Optical Engineering Intern

At Intuitive, we are united behind our mission: we believe that minimally invasive care is life-enhancing care. Through ingenuity and intelligent technology, we expand the potential of physicians to heal without constraints.

As a pioneer and market leader in robotic-assisted surgery, we strive to foster an inclusive and diverse team, committed to making a difference. For more than 25 years, we have worked with hospitals and care teams around the world to help solve some of healthcare's hardest challenges and advance what is possible.

Intuitive has been built by the efforts of great people from diverse backgrounds. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere. We strive to foster an inclusive culture built around diversity of thought and mutual respect. We lead with inclusion and empower our team members to do their best work as their most authentic selves.

Passionate people who want to make a difference drive our culture. Our team members are grounded in integrity, have a strong capacity to learn, the energy to get things done, and bring diverse, real world experiences to help us think in new ways. We actively invest in our team members to support their long-term growth so they can continue to advance our mission and achieve their highest potential.

Join a team committed to taking big leaps forward for a global community of healthcare professionals and their patients. Together, let's advance the world of minimally invasive care.

Primary Function of Position 

The Optical Engineering Intern will work with a group of talented and dedicated people focused on the development and integration of various sensing modalities in medical robotics.  The candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to a variety of optical technologies including fiber optic sensing and tissue imaging.

As a member of the engineering team, this position will work closely with other engineers in the design and development of state-of-the-art sensing methods.  The candidate must be able to coordinate their efforts within a team design effort and be able to report progress and milestones relative to the overall development project.

Essential Job Duties

• Design, develop, build and test systems based on fiber optic, free-space optic and laser technologies
• Collaborate with device, hardware and software design teams to assist in overall development of optical systems
• Develop and implement test procedures and/or evaluate and select appropriate test instrumentation

Required Skills and Experience 

• Hands-on optical design and test experience with fiber based and free-space systems
• Ability to work well in a team environment
• Excellent written and oral communications skills
• Self-motivated, willing/able to take initiative
• Experience with optical design and simulation software (Zemax, Lumerical, etc.)

University Hiring Program Eligibility Requirements:

• University Enrollment: Must be currently enrolled in and returning to an accredited degree-seeking academic program in the Fall.
• Internship Work Period: Must be available to work full-time (approximately 40 hours per week) during a 10-12 week period starting May or June. Specific start dates are shared during the recruiting process.

Required Education and Training 

• Current enrollment in Optical Engineering or related degree-seeking program at the Doctorate level. Master’s students may also be considered based on specific relevant experience.

Preferred Skills and Experience 

• Experience with OFDR is desired
• Experience with Fiber Bragg Grating sensing is desired
• Experience with distributed optical fiber sensing
• Experience with multimodal microscopy
• Experience with tissue imaging (OCT, Photo acoustic imaging, etc.)

Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19.  Details can vary by role.

Intuitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.

Mandatory Notices

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay (paid at an hourly rate), benefits, and a housing allowance. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including relevant skills and experience for this internship, degree-seeking academic program (PhD, Master’s, Bachelor’s, etc), year in school, and location. The hourly rate is prorated against the intern program salaries listed and total program compensation will be based on internship duration.