Engineering Lead

Location: Ireland - Kilkenny

Category: Operations

Employment Type: Full time

About Abbott

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, nutritional and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott in Ireland

Abbott has been operating in Ireland since 1946 and serves the Irish market with a diverse range of healthcare products including diagnostics, diabetes care, medical devices and nutritional products. In Ireland, Abbott currently employs about 6,000 people across ten sites located in Dublin, Donegal, Clonmel, Cootehill, Galway, Kilkenny, Longford and Sligo.

Please note any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a medical practitioner designated by the Company.

Diabetes Care Kilkenny

Our new manufacturing facility in Kilkenny, reflects the growing demand for Abbott's global Diabetes Care products. The facility will be a centre for world-class engineering, quality, medical device manufacturing, and other science-based professionals to produce life-changing technologies that enable people with diabetes to live the best and fullest lives they can. At Abbott in Kilkenny, you can shape your career as you help shape the future of healthcare .

Purpose of the Job

We are looking for a highly skilled Engineering Lead to drive advanced injection‑moulding and reel‑to‑reel metal stamping solutions with our global third‑party manufacturing partners. If you’re passionate about tooling, precision engineering, and delivering robust manufacturing processes, this is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of high‑impact, high‑visibility projects. This role is part of the global engineering team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and project‑manage third‑party manufacturers to deliver world‑class injection‑moulding, reel‑to‑reel stamping, and forming solutions.

• Define requirements, evaluate technologies, and oversee specification, procurement, installation, and qualification of moulding and stamping equipment.

• Drive tooling and moulding activities at supplier sites to ensure flawless production start‑up and smooth scale‑up to higher volumes.

• Lead the design/specification, purchase, and qualification of:

  • Mould tools

  • Injection‑moulding equipment

  • Progressive die stamping and strip‑forming tooling

  • Reel‑to‑reel feed systems

  • In‑die sensing systems

  • Metrology equipment and fixtures

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with project teams, tooling manufacturers, and high‑speed reel‑to‑reel stamping suppliers to meet all project objectives.

• Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) or Independent Technical Expert (ITE) for complex technical matters.

• Communicate and report component‑related issues to internal and external stakeholders.

• Manage metrology method development and ensure strong GD&T compliance.

Engineering Excellence & Compliance

• Initiate change control documentation and lead material data creation for plastic components.

• Conduct risk assessments and ensure strong process validation, FAI, capability studies, and FAT activities.

• Troubleshoot mould tools, stamping dies, and equipment, applying structured problem‑solving and DOE methodologies.

• Maintain full compliance with Corporate, Divisional, EHS, and Quality System requirements.

• Ensure timely, accurate documentation and adherence to engineering standards.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Polymer Engineering, Polymer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline (Master’s is a plus).

• Equivalent technical experience also considered.

• 8+ years of significant engineering or operational experience in injection moulding, tooling, or high‑volume manufacturing.

• Experience with die design fundamentals, tolerance stack-up analysis, blank development, and spring‑back compensation.

• Proven success qualifying tooling using FAI, capability studies, and tool transfer methods.

• Experience working with injection mould tooling manufacturers, toolmakers, and supporting FAT/validation activities.

• Strong understanding of GD&T and qualification of metrology fixtures.

• Excellent communication, documentation, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong problem‑solving capability with experience in DOE for plastics process development.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams, manage vendors, and deliver complex projects with accountability and precision.

• Familiarity with Quality Systems, engineering standards, and Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) requirements.

What we Offer

Attractive compensation package that includes competitive pay, as well as benefits such as

• Family health insurance,

• Excellent pension scheme

• Life assurance

• Career Development

• Growing business plus access to many more benefits.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com or https://www.ie.abbott/, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews.

Abbott is an equal opportunities employer.