with ClassII or ClassIII medical devices, robotics, navigation, or software‑enabled products.

Compensation & Benefits

Anticipated base pay range: €60,400.00 – €103,960.00.

• Annual bonus with set target (% of pay) depending on pay grade / location.
• Vacation days.
• Parental leave for a minimum of 12 weeks.
• Bereavement leave.
• Caregiver leave.
• Volunteer leave.
• Well‑being reimbursement and programs for financial, physical, and mental health.
• Service anniversary and recognition awards.
• Insurance plans for employees and, in some locations, eligible dependents.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Johnson & Johnson is an affirmative action and 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, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.