It’s interesting how engineering job titles can offer a glimpse into how a company approaches innovation. I’ve spoken with many engineers, and just by hearing their title, I can almost always guess the size of the organization they work for—every single time.
Big Orthopedic Companies: Innovation by Acquisition
In large orthopedic companies, innovation doesn’t typically come from within. Instead, their strategy is centered around acquisitions. Take Stryker, for example. They recently acquired OrthoSensor, a company that develops surgical procedure sensors. Now, Stryker could have developed these sensors internally, but they chose not to. Why? Because fostering innovation internally is no longer embedded in their company culture. Even their engineering job titles reflect this shift.
In large orthopedic firms, most engineers are focused on minimizing mistakes and maintaining systems, rather than pushing the envelope through innovation. The goal for these engineers is compliance and efficiency, not invention. Zimmer, the global leader in joint replacements, is a perfect example. At one point, they employed over 100 remediation engineers in Warsaw, solely to address regulatory and quality compliance. The sheer number of these roles shows that innovation has taken a backseat.
Another clue to this innovation vacuum is the fact that less than 10% of engineers in big orthopedic companies work directly with surgeons—the key to understanding real-world clinical needs and driving meaningful innovation.
Small Orthopedic Companies: Innovation or Bust
In contrast, small orthopedic companies must innovate to survive. For them, innovation isn’t an option; it’s a necessity. These companies are in a constant race to out-innovate their competition. Every engineer in these smaller firms is focused on developing new products and iterating on existing designs to stay competitive. [Read more about how small companies drive innovation through iteration in this blog post—The Hidden Tool That Spawns Innovation: Iteration].
In small ortho companies, engineers are always in direct contact with surgeons, gathering vital insights from the operating room to inform their next innovation. These engineers don’t just work on improving existing systems—they are on the front lines of product development, taking risks and making mistakes as part of the creative process.
Engineering Titles: A Window into Innovation
The titles themselves tell the story. In big orthopedic companies, you’ll find job titles like:
- Design Assurance Engineer
- Reliability Engineer
- Remediation Engineer
- Packaging Engineer
- CAPA Engineer
- Supplier Quality Engineer
These roles are focused on process, compliance, and minimizing risk—essential tasks, but not ones that drive groundbreaking innovation.
On the other hand, at smaller companies, the titles reflect a focus on pushing the boundaries:
- Product Development Engineer
- Project Engineer
These roles suggest a more hands-on approach to creating and refining new products, where engineers are expected to innovate, make mistakes, and iterate to drive progress.
Conclusion: Big vs. Small—Innovation Through Titles
The job titles in a company’s engineering department offer a revealing snapshot of how that company approaches innovation. Large orthopedic companies have shifted their focus to maintaining systems and avoiding errors, while small orthopedic companies live and breathe innovation. If you’re an engineer in the ortho industry, your job title may just reveal more about your company’s priorities than you realize.