S4E49 Derek McKenney | Medical Device Engineering Leadership

Being an Engineer · 22 Dec 2023 · 40m · Episode 49

What this episode covers

Derek McKenney, Director of Engineering at Puritan Medical Products, discusses the transition from technical engineering to leadership, emphasizing collaboration and overcoming imposter syndrome. He details industry trends in medical device manufacturing, specifically the shift toward compact, at-home testing devices and the need for flexible automation platforms. McKenney highlights significant challenges, including sourcing engineering talent in Maine and managing the rising costs of global regulatory compliance for Class I devices. He concludes by advocating for structured problem-solving skills in young engineers and the importance of team cohesion in achieving complex engineering goals.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 34m

    Shaking Things Up: What's Next for the Global Medical Device Podcast

    Jon Speer, founder of Greenlight Guru, introduces Etienne Nichols, a medical device guru at Greenlight Guru, as the show's new co-host to bring fresh perspectives to the Global Medical Device Podcast. They discuss Greenlight Guru's 'Guru Edge'—a team of former industry professionals—and highlight trends like data-driven decision-making, the convergence of wellness wearables with medical devices, and the rise of home-use products. Etienne Nichols reflects on his evolving appreciation for FDA regulations as flexible guardrails rather than rigid constraints, contrasting modern collaborative interactions with the adversarial regulatory environment of the late 1990s.

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 46m

    Bringing Medical Devices into the Home

    Dylan Horvath, Founder and Chief Product Officer at Cortex Design, discusses the challenges of bringing medical devices into the home, emphasizing human-centered design and the need for products to fit seamlessly into a user's lifestyle rather than feeling like foreign clinical objects. He explains how engineers must overcome their own biases and technical complexity to create intuitive interfaces, using concepts like affordances and signifiers to guide user interaction without relying on manuals. Horvath also highlights the critical balance between aesthetic appeal, manufacturability, and regulatory constraints, advocating for early validation of user needs and cross-functional collaboration to mitigate risk and ensure product success.

  • Let's Combinate · 47m

    193 - Bioengineering Grads: Here’s What Recruiters Actually Want to See in 2025

    Kirk Petyo, Managing Partner at Talent Factory Medical, advises bioengineering graduates on securing entry-level roles in medical devices and pharma by emphasizing the importance of a clear career 'why' and specific resume objectives. He explains that large companies like St. Jude, Medtronic, and Boston Scientific hire entry-level talent for document control and validation roles to build internal pipelines, rather than just hiring experienced engineers. Petyo also discusses the impact of onshoring trends and tariffs, noting that industrial engineering and manufacturing roles are critical for cost optimization as companies shift production back to the U.S.

  • Let's Combinate · 33m

    156 - Combination Product Governance, Big Pharma to Medical Device Startups, Risk Management, Scale Up Challenges, Drug Delivery Innovations, and Home Administration with Laxman Halleppanavar

    Laxman Halleppanavar, Head of Portfolio Strategy and Management at Credence MedSystems, discusses the complexities of combination products, contrasting his experience at large corporations like Pfizer and GE Healthcare with his current work in medical device startups. He highlights key industry trends including the shift toward home administration of drugs, sustainability goals, and the engineering challenges posed by high-viscosity, long-acting drugs and large injection volumes. Halleppanavar also explains the significant differences in risk management and regulatory scrutiny between medical devices and pharmaceuticals, noting the increased complexity when drugs are involved in combination products.

  • The Amp Hour · 58m

    Return of the Trade Show Jedi

    Dave Jones of EEVBlog discusses the return to electronics trade shows, highlighting the surge in manufacturing equipment and the importance of automated test jigs for production quality. Paul Gammell covers Ant Micro's open-source Snapdragon 845 baseboard design in KiCad, the critical shortage of engineers in Australia, and Mercedes' new legal liability for its Drive Pilot system. The hosts also touch on AgTech challenges and the potential of Thread protocol for Bluetooth sensors.

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