Staff Software Build Engineer

Primary Function of Position:

 The Software Build team at Intuitive is seeking a hands-on Staff Software Engineer to design, build, and operate the next-generation unified build system across all robotic surgery platforms.

This role is for a senior engineer who writes code, debugs real build failures, prototypes infrastructure, and scales systems through direct technical contribution. You will own core build architecture while remaining deeply involved in implementation—driving measurable improvements in build speed, correctness, and developer productivity across large, safety-critical C/C++ codebases.

You will serve as a technical leader and mentor, but this is not an oversight-only role. Expect to spend significant time designing build rules, implementing tooling, debugging distributed builds, and evolving CI infrastructure in production.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and maintain Bazel-based build systems for large-scale C/C++ embedded software, including custom toolchains and cross-compilation flows.
• Directly implement and optimize Bazel Remote Caching and Remote Execution (RBE) to enable fast, deterministic builds across local, CI, and cloud environments.
• Write production code in Rust, C/C++, and Python to support build tooling, infrastructure services, and developer workflows.
• Own and evolve build performance: cache hit rates, execution parallelism, dependency hygiene, hermeticity, and reproducibility.
• Build and maintain developer-facing tooling that improves local iteration speed and CI reliability.
• Integrate and operate build infrastructure across on-premises and cloud environments, balancing performance, security, and cost.
• Work directly with firmware, platform, and application teams to debug real-world build issues and eliminate systemic bottlenecks.
• Improve observability of build systems through metrics, logging, and analytics.
• Mentor engineers through code reviews, architectural discussions, and hands-on problem solving.
• Act as a technical advocate for modern build practices and scalable development workflows.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• Deep technical ownership with a bias toward implementation and measurable outcomes.
• Ability to balance architectural rigor with pragmatic delivery.
• Builds trust through technical credibility and consistent execution.
• Drives alignment by connecting build system improvements to developer productivity and product velocity.
• Acts as a hands-on technical leader shaping the long-term evolution of Intuitive’s development platforms.
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience with a strong record of hands-on technical ownership.
• Deep, practical expertise with Bazel in complex C/C++ and embedded environments.
• Proven experience implementing and operating Bazel Remote Caching and Remote Execution at scale.
• Strong programming experience in Rust, C/C++, and Python.
• Experience debugging and optimizing distributed build systems, CI pipelines, and build infrastructure under real production constraints.
• Solid understanding of compiler toolchains, linkers, and build graph behavior.
• Ability to communicate technical tradeoffs clearly and influence teams through technical leadership.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• Experience with Nix and Nix-based packaging for reproducible builds and developer environments.
• Familiarity with BuildBuddy (or similar Bazel observability / remote execution platforms).
• Experience with Yocto-based toolchains and embedded Linux build workflows.
• Exposure to REAPI-compatible execution backends and remote build infrastructure.
• Experience supporting safety-critical or regulated software systems (medical, automotive, aerospace).
• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Computer Science or related field.
• 12–15 years of relevant industry experience.

 

Intuitive is an Equal Employment 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.

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

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. 

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on
business need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.