Embedded Software Engineer - Vison Systems

Intuitive•Sunnyvale, CA

16h

About The Position

As an Embedded Software Engineer in Intuitive’s Future Forward organization, you will work on innovation, rapid prototyping, and new product development for the company’s robotic surgical platform. You will collaborate with engineers, clinicians, product managers, and other cross-functional stakeholders, contributing throughout the product lifecycle from concept to launch. You will design, develop, and integrate embedded and platform software across a complex robotic system, working with hardware, firmware, control algorithms, vision pipelines, user interfaces, and test infrastructure, including fault-injection and diagnostic frameworks. You will contribute to architecture, implementation, and system-level integration of advanced functionality into complete surgical robotic platforms, supporting product release and validated human use. The role calls for delivery against milestones while ensuring safe, reliable, and compliant operation. Work takes place in an agile, small-team environment and involves turning early concepts into prototypes, iterating designs, and maintaining high product quality with a patient-first mindset.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience developing and supporting embedded systems, or 3 years with a Master’s degree, or 1 year with a PhD.
High proficiency developing C/C++ embedded and real-time software for multi-core, multi-processor systems, especially on embedded Linux and QNX.
Demonstrated experience with board bring-up, device driver development, and integration of new hardware components.
Experience with version control systems and collaborative development environments.
Familiarity with communication protocols including TCP/IP, CAN, I2C, and SPI, and serialization standards such as protobuf.
Strong problem-solving and debugging skills for complex embedded software and electromechanical systems.
In-depth understanding of failure mode and risk analysis, with a track record in safety-critical, product-focused designs.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for interacting across organizational levels.
Passion for innovation, continuous learning, and developing solutions that make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.

Nice To Haves

Experience with robotics and embedded software for complex electromechanical systems.
Knowledge of Python or Matlab for automation, diagnostics, and testing.
Familiarity with FPGA development and interfaces.
Familiarity with CUDA programming and memory management concepts.
Knowledge of cybersecurity concepts such as secure boot, authentication, and encryption.
Hands-on engineering experience and ability to work effectively in a team environment.
Experience across all phases of the product development lifecycle, including design, implementation, debugging, verification, validation, and transfer to manufacturing.
Experience designing software products in a regulated industry or for mission-critical applications, with familiarity with design inputs and outputs, traceability, risk analysis, and mitigations.

Responsibilities

Design and develop embedded software for system infrastructure, including OS drivers, hardware interfaces, real-time data pipelines, inter-processor communication, error handling, and user and test applications.
Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders throughout the product lifecycle to address clinical needs and safety requirements.
Translate early requirements into prototype implementations to evaluate, iterate, and advance novel robotic systems.
Conduct unit testing to support system integration and reliable, robust system operation.
Contribute to hazard and failure mode analysis and define appropriate mitigations.
Refine and iterate designs while balancing technical requirements, feasibility, schedules, and resource constraints.
Produce clear, compliant supporting documentation aligned with Intuitive’s development and quality guidelines.
Ensure designs meet quality and safety standards under Intuitive’s Quality Management System.