Stryker’s origin story starts in Kalamazoo, MI. In 1941, our founder, Dr. Homer Stryker created the Orthopedic Frame Company, which would later become Stryker as we know it today. Fast-forward 80 some years, and you’ll still find our Global Headquarters based in Kalamazoo, MI, just a few miles south of where it all began. In addition to our HQ, Kalamazoo, is also home to Stryker’s Instruments and Medical Divisions.
Within a three-mile radius, you’ll find over five Stryker sites, specializing in manufacturing, logistics, engineering, corporate functions and more. Our three main locations in Kalamazoo are the Global HQ/Instruments Division, Medical Division, and our Instrument’s Manufacturing site.
Our Global HQ/Instruments Division office at a glance:
Our Global HQ/Instruments Division opened this new office space in 2019 with an open work environment and state-of-the-art amenities. Featuring over 485,000 square feet, this space is designed to accommodate a wide collection of teams and services and enable easier innovation alongside customers.
Office address: 1941 Stryker Way, Portage, MI
Main business: Global Headquarters and Instruments Division
Main functions: Research and Development, Human Resources, Engineering, Finance and Corporate Functions
On-site perks: Onsite fitness center with classes, onsite cafeteria, onsite FedEx, onsite Starbucks, multiple coffee bars, pickleball courts, free coffee and tea, walking trails, a community garden and more!
Our Medical Division office at a glance:
Originally built in 1984, our Medical Division office and manufacturing facility expanded and saw renovations in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The 700,000 square feet building boasts over 1,600 parking spots, 50 spaces for collaboration and even an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) chamber.
Office address: 3800 E. Centre Ave, Portage, MI
Main business: Medical Division
Main functions: Manufacturing, Engineering, Research and Development, Marketing and Human Resources
On-site perks: Onsite fitness center with classes, two onsite cafeterias, free coffee and tea, show room for medical products and more!
Our Instrument’s Manufacturing office at a glance:
Office address: 6201 Sprinkle Road, Portage, MI
Main business: Instruments Division
Main function: Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality and Assurance
On-site perks: Onsite cafeteria, basketball court, onsite fitness center
Although each of our facilities has unique offerings (make sure to ask your recruiter about them), there are several reasons working in Kalamazoo is great regardless of the location you’re based in.
Here are 8 reasons to join our team in Michigan:
1. We’re a Great Place to Work
And we’re not the only ones who think so. Since 2011, Great Place to Work and Fortune have listed Stryker as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. What makes Stryker one of the best? Our culture. Our company culture is built around purpose, talent, relationships and growth. We care for each other and are committed to leveraging our diverse strengths and collaborating to win.
Additional awards include:
Best Workplace for Women, Great Place to Work and Fortune
Best Workplace for Manufacturing and Production, Great Place to Work and Fortune
Best Workplace for Parents, Great Place to Work
World’s Best Workplaces, Great Place to Work
Want to know more? View our most recent list of awards and recognitions here.
2. Networking opportunities
Whether you’re looking to expand your professional association, have a specific interest in an open role or want to make a new friend at work, your networking opportunities in Kalamazoo are endless. Since our Global Headquarters are here, employees from all over the world are constantly traveling in and out of town, giving you a unique opportunity to meet people from all different businesses and divisions across the company. Additionally, with multiple locations so close by, you’re never more than a few minutes drive from visiting another site and meeting new people.
3. Engagement events
Our engagement events give you an opportunity to meet your colleagues in a casual and fun environment. Each of our sites in Kalamazoo offer on-site events including happy hours and luncheons, but they also collaborate to host campus-wide events.
A few of our favorites?
Employee Appreciation Week, featuring food, prizes, photobooth and more.
Bring Your Family to Work Day, where your loved ones can join you at work to learn more about your role and the company.
Trunk or treating, a family affair hosted in each parking lot with games, activities and plenty of candy to go around.
The best part? If you’re an employee in Kalamazoo, but not aligned to one of the businesses or divisions based here, our corporate team is happy to include you in events!
4. Workplace flexibility
At Stryker, we’re committed to attracting and retaining great people who are passionate about our mission to make healthcare better. Each of our businesses are empowered to maximize productivity and engagement with virtual and flexible ways of working. Many teams in Kalamazoo work on a hybrid schedule spending a few days of the week in the office, and others working remote. We also offer fully remote roles, on-site positions and field-based jobs.
We encourage our teams to find what mix works best for them and provide the equipment needed for our employees to perform at their best from their homes.
In addition to offering flexible work options, we also believe in a more flexible approach to our dress code, which we call ‘Dress for your day’. This allows you the option to dress in a way that reflects your individual schedule. Whether you are wearing a suit or jeans, we will assume you are dressing in accordance with your comfort and schedule for the day.
5. Active employee resource groups
We’re proud to offer nine employee resource groups (ERGs) at Stryker. While each ERG is available to any Stryker employee, Kalamazoo is unique because each ERG has a physical chapter in town. Throughout the year, ERGs take turns hosting on-site activities, trainings and volunteer events across our sites.
Whether you’re looking to grow your leadership skills through one of Women in Science and Engineering’s Failure Labs, place flags on soldier’s graves with Stryker’s Veterans Association or learn more about Black history during Stryker’s African Ancestry Network’s Juneteenth Celebration, there is sure to be an event (or several) that you won’t want to miss.
6. Focus on health and wellness
The health of our employees is important to us, and we believe in making it easier for you to prioritize your total well-being. We’re proud to offer several resources designed to help with your wellness goals:
On-site fitness centers: Each location has on-site fitness facilities with a variety of equipment, as well as locker rooms and showers. Both our HQ and Medical Division offices also offer complementary group fitness classes throughout the week.
Access to the Kalamazoo Trail System: We have a one-mile outdoor trail surrounding he grounds of our Global HQ. This trail, complete with quarter-mile markers, connects to the greater Kalamazoo trail system. All other Stryker sites in the area connect to the trail system via sidewalks.
Strive for Wellbeing: Offers holistic wellness guidance. The program is designed to help employees learn more about overall health including physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Employees are encouraged and supported while they strive to implement and sustain healthier habits.
Employee assistance program: Employees have access to helpful and anonymous resources that offer support in many life areas, including financial, legal and psychological.
7. Commitment to sustainability
We work to create a healthier world not only through our products and services, but also through our commitments to responsible operations. At Stryker, our growth is fueled by innovation and rooted in the understanding that human health relies on the health of our planet. With this belief, a group of Stryker employees created the group, Stryker’s Environmental Alliance (SEA). SEA focuses on educating, engaging and empowering the Stryker community to positively impact people and our planet. The local chapter of SEA has undertaken a number of initiatives such as: e-recycling events, park clean up and creating an online sustainability storefront.
8. We love our community
One of the many things that makes Stryker unique is our ability to come together in support of our communities. Whether it’s through giving or volunteering, our employees are driven by their desire to improve where they live and work. With a focus on advancing healthcare, supporting education, improving environmental health and enriching community culture, our employees find opportunities throughout the year to help strengthen their communities. Examples include:
Annual 3on3 Fundraising Basketball Tournament: Each year, our employees across Kalamazoo put their basketball skills to the test while coworkers, friends, and family cheer them on. In 2023, over 60 teams participated in this fundraising initiative, raising money for the local community.
Kalamazoo Pride Festival: Each June, Stryker’s Allies for Equality ERG volunteers at the Kalamazoo Pride Festival hosting a Stryker booth The booth features Stryker products and swag giveaways, while reinforcing our belief that everyone should feel comfortable coming to work as their authentic selves.
Career Right Here: In 2023, as part of our commitment to building a pipeline of early talent and creating opportunities for historically excluded talent, we invited local middle and high school students from the Kalamazoo community to participate in Stryker Day. This one-day event is an immersive career pathway experience where students are exposed to careers they may not have known existed.
Kalamazoo may be home to a vast array of Stryker’s divisions and functions, but each of our employees are united in our mission to make healthcare better.
Fun fact:
Our Global Headquarters facility has the distinction of being the first building in Michigan to be WELL Certified ™ Platinum and also Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified.