Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Intuitive • Sunnyvale, CA

1d

About The Position

The Senior Embedded Software Engineer will take technical ownership across the embedded platform software stack supporting critical performance, safety, and user-facing features of Intuitive’s da Vinci Surgical System. The role leads board bring-up for next-generation platforms and helps set the architecture and technical direction of Linux-based embedded software for video networking, UI display, and machine learning capabilities of da Vinci 5. The engineer serves as a technical anchor, collaborating with hardware, system software, and FPGA teams while mentoring junior and mid-level engineers.

The position includes end-to-end board bring-up from initial power-on through production readiness, developing subsystem software and validation strategies, resolving complex hardware-software integration issues, and building reusable automated test infrastructure. The engineer also maintains technical documentation in compliance with FDA-regulated development processes.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree, 6 years with a master’s degree, 3 years with a Ph.D., or equivalent experience.
• Expert-level C and C++ proficiency for embedded systems, including memory management, real-time constraints, and performance-critical code.
• Deep expertise in embedded Linux, including kernel internals, custom device-driver development, BSP bring-up, and user-space application development.
• Proficiency with embedded development and debugging tools, including GDB, JTAG, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and cross-compilation toolchains.
• Hands-on experience with I2C, SPI, UART, USB, Ethernet, and CAN interfaces and protocols, including bring-up debugging and driver development.
• Exceptional debugging and root-cause analysis skills, including resolving complex hardware-FPGA-software integration failures in time-critical environments.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and technically develop junior and mid-level engineers.
• Experience in an FDA-regulated or other safety-critical development environment, including familiarity with design controls, traceability, and risk management processes.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and cross-functional collaboration.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on production embedded experience with NVIDIA Jetson platforms (TX2, Xavier, Orin, or similar) or comparable ARM-based SoCs.
• Production embedded systems experience with GPU acceleration (CUDA) and hardware-accelerated inference frameworks (TensorRT).
• Experience with QNX RTOS or other real-time operating systems in safety-critical applications.
• Proficiency in Python and bash scripting for test automation, bootup design, and build-system integration.
• Experience across the product development lifecycle, including design, implementation, debugging, verification, validation, and transfer to manufacturing.
• Experience designing software products in an FDA-regulated or other regulated industry, or for mission-critical applications; familiarity with design inputs, design outputs, traceability, risk analysis, and mitigations.

Responsibilities

• Lead board bring-up for next-generation platforms, including bootloader configuration, BSP customization, peripheral driver integration, and system validation through production readiness.
• Own development and technical direction of embedded software for video networking, UI display, and machine learning applications on Linux-based systems, including architecture decisions, code reviews, and performance optimization.
• Design and own test strategies for board functionality, peripheral interfaces, and system performance; define acceptance criteria and drive resolution of complex hardware-software integration issues.
• Partner with and technically guide hardware engineers to identify, root-cause, and resolve board-level issues during early development.
• Architect and lead automated test frameworks for board validation and regression testing, creating scalable infrastructure for multiple platform variants.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers through code reviews, technical guidance, and hands-on debugging support.
• Author and maintain design specifications, bring-up procedures, and failure analysis reports in compliance with FDA-regulated development processes.

Benefits

• Market-competitive compensation package, including base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior