Sr. Clinical Development Engineer - Strategy
About The Position
The Clinical Development Engineer - Strategy is a key member of Intuitive’s early-stage innovation incubator, reporting to the Associate Medical Officer - Strategy. In this role, you will co-own the identification, evaluation, and early development of new clinical opportunities. Working alongside physicians and cross-functional partners, you will translate clinical insights into structured hypotheses, design and execute early de-risking strategies, and help determine which opportunities should advance within the innovation portfolio. This role operates with a high degree of independence in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, contributing directly to early-stage decision-making and portfolio prioritization. The Future Forward organization is Intuitive’s advanced concepts group. We explore emerging technologies, prototype next-generation solutions, and build software experiences that shape the future of robotic-assisted surgery.
Requirements
- Typically 8+ years of experience in medical device development, clinical engineering, or early-stage innovation
- Demonstrated ability to identify and frame complex problems in ambiguous environments
- Proven experience translating insights into structured hypotheses, development plans, or experimental approaches
- Experience working closely with clinicians and understanding clinical workflows and procedural environments
- Ability to co-own problem spaces and drive structured problem-solving in early-stage, high-ambiguity settings
- Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills, with the ability to synthesize diverse inputs into clear direction and recommendations
- Experience leading or contributing to clinical de-risking activities, including preclinical or early feasibility evaluations
- Ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, clinical, and business teams to drive aligned development outcomes
- Experience with clinical labs, cadaveric or animal models, and early-stage evaluations
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to concisely convey complex ideas clearly across clinical and technical audiences
- Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field required
Nice To Haves
- Experience in early-stage innovation, incubators, or R&D concept development preferred
- Exposure to Biodesign or needs-based innovation methodologies preferred
- Advanced degree (M.S., Ph.D., or equivalent) preferred
Responsibilities
- Partner with physicians to identify and validate unmet clinical needs through clinical immersion, research, and voice-of-customer engagement
- Synthesize clinical, technical, and user insights into clear opportunity definitions and problem statements
- Co-develop clinical and technical hypotheses and translate them into structured development and experimental plans
- Lead the design and execution of early-stage de-risking strategies, including preclinical and exploratory evaluations
- Develop and refine initial procedural concepts and workflows for new technologies
- Collaborate with engineering to define early product requirements, use cases, and performance targets
- Drive early prototype and concept evaluations, translating findings into clear recommendations on opportunity viability
- Contribute to go/no-go decisions by synthesizing insights across clinical, technical, and user dimensions
- Engage with key opinion leaders and external stakeholders to inform opportunity assessment and validate insights
Benefits
- market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
