Senior Mechanical Engineer

Intuitive•Sunnyvale, CA

About The Position

Intuitive Surgical designs and manufactures complex mechanical systems for surgery, including capital equipment and consumable instruments and accessories. The Senior Mechanical Engineer will join a small Instrument and Accessory Advanced Product Development team to explore and develop early product concepts and technologies for the da Vinci product pipeline. The role leads the early assessment, design, development, and testing of novel instrument and accessory concepts, then refines designs for transfer to the New Product Development organization for commercialization. The engineer evaluates technologies against customer and company needs, establishes design requirements, and works with suppliers, outside companies, consultants, and cross-functional colleagues to develop viable technical solutions. Success requires strong technical depth, creative problem solving amid time pressure and incomplete information, and the ability to work independently while collaborating and leading across organizational boundaries. The position may be filled at a different job level depending on business needs and the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge, and skills. Compensation is based on job level and qualifications. The posting notes that Intuitive and/or its customers may require current proof of vaccination against certain diseases, including COVID-19, depending on the role.

Requirements

At least five years of experience taking products from concept to production; medical product experience is preferred.
At least eight years of experience with precision mechanical design.
Familiarity with all phases of the product development lifecycle, including design, implementation, debug, verification, qualification, and transfer.
Ability to apply basic laws of physics to solve engineering problems quickly and reliably.
Exceptional mechanical aptitude and visual thinking skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including finite element analysis, statistics, and experimental design.
Strong understanding of design for reliability and manufacturability.
Ability to work effectively in a team and drive individual projects.
Experience managing partners and small projects.
Proficiency using CAD to design and document mechanical designs.
Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills, including the ability to present project work effectively.
Ability to interface professionally with customers and potential business partners.
Comfort operating standard machine-shop equipment for prototyping, such as mills and lathes.
Proficiency with techniques for rapidly fabricating proof-of-concept and functional prototypes.
Comfort using standard mechanical and electrical measurement and test equipment.
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering field.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of mechatronics, robotics, and servo-controlled systems.
Experience developing software control algorithms.
Master’s degree or PhD.
Experience and skills in designing high-volume components, such as injection-molded or metal-injection-molded components, and in design for manufacturability.
SolidWorks experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Work within cross-functional project teams to create, evaluate, and prove new product architectures and refine them for handoff to New Product Development.
Collaborate with subject matter experts to understand clinical, usability, and other user needs related to da Vinci surgical instruments and accessories.
Develop technical requirements based on customer needs, commercial objectives such as cost of goods, regulatory requirements, and feasibility constraints.
Perform conceptual and detailed design, analytical modeling, prototyping, data analysis, and troubleshooting for novel da Vinci instruments and accessories.
Develop and perform early performance testing, with support from other functions as needed.
Support prototype evaluation through bench, ex-vivo, and in-vivo laboratory testing with clinical experts.
Develop and manage relationships with key partners.
Prepare written protocols, reports, and presentations related to design activities.
Review other Intuitive engineers’ mechanical designs formally and informally.
Refine and document product designs to support transfer into the New Product Development organization.
Assess technologies from outside entities for potential licensing and adaptation to the da Vinci product line.
Identify, test, and report on new materials, manufacturing processes, and technologies that may benefit existing products or enable new designs.
Document, prepare, and review patent submissions.