Senior Mechanical Engineer
Intuitive
Summary
Intuitive Surgical designs and manufactures highly complex mechanical systems for use in surgery. These systems include both capital equipment and consumables in the form of surgical instruments and accessories. The Senior Mechanical Engineer for Instrument and Accessory Advanced Product Development will be a member of a small team responsible for exploring and developing early product concepts and technologies that will help feed the da Vinci product pipeline.
Job description
Primary Function of the Position
Intuitive Surgical designs and manufactures highly complex mechanical systems for use in surgery. These systems include both capital equipment and consumables in the form of surgical instruments and accessories. The Senior Mechanical Engineer for Instrument and Accessory Advanced Product Development will be a member of a small team responsible for exploring and developing early product concepts and technologies that will help feed the da Vinci product pipeline.
The successful candidate will lead early assessment, design, development, and testing of novel concepts for instrument and accessory related products. The candidate will help to identify and evaluate new technologies in light of customer and company needs, establish design requirements to meet customer needs, work with suppliers and other outside companies and consultants to realize viable technical solutions, and refine designs for transfer to the New Product Development organization for commercialization.
Essential Job Duties
- Work within cross-functional project teams to create, evaluate, and prove out new product architectures and refine them for hand off to new Product Development
- Collaborate with subject matter experts to understand the clinical, usability, and other needs of users of da Vinci systems as they relate to surgical instruments and accessories
- Develop technical requirements for designs based on an understanding of customer needs, commercial objectives (e.g. cost of goods), regulatory requirements, and feasibility constraints
- Perform conceptual design, detailed design, analytical modeling, prototyping, data analysis, and troubleshooting of novel instruments and accessories for the da Vinci robotic surgical system
- Develop and perform early performance testing, with assistance from other functions as needed
- Assist with evaluation of prototypes by supporting bench, ex-vivo, and in-vivo laboratory testing with clinical experts
- Develop and manage relationships with key partners
- Provide written protocols, reports, and presentations related to design activities on an ongoing basis
- Review mechanical engineering designs of other Intuitive engineers in both a formal and informal capacity
- Refine and document product designs as needed to support successful transfer into the new product development organization
Other Functions
- Assess technologies from outside entities for potential licensing and adaptation to the da Vinci product line
- Identify, test, and report on new materials, manufacturing processes, and technologies that could benefit existing products or enable new product designs
- Document, prepare and review patent submissions
Requirements
- Minimum five (5) years of experience taking products from concept to production
- At least eight (8) years of experience with precision mechanical design
- Familiarity with all phases of the product development lifecycle including design, implementation, debug, verification, qualification, and transfer
- Proven ability to apply the basic laws of physics to understand and achieve quick and reliable solutions to engineering problems
- Exceptional mechanical aptitude and visual thinking skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills such as finite element analysis, statistics, and experimental designs
- Strong understanding of design for reliability and manufacturability
- Proven ability to work well in a team environment and drive individual projects
- Experience managing partners and small projects
- Proficiency using CAD to design and document mechanical designs
- Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills
- Ability to interface with customers and potential business partners in a highly professional manner
- Comfort operating standard machine shop equipment for prototyping (mill, lathe, etc.)
- Proficient with techniques for rapidly fabricating proof-of-concept and functional prototypes
- Comfortable with standard mechanical and electrical measurement and test equipment
- BS in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering field required
- Understanding of mechatronics, robotics, and servo-controlled systems strongly preferred
- Experience developing software control algorithms a plus
- SolidWorks preferred
- MS or PhD preferred
- Experience and skills in design of high volume (e.g. injection molded, MIM) components, and design for manufacturability strongly preferred
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Equity
- Incentives
- Retirement Benefits
Company overview
Intuitive Surgical, Inc., commonly known as Intuitive, is a global technology leader in minimally invasive care and the pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, the company has revolutionized surgical procedures through its flagship da Vinci Surgical System and Ion endoluminal system. As a publicly traded company on NASDAQ (ISRG), Intuitive has established itself as the dominant player in robotic surgery, with over 15,000 employees worldwide and an installed base of thousands of surgical systems across more than 60 countries. The company's innovative platforms enable surgeons to perform complex procedures with enhanced precision, flexibility, and control through minimally invasive techniques. Intuitive's technology portfolio includes advanced vision systems, wristed instruments, and intelligent software that work together to optimize surgical outcomes. The company continues to expand its product offerings and geographic presence while maintaining a strong focus on clinical evidence, physician training, and patient safety. With annual revenues exceeding $8 billion, Intuitive represents a transformative force in modern healthcare, driving the adoption of robotic-assisted procedures across multiple surgical specialties including urology, gynecology, general surgery, and thoracic surgery.