Boston Scientific to layoff up to 600

Arden Hills targeted

Staff Report

Boston Scientific said this afternoon it will cut 500 to 600 research and development jobs, with most cuts to come at the former Guidant cardiac rhythm management unit in Arden Hills.

The move is part of a restructuring announced by the Natick, Massachusetts-based company as it also reported a 13 percent gain in defibrillator sales in the fourth quarter compared with the previous three-month period.

The cuts are part of a plan by the medical device manufacturer to focus on "a more selective number of research and development products," the company said in a release.

"This plan will shift resources from less productive products to more productive ones, reinvigorating our product pipeline and driving top-line growth," said Jim Tobin, president and CEO of Boston Scientific.

The job losses at Boston Scientific will come from research and development areas along with other functions. Decisions on which individual jobs will be cut will be made in coming weeks and the process should be complete by mid-February. Affected employees will be offered severance packages, outplacement services and other support.

Boston Scientific last year edged out Johnson & Johnson in a bidding war for Guidant, which has been dogged by questions about the reliability of key products. The Massachusetts company employs about 6,000 people here, including its stent-making operations in the western Twin Cities. Companywide, Boston Scientific employs 29,000 people.