Sr Equipment Engineer

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:
Contribute technical expertise in manufacturing, design, and project management to a dynamic development team focused on creating precision instruments and accessories for minimally invasive robotic surgery. This role emphasizes manufacturing operations and achieving product safety, reliability, and performance targets.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong skills in Design of Experiments (DOE), equipment design, and be proficient with vision systems such as Cognex and Keyence. Familiarity with PLC programming and experience working with various robotic platforms, including Epson, are highly desirable.

Responsibilities include leading new product introductions (NPI) from concept through launch, as well as supporting ongoing production and sustaining activities.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain, and optimize efficient mid- to high-volume manufacturing assembly lines, including:
• Specifying, documenting, procuring, qualifying, and implementing production fixtures, hand tools, and manufacturing equipment.
• Designing workplace layouts and process flows for optimal efficiency and ergonomics.
• Identifying critical inspection and test checkpoints and integrating automated verification where applicable.
• Developing and validating robust fixtures to ensure process stability and repeatability.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on enhancing first-pass yield, reducing cycle time, improving product reliability, and lowering production costs.
• Ensure manufacturing processes and equipment maintain full compliance with the company’s quality system and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate and select suppliers for fixtures and equipment and resolve quality or delivery issues in collaboration with supply chain partners.
• Provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Reliability (DFR) feedback to design engineers to promote standardization and component commonality across assemblies.
• Launch and validate new manual and automated production processes, ensuring smooth transition from development to manufacturing.

Skills, Experience, Education, & Training:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or mechatronics engineering required; Master’s degree preferred. Equivalent engineering disciplines will also be considered.
• Experience: Minimum of 3 years of mechanical engineering experience, ideally with mid- to high-volume surgical or medical products.
• Product Development: Experience with new product introduction (NPI) and development preferred; background in robotics and automation is a plus.
• Manufacturing Processes: Familiarity with high-volume automated assembly.
• Soft Skills: Demonstrates a positive attitude, strong initiative, and the ability to collaborate effectively within a cross-functional team environment.
• Continuous Improvement: Proven ability to make incremental improvements to existing designs and manufacturing processes.
• Quality Systems: Experience working in ISO 9001 and/or ISO 13485 environments, particularly within medical device manufacturing.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with CAD software, preferably SolidWorks.
• Travel: Willingness to travel periodically to the Mexico manufacturing facility and supplier sites, with occasional weekend shift support as needed.

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.