Stephen Zielinski

Stephen A. Zielinski, CSEP, PMP
(952) 239-6161 • steve.zielinski.mn@gmail.com

SUMMARY
An experienced engineering leader with a proven track record of developing products with multi-disciplined and internationally distributed teams of engineers in medical device, industrial process control, entrepreneurial, and defense industries.
PROFILE
• Strong engineering management background includes leading geographically distributed teams, strategic planning, project management, business requirements analysis, process improvement and software development.
• Enabled $200 million+ in revenue in the industrial process control space by directing engineering team in developing embedded software used by leading companies worldwide.
• Expertise in introducing mature project management practices to create predictability and improve communication with senior management.
• Established a corporate wide culture of system and software engineering by introducing and driving the adoption of Model-Driven Development (MDD). Led the introduction of system engineering processes utilizing IBM’s Rhapsody SysML and UML modeling tool and the Harmony systems engineering process.
• Cited for facilitating “a major breakthrough” and for “leadership,” by General Manager, who added, “We could not have done this without [Steve]…”

EXPERIENCE
Program Manager, Software Quality Engineering Medtronic, Inc., Medtronic Energy and Components Center, Brooklyn Center, MN (2014 – present)
Leading the establishment of systems and software engineering as a core competency in an organization rapidly expanding software intensive manufacturing processes.
• Using systems and software development best practices to reduce time-to-market introduction of high reliability medical devices.
• Driving a factory-of-the-future implementation with enterprise scale data collection and machine control.

Software Engineering Manager, Medtronic, Inc., NEUROMODULATION, Fridley, MN (2010- 2014)
Led the adoption of Agile development methodologies and tools as a method to enhance transparency and accountability in project execution. Initiated the adoption of model-driven development in order to facilitate a new agile hardware platform paradigm. Drove the Agile approach into hardware development.
• Established Agile development as a best practice and led a shift in the department’s culture toward agile product development.
• Anticipated the divisions move to commercial off-the-shelf hardware and directed development of the first Android proof of concept prototype in the Instruments group.
• Effectively integrated a geographically remote team using Scrum.
• Led the effort to evaluate the choice between native, hybrid, or web app development.
• Evaluated Mobile Device Management and Application Performance Management solutions to create a mobile implanted medical device ecosystem.

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Chief Engineer, Eaton, Inc., HYDRAULICS OPERATIONS, Eden Prairie, MN (2005-2010).
Built, and led, a team of 10 direct reports and 16 indirect reports into a high performing vehicle system and software team realizing the division’s new commitment to capture market share with development of embedded electro-hydraulic products and PC-based system engineering tools. Manage major engineering and process improvement projects, coordinating teams in US, UK, Austria, Italy, and India.
• Established corporate wide culture of software engineering best practices and led shift in corporate culture from mechanical engineering to system and software engineering processes.
• Enhanced efficiency by planning and leading implementation of ClearCase/ClearQuest Configuration Management (CM) tool and Agile (iterative) development process.
• Improved productivity 20% through implementation of CM tool.

Principal Engineer, ROSEMOUNT, INC. (division of Emerson), Eden Prairie, MN (1997-2005).
Manage project estimation, planning, tracking and reporting. Direct five engineers in developing embedded, real-time software for communication stack of distributed process control network.
• Enabled $243 million in revenue by leading team designing software contained in more than 121,500 instruments at 2,200 plants worldwide for such clients as Exxon, 3M, Pfizer and Coors.
• Saved more than $9 million in development costs by successfully deploying communication software across multiple, independent divisions of Emerson.
• Awarded CMM Level 3 compliance for implementing disciplined software development practices while serving as member of software process improvement team.
• Facilitated higher maturity levels by writing web-based program to track quantitative project metrics. Program gathers data from other systems to provide integrated view of project progress.
• Saved more than $200,000 in replacement and retraining costs by retaining key members of project team and providing personal development coaching for team members.
• Created more reliable code by introducing object-oriented design to development methodology.

System Software Manager, CHECKPOINT, INC., Eden Prairie, MN (1994-1997).
Brought maturity to software development process by standardizing software across product lines for entrepreneurial company developing closed-circuit TV security systems for retail industries.
• Generated more than $10 million revenue by developing proprietary equipment.
• Directed two engineers developing embedded, real-time software for distributed control network.
• Designed and tested user-centered prototype of graphical user interface for system.

Electronics Engineer, NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER, Indianapolis, IN (1988-1994).
Developed plans for integrating Global Positioning System (GPS) into Navy aircraft.
• Led team of 12 engineers, from varied disciplines, in evaluation and procurement of cockpit control, display and navigation units (CDNU) used as primary element in navigation systems.
• Enabled $20-million contract award for new Navy standard CDNU currently used in 23 different Navy aircraft types. Evaluation was concluded on-time and within budget.
• Wrote software and designed hardware for test simulations of spread-spectrum receiver.
• Developed embedded, real-time software upgrades using Ada in accordance with DoD standards.

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EDUCATION
• Master of Software Design and Development, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN (2001).
• Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (1988).
• Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Arts, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN (1988).

CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
• Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP), International Council On Systems Engineering (2010).
• Project Management Professional Certification (PMP), Project Management Institute (2003).
• Six Sigma Black Belt (certification pending completion of demonstration project).
• Eaton Technical Leadership Forum (2007).

AFFILIATIONS
• Senior Member IEEE.
• INCOSE Member.

TECHNICAL SKILLS
System Modeling Language (SysML), Unified Modeling Language (UML), C, C++, Java, MatLab, and Simulink.

PATENTS AND AWARDS
• Awarded US patent # 6,742,136 for redundant devices in process control system, used as failsafe measures by all major petroleum processors.
• Awarded US patent #7,587,662 for detection of noise within an operating frequency on a network.
• Awarded US patent # 7,779,163 for event order of occurrence on a network (2010).
• Awarded US patent # 7,793,203 Fieldbus process communications using error correction (2010).
• Published Patent Application: “Handheld field maintenance bus monitor” (#20080075012).

PUBLICATIONS
The Great Convergence: Merging Lean, Agile, and Knowledge-based New Product Development