Supplier Manufacturing Process Engineer, Future Forward

It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive. As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion—have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide.

We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world.

The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life.

If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you’ll find your purpose here.

Primary Function of Position

Lead Supplier Engineer on a design project. Responsible to influence the design architecture, component specifications, and component manufacturing process based on supplier capabilities.  Responsible for DFM, cost modeling, commodity knowledge, to support supplier selection and BOM cost targets.  Responsible for qualification of all components and launch plan.   Post launch, responsible to drive suppliers to continuously improve business and manufacturing processes.

Essential Job Duties

• Partner with design engineering to understand the design intent and how it translates to component design. Ensure critical design outputs are clearly documented and measurable on the component specification. 
• Influence Engineering team to select the component technology that will meet requirements for short- and long-term needs from prototype to production, but also meet business objectives for cost and utilizing preferred suppliers.
• Collaborate with Quality Engineering and Design Engineering to support dFMEA reviews and confirm the feasibility of various design risk mitigations.
• Influence and drive changes to Intuitive component specifications to ensure a robust component manufacturing process that can scale.
• Work with design engineering to develop test methods and acceptance criteria for the supplied part or sub-assembly.
• Create strategies to effectively optimize the supply base to reduce the risk of complex sub-tiers suppliers and long lead times. 
• Determine risk mitigations for high severity parts, sole suppliers or proprietary materials.
• Complete Design Transfer and component qualification: pFMEA, Special Process Validations, FAI, correlation and Cpk by leading, training and mentoring suppliers through the process.
• Develop supplier ramp readiness plans by judging business risk based on forecast, supplier capacity, quality performance, and process capability.
• Drive corrective actions for supplier process by driving suppliers to true root cause analysis and corrective and Preventive actions.
• Develop and influence using metrics for supplier part cost, delivery, quality, capacity and capability by creating metrics to measure real improvement and judge required intervention or change at the supplier or in a commodity.

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of manufacturing processes, including understanding of key input variables for quality, cost, and capacity (specialized in at least one of the following areas: metal fabrication, extrusions, plastics injection molding, tubing modifications, metal injection molding, electronics, and/or contract manufacturing)
• Proven ability to work alongside design engineers and assess supplier capability during the design iteration process
• Demonstrable knowledge in evaluating and challenging supplier technical, quality, and business capabilities
• Excellent Project Management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including presentations to executive level management
• Excellent Interpersonal skills and team building skills
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills along with good judgment
• Significant computer experience using Windows, Word, Excel, Access and ERP Information Systems, preferably SAP
• Ability to read and interpret detailed mechanical drawings and communicate technical information

Required Education and Training

• BS degree in Engineering or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years related experience in Supplier Engineering, Manufacturing Process Engineering or related field.

Preferred Skills and Experience  

• Experience with catheter or endoscopy components is a plus
• Experience with GD&T and component measurement techniques is a plus

• Knowledge of 21 CFR part 820 and ISO 13485 (experience in auditing suppliers to these standards

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.