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Senior Electrical Engineer, Combination Product Development

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Research

Posted Jun 29, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you managed an external development partner who was missing deadlines or quality targets.

What they are checking: Whether they can hold partners accountable while keeping the working relationship productive.

Tell me about a design tradeoff where electrical needs conflicted with mechanical or software needs. How was it resolved?

What they are checking: Whether they think at the system level and work through tradeoffs with other engineering disciplines.

What would you do

During verification testing, your device fails an EMC test. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can isolate the root cause systematically and judge the effect on schedule and design.

You are early in feasibility and need to choose between two technologies. How do you decide?

What they are checking: Whether they can run technology landscaping and make an evidence-based call with incomplete information.

About the work

Walk me through the electrical architecture of an on-body injector or ambulatory infusion pump you have worked on.

What they are checking: Whether they have real hands-on depth in power, sensing, control and safety for small drug delivery devices.

How does IEC 60601 shape your design decisions for a body-worn medical device?

What they are checking: Whether they design for electrical safety and EMC requirements from the start rather than testing for them late.

How do you approach battery selection and power management for a single-use wearable device?

What they are checking: Whether they balance size, shelf life, cost and safety for disposable electronics.

How do you write electrical requirements that can actually be verified?

What they are checking: Whether they understand design controls and that vague requirements cause trouble at verification.

How do you include risk management under ISO 14971 in your electrical design work?

What they are checking: Whether they connect hazards and failure modes to design mitigations as required for combination products.

What is different about developing electronics for a drug-device combination product compared with a standalone device?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the added regulatory and drug compatibility demands of combination products.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

Sr. Electrical Engineer, Combination Product Development, R&D We are seeking an experienced Sr. Electrical Engineer to support the development of innovative drug-device combination products within our Combination Product Development team in R&D. In this role, you will lead electrical system design efforts for clinical development of advanced drug delivery systems, including on-body injectors, subcutaneous ambulatory infusion pumps, and other electromechanical systems. This role will contribute to the development of new device and platform technologies, maintaining technical rigor and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. This role will work closely with engineering colleagues in R&D and cross-functional colleagues in a global organization as well as maintaining strong working relationships with external development partners throughout the product development process. Responsibilities Design and Development Leadership: • Work closely with external development partners through design and development efforts associated with electronic components of drug delivery systems • Execute feasibility and initial development activities including needs definition, requirements, assessment of design fundamentals, and technology landscaping • Conduct system architecture evaluation, including assessment of system design, testing, and analysis of electrical components • Perform electronics design assessments including circuit design, PCB assessment, circuit analysis, evaluation of design margins, and testing requirements definition Technical Analysis and Validation: • Support system integration activities, reliability assessments, verification testing, and design validation to ensure products are technically robust and meet reliably goals • Provide engineering analysis and design history file documentation to support development activities, including Design Inputs, Design Outputs, Protocols, Task Analysis, and risk assessments • Support the lab and design verification teams with test plans, test setups, methods, investigations, and engineering confidence tests Cross-Functional Collaboration: • Engage and collaborate with clinical, project development, regulatory, quality, and operations teams, as well as external engineering partners to ensure alignment throughout device development • Work across engineering disciplines (mechanical, software, systems engineering) to drive consensus and support execution on technical solutions • Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure development deliverables and timelines meet regulatory standards and quality expectations Professional Development and Process Improvement: • Establish and maintain working knowledge of technology trends and assess their relevance to combination product development • Partner with external vendors to understand and evaluate future technology roadmaps • Participate in and drive department continuous improvement initiatives focused on maximizing process efficiencies and enhanced collaboration • Use appropriate project management techniques and stage/gate processes to ensure successful completion of assigned projects Education and Experience: • BS in Electrical Engineering or equivalent discipline, with typically 10+ years of relevant industry experience; MS in Electrical Engineering with typically 8+ years of relevant experience; • Demonstrated experience in medical devices or combination product development • Prior experience with subcutaneous injection devices, electromechanical devices, or digital/connected health technologies is highly desirable Technical Skills and Knowledge: • Demonstrated expertise in electrical system design for drug delivery systems • Advanced understanding of circuit design, PCB design, and embedded systems; experience having designed and developed electrical systems from concept through product launch is a plus • Proficiency with design tools, simulation software, and analytical modeling techniques • Solid knowledge of applicable global regulatory requirements and industry standards (e.g., 21 CFR 820.30, ISO 13485, MDR) • Understanding of modern, lean product development methodologies and stage/gate processes • Experience with design verification and validation protocols in regulated environments Competencies and Attributes: • Demonstrated ability to function as a technical leader, generating original technical ideas and development strategies • Possesses strong technical judgment and ability to work on problems of complex scope with competing factors • Excellent ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups within engineering and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external partners • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with ability to clearly articulate technical challenges and solutions to stakeholders • Demonstrated project management capability and ability to balance multiple priorities • Proactive approach to identifying and resolving technical and project risks • Self-motivated with ability to operate independently Key Stakeholders and Working Relationships • R&D team members (mechanical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering) • Regulatory and Quality Assurance functions • Operations and Supply Chain teams • Clinical and Commercial teams • External development partners • Project management and cross-functional leadership Additional Information • Travel (domestic and/or international) may be required depending on project assignments (estimated 5%-10%) • This role requires strong attention to detail and commitment to quality and regulatory compliance • The successful candidate will demonstrate a passion for advancing innovative drug delivery technologies Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​ • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​ • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​ • This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​ Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. ​ AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

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