Manager, Mechanical Engineering

Primary Function of Position

Intuitive designs and manufactures highly complex robotic systems for use in minimally invasive surgical applications. Our da Vinci® Surgical Systems design engineering team is committed to utilizing cutting-edge research and technology to develop innovative solutions for our current and next generation surgical robot systems.

We are seeking a candidate with an analytical mind and exceptional leadership and mechanical design skills to lead a team who investigates complex design issues, design and implement solutions while committing to the highest product quality and reliability for our robotic platform.

This role works closely with numerous internal teams to ensure designs meet clinical and user needs and perform reliably and effectively in the field. In this position, you will lead a team of talented engineers in a focused, fast paced, collaborative work environment, while making sound decisions when faced with the time pressures and ambiguous or incomplete information typical of issue troubleshooting and product development.

Essential Job Duties

• Lead a team of mechanical engineers supporting the Continuous Improvement of the da Vinci® Surgical System.

  • Understand and exemplify Intuitive’s culture of first principles thinking and that patients come first, always.
  • Coach, evaluate and give feedback to the team members throughout the year and through annual Performance Review.
  • Work with team members to create long-term development plans.
  • Manage the team’s assignments, priorities and budget annually.
  • Provide guidance through complex situations or conflicting goals.

• Project management

  • Support continued commercialization of the existing product by ensuring the product meets the highest level of quality through helping cross functional teams with issues emerging from the field, the manufacturing floor or the supply chain.
  • Drive continuous improvement of the existing product by gathering and synthetizing information, formulating and prioritizing long-term projects through planning with leadership from New Product Development, Supplier, Manufacturing, Clinical, Regulatory, Quality, Production, Service Operations, and other groups. Align with cross functional teams to ensure designs provide value to patients, surgeons, and hospitals.

• Risk management

  • Provide expertise and leadership in maintaining the risk and requirement documentation related to the system.

Required Skills and Experience

• Excellent judgment in the presence of competing priorities and incomplete data; proven ability to make difficult trade-offs.
• Ability to lead, collaborate, and motivate across functional boundaries with multi-disciplinary teams like clinical, quality, regulatory, manufacturing, etc.
• Good understanding of medical device company and/or robot design.
• Training or commensurate experience in Root Cause Analysis.
• Strong analytical skills as proven by a track record for analyzing and fixing complex problems in products and processes.
• Understand concepts of design controls - FMEAs, design input/output, and requirement traceability.
• Technical proficiency in electro-mechanical products and mechanism design.
• Demonstrated knowledge of a wide variety of manufacturing processes.
• Passion for solving tough technical problems and creating elegant and reliable products.
• Determination to finishing the vital thing, efficiently and well; attention to the right details.
• Self-driven desire to excel in a fast paced, small, focused team environment, to maintain a strong sense of shared responsibility and shared reward, making work interesting, meaningful, and enjoyable.
• Expertise in communicating effectively and accurately (written and oral) across all levels and functions, including interacting with suppliers, and presenting to a technical audience.
• Coach, develop, and manage the engineering team through influential leadership, balancing the development objectives of the team with the needs of the organization.

Required Education and Training

• BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Typical minimum 5 years of designing complex commercial mechanical products, or relevant graduate education.

Working Conditions

• Occasional travel to supplier and manufacturing sites may be required.
• This role follows a set schedule with a minimum of four days on-site per week in Sunnyvale.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Mechatronics experience in a medical device or regulated industry.
• Experience with Statistical Process Control in a Mass Production environment.
• Experience with a variety of manufacturing processes
• Experience supporting post-market performance through reliability engineering, serviceability design, or field failure 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.