A load-bearing medical implant is disclosed that includes a load-bearing structure with a cavity extending into the outer surface of the structure. The cavity accommodates a sensor that is held in a fixed position within the cavity by an encapsulant. The cavity is covered by a plate that is welded over the cavity in close proximity to the sensor and encapsulant to provide a seal over the cavity and the electronic component without causing thermal damage to the encapsulant or sensor despite the close proximity of the encapsulant and sensor to the welded areas of the plate and structure. Methods for encapsulating the sensor in the cavity, methods for encapsulating a wire bus leading from the sensor through a channel in the implant and methods for pulsed laser welding of weld plate over the sensor and encapsulant with thermal damage to either are disclosed.