Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - Flexible Instruments

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:

This candidate will support the design and testing of next generation robotic flexible instruments.

Essential Job Duties:

• Design new instrument components, using knowledge and experience to select the optimal material and process (metal vs. plastic, molded vs. extruded vs. MIM vs. formed, etc.).

• Develop test methods, fixtures, and measurement tools to evaluate the performance of robotic catheters and sub-assemblies.

• Benchmark existing designs and compare candidate designs.

• Present your findings to design engineering, clinical, and manufacturing, and make recommendations for design iterations.

• Work with clinical engineering and manufacturing to understand key drivers of product performance, durability, and ease of assembly.

• Investigate and determine root cause of emerging design or manufacturing defects.

• Help define engineering requirements and ensure candidate designs are backed by robust data prior to design freeze.

• Complete detailed drawings and robust tolerance analysis and update designs accordingly.

• Support process development engineering activities.

• Mentor and guide younger engineers about best practices in design and engineering.

Required Skills and Experience:

• 6+ years design engineering experience.

• A passion for solving tough technical problems - strong mechanical intuition and persistence to drill down to pinpoint root causes, solving problems using fundamental principles.

• Proficiency using CAD to design parts and assemblies and to create specification drawings in a PDM environment; SolidWorks strongly preferred.

• Mechanical design and analysis skills, including statics, dynamics, kinematics, and strength of materials.

• Experience creating rapid prototypes and mock-ups.

• Knowledge of component manufacturing processes such as injection molding, extrusion, machining, wire EDM, MIM, heat treatment, electropolishing, laser welding, etc.

• Familiarity with design for manufacturing and design for assembly.

• Inclination towards hands-on engineering with the ability to work well in a team environment.

• Demonstrated ability to think at a systems level, interface between multiple design groups, and negotiate conflicting requirements.

• Ability to communicate effectively and accurately (written and oral) across all levels and functions, including presenting to a technical audience.

• Good documentation skills and habits.

Required Education and Training:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.

Working Conditions:

N/A

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• MSME or other advanced engineering degree.

• Surgical or medical device product experience is a plus.

• Experience with Finite Element Analysis, particularly using ANSYS.

• Experience with statistics and design of experiments.

• Firsthand machining experience and familiarity with test and metrology equipment.

• Comfortable using Matlab, Python, or similar tools.

• Experience with designing hardware products in a regulated industry – familiarity with the concepts of design inputs, design outputs, traceability, and risk analysis.

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

U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer:  In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)), some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employees
who are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.

Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the government’s licensing process can take 3 to 6+ months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (“TCP”) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).  

For any Intuitive role subject to export controls, final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employee’s
start date, which may or may not be flexible, and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable, candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes. 

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

Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside, or plan to reside, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Tennessee.

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. 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 experience, skills, and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.