Medical devices are a core part of modern healthcare, from simple single-use products and diagnostic equipment to implantable devices, imaging systems and software. They are used across prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment and rehabilitation, making medical technology an important area for STEM professionals.
For people building a career in science, engineering, technology or healthcare, medtech offers opportunities across the entire product lifecycle. For employers, the challenge is finding people who understand both their technical discipline and the regulatory environment in which medical devices are developed and brought to market.
What counts as a medical device?
The World Health Organisation defines a medical device broadly. It can include an instrument, apparatus, machine, implant, software or other article intended by the manufacturer to be used for a specific medical purpose. These purposes can include diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment and supporting or sustaining life.
In the UK, the regulatory position can be more nuanced. Some products sit on the boundary between medical devices and other regulated products, and the MHRA determines whether a product falls within the medical device regulations. The intended purpose and how the product works are important considerations.
For general medical devices in Great Britain, the UK Medical Devices Regulations use four risk classes:
- Class I
- Class IIa
- Class IIb
- Class III
The higher the risk class, the greater the level of conformity assessment required.
In vitro diagnostic devices are regulated separately, while software can also fall within the medical device framework where it meets the relevant criteria.
That regulatory structure has a direct impact on the skills employers need. Medical device professionals may work across product development, quality, regulatory compliance, clinical activities, software, manufacturing and post-market surveillance.
Where are the jobs in medtech?
Medical Devices careers cover much more than product design. Medtech roles can sit at different points in the product lifecycle, including:
- R&D and design engineering
- Regulatory affairs
- Quality assurance
- Quality engineering
- Validation and manufacturing
- Clinical affairs
- Software engineering
- Software as a Medical Device
- Post-market surveillance
- Field service engineering
- Data and digital roles
- Commercial and sales
The right career path depends on the type of device and the stage of development. A medical device engineer may focus on design and verification, while a regulatory professional may work on technical documentation and market access. Quality professionals may be involved in quality systems, audits and compliance, while post-market teams monitor device safety and performance after launch.
Why regulatory knowledge matters
Medical device employers need more than technical expertise. Professionals working in the sector also need to understand the regulatory and quality requirements that apply to their products.
This has become particularly important in Great Britain following changes to post-market surveillance requirements. New regulations came into force on 16 June 2025, introducing additional requirements around post-market surveillance, including incident notifications and preventive and corrective actions.
For employers, this means regulatory, quality and post-market expertise can be important when building teams that can manage products throughout their lifecycle.
It also creates opportunities for candidates who can combine specialist technical knowledge with an understanding of regulated environments.
Software and AI are becoming part of the medtech skills landscape
Software is increasingly relevant to medical technology, and the MHRA already regulates many software products as medical devices or in vitro diagnostic medical devices where they meet the relevant criteria.
The MHRA has an ongoing programme of work focused on software and artificial intelligence as medical devices. Its work covers areas including qualification, classification, pre-market requirements, post-market activity and cybersecurity.
For professionals, this creates demand for skills that sit across traditional technical disciplines. Software engineers, data professionals and other digital specialists may increasingly need an understanding of medical device development, documentation, risk management and regulatory expectations.
The UK medtech skills challenge
The wider UK life sciences sector is expected to need significant additional skilled talent over the coming decade.
Skills England and the Office for Life Sciences project that priority occupations in life sciences could increase by around 66,000 jobs between 2025 and 2035, while around 52,000 workers may also need to be replaced, giving total projected demand of approximately 118,000 workers across those priority occupations. The assessment also says that 83% of projected additional employment requires qualifications at Level 4 or above.
For medtech employers, the implication is straightforward. Hiring strategies need to consider both specialist expertise and transferable technical capability.
How employers can build stronger medtech teams
Hire for transferable technical capability
Medical device experience is valuable, but it should not always be the only route into the sector. Engineers and technical professionals from other regulated or highly controlled industries may already understand concepts such as traceability, risk management, quality systems, documentation and compliance.
The important question is often whether a candidate can transfer those skills into the medical device environment.
Combine technical and regulatory skills
A strong medtech professional may need to operate across disciplines. Engineering, software, quality, clinical and regulatory knowledge increasingly overlap, particularly for complex and software-enabled products.
Hiring for this combination can widen the talent pool beyond candidates whose previous job title exactly matches the vacancy.
Develop early-career talent
Employers can also strengthen their future pipeline through apprenticeships and early-career programmes.
From 1 August 2026, changes to apprenticeship funding mean the government can fund all apprenticeship training and assessment costs, up to the funding band maximum, for eligible apprentices aged 16 to 24 in certain circumstances. From 1 October 2026, eligible non-levy-paying employers can also receive a £2,000 hiring payment when recruiting new apprentices aged 16 to 24.
For medtech businesses, apprenticeship and early-career routes can provide a structured way to develop technical capability while introducing employees to regulated working environments.
Use contract expertise where demand is temporary
Some regulatory and quality projects are tied to specific product launches, remediation programmes, audits or regulatory deadlines. Bringing in specialist contractors can give employers access to experience for a defined period without requiring every capability to be permanent.
The right balance will depend on the project, internal expertise and long-term workforce plans.
The UK regulatory landscape continues to evolve
Medical device regulation in Great Britain is still developing.
The MHRA launched a consultation in February 2026 on proposals for the indefinite recognition of certain CE-marked medical devices in Great Britain. The consultation included proposals relating to continued recognition of EU MDR and EU IVDR devices.
At the same time, existing transitional arrangements continue to allow certain CE-marked medical devices to be placed on the Great Britain market under specified conditions and timelines.
For employers and candidates, the message is clear: regulatory knowledge is not static. Professionals working in medtech need to stay current as requirements and market access arrangements develop.
Building medtech teams with SRG
SRG supports organisations across STEM and life sciences with contract and permanent recruitment, technical search, early-career hiring and workforce solutions.
Our medtech recruitment approach covers roles across areas including engineering, quality, regulatory affairs, clinical, manufacturing, software and technical leadership.
For employers, the focus is on understanding the technical requirement before starting the search. For candidates, it is about finding opportunities where technical experience and career goals align.
Hiring in medtech? Talk to our medtech team.
Looking for your next role? Browse our live medical device jobs.
