Manager, Mechanical Engineering, Capital Equipment

Intuitive•Sunnyvale, CA

11d

About The Position

Intuitive Surgical designs and manufactures highly complex mechanical systems for use in surgery. These systems include both capital equipment and “consumables” in the form of surgical instruments and accessories. The Instruments Mechanical Engineering Manager is responsible for leading a team of engineers that design, develop, and launch new instrument products to the field. The candidate will lead a team to identify and evaluate new product opportunities that address new and unmet needs within the instruments product portfolio. The successful candidate must have technical depth in relevant areas and be as comfortable collaborating and leading across organizational boundaries as they are working independently. The Core Instruments team is searching for a Mechanical Engineering Manager to guide the development, documentation, and verification of new product designs, as well as coordinating improvements to existing designs to meet the needs of our customers. The Mechanical Engineering Manager is responsible for the functional management of a group of Mechanical Engineers and other technical personnel, which includes selecting, developing, and evaluating personnel to ensure efficient operation of the group.

Requirements

Must be a selfless leader who inspires trust and commitment within their team and in the broader organization through integrity, passion, and professional excellence.
Minimum 5 years of experience taking products from concept to production (medical product experience preferred).
At least eight (8) years of experience with mechanical design.
Comfortable with all phases of the product development lifecycle including design, implementation, debug, verification, qualification, and transfer.
Hands-on engineering manager with the proven ability to work well in a team environment.
Ability to lead/influence cross functional teams in the design of complex surgical products.
Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills.
Ability to present the work of his or her team to executive management.
Strong people management abilities with capability to ensure team success (staffing, productivity) as well as career development of team members.
Exceptional mechanical aptitude and visual thinking skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills such as finite element analysis, statistics, and experimental designs.
Proficiency using CAD to design and document mechanical designs. SolidWorks preferred.
Breadth of knowledge in various manufacturing techniques, including techniques for rapidly fabricating proof-of-concept and functional prototypes.
Experience with component selection criteria, and design for reliability and manufacturability.
Strong project management, planning, and change management skills.
Experience designing products in a highly regulated environment.
Minimum BS (Mechanical Engineering or related engineering field), MS or PhD preferred.

Nice To Haves

medical product experience preferred
MS or PhD preferred
SolidWorks preferred

Responsibilities

Provide vision for mechanical engineering team and foster an environment that encourages creativity, appropriate risk taking, and crisp execution.
Guide the team in developing compelling product architectures.
Work with senior management and internal customers to define product pillars and business goals.
Decipher complex situations and set appropriate priorities to focus team for success.
Develop working knowledge of external customer needs/requirements to ensure product designs provide value to patients, surgeons, and hospitals.
Communicate effectively with surgeons and customers about the technical design details of the product.
Create high-level technical presentations to communicate effectively with leadership on project goals, status, and risks.
Establish group objectives and individual work goals consistent with overall product development goals.
Assign tasks, set priorities, establish metrics, and track progress.
Support mechanical engineers in the development of functional specifications and related risk documents.
Review mechanical engineering designs in both a formal and informal capacity.
Manage, coach, and mentor mechanical engineers.
Assess employee performance and provide coaching to improve performance.
Grow and maintain a team of mechanical engineers by recruiting and retaining highly talented and motivated individuals.
Manage department Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and drafting/design guidelines.
Ensure design engineers follow appropriate design history file guidelines per FDA requirements and hold design reviews in accordance with product development procedures.
Coordinate activities of his or her team with those of other groups in the organization.
Interface with functions such as Product Marketing, Legal, Clinical Engineering, Test Engineering, Manufacturing, etc. to build consensus and make progress.
Maintain cross-functional relationship with Manufacturing, Supplier Engineering, Quality, etc. to facilitate transfer of designs.
Provide administrative leadership / control for planning, staffing, budgeting, and project/program cost tracking.