Chelsea
Quality Engineer
Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Joined Medtronic: 2007 and 2008 internships; 2009 full-time
Why Medtronic: I've always been passionate about helping people. Medtronic's technology focus gives me the opportunity to use my math and science skills to improve people's lives. Plus, during my internships, I received great hands-on experience and was able to work closely with doctors who respected Medtronic, so it was an easy decision to pursue a full-time opportunity here.
Current role: My primary responsibility is to ensure we follow FDA guidelines in producing components for lead wires that go in our cardiac rhythm and neurological devices. The components are then assembled in our Puerto Rico plant. I partner with employees in Puerto Rico regularly to share process improvement ideas.
First internship experience and your impact: I was in the Neuromodulation regulatory division, where we analyzed product complaints and returns. I developed a database query to make it easier to complete the analysis, saving the company time and leading to improved product quality. I worked with employees across several job functions, including statisticians, reliability engineers, and IT individuals, so I gained a better understanding of what each area does.
Second internship role and your impact: I worked in mechanical design in the Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management business, performing test development for lead wires to determine how they work in the human body. We examined product usability, such as the ease to insert and remove the lead from a vein. I also participated in physician input sessions, where we collected feedback from doctors as they implanted our devices in animals. Hearing their feedback firsthand was very insightful and helped us improve our products.
Most helpful aspect of internship: Besides the great hands-on learning, Medtronic offers many networking and social opportunities with peers. Not only were the events fun, but I was able to learn about my colleagues' exciting experiences and Medtronic's diverse businesses. Plus, it gave me a jumpstart on building my Medtronic network. I still network with peers I met during my internship.
Something people might not know about Medtronic: The company has a strong commitment to the community. We receive frequent information about volunteer opportunities, which makes it easy for employees to give back. Right now, I'm mentoring a first grader in reading at a local elementary school and it's a lot of fun.
How your current role supports the Medtronic Mission: Patients rely on Medtronic to improve their lives, and trust that our products are safe, dependable, and clinically effective. As a quality engineer, I'm always looking for ways to improve our product quality.
Education:
University of Minnesota, bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering
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