Senior Product Development Engineer in Charlottesville, Virginia at Contraline Inc.

About Contraline Inc.

Contraline is a venture-backed medical device company based in Charlottesville, Virginia. The company’s lead product is ADAM™, the world’s first injectable hydrogel designed to provide long-lasting, non-hormonal, and reversible contraception for men. The company aims to use its hydrogel platform technology to address global reproductive health challenges with no solutions and significant unmet needs. The company is well recognized in the field of Contraception and positioned for success.

About the role

The Senior Product Development Engineer will support the design and development of Class II and Class III medical devices and their associated delivery systems. This role requires strong analytical and technical skills, adherence to Quality System Regulations, and the ability to operate independently in a fast‑paced, hands‑on environment. This is a full‑time, on‑site position.

What you'll do

• Assist with the design and development of polymer implantable devices and delivery device tools through design development to manufacturing, consistent with medical devices regulatory and quality requirements.
• Own development and execution of V&V strategies, including protocol authorship, design traceability, and establishment of clear, testable acceptance criteria.
• Design and execute experimental benchtop studies and statistical analyses (e.g., DOE, capability studies) to assess the impact of processing parameters on product performance and variability.
• Interpret data and communicate findings to cross‑functional teams.
• Lead design transfer activities from R&D into manufacturing environments, including preclinical and clinical builds, with a focus on aseptic/sterile processing and process consistency.
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, and external partners to ensure robust, scalable processes.
• Contribute to design controls and risk management activities, including verification, validation, and FMEAs.
• Manage relevant vendor relationships, including component vendors and external testing.
• Continuously monitor compliance with FDA, ISO 13485, and design control requirements.

Qualifications

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Biomedical, Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years in Class II/III medical device product development or manufacturing
• Experience with:
• • Process development & validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
  • Design Controls and DHF documentation
  • Verification & Validation testing and protocol development
  • Applied statistics (DOE, regression, capability analysis)
  • Risk analysis (FMEA, hazard analysis, fault tree)
  • Manufacturing transfer and supplier interaction
  • ISO 13485 and FDA QMSR
  • Design transfer for sterile/aseptic processes (preferred)
  • Class II/III implantable devices or combination products (preferred)
• Strong communication, documentation rigor, and cross‑functional collaboration
• Self‑starter with strong problem‑solving skills
• Ability to work on‑site in lab and controlled manufacturing environments (PPE/cleanroom gowning, hands‑on work, lifting up to 25 lbs.)

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

Contraline is a Charlottesville-based company working at the forefront of reproductive medicine. We believe that we go further when we go together. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. All backgrounds, identities, and voices are welcomed!