Senior Systems Software Engineer

Intuitive Surgical•Sunnyvale, CA

44d

About The Position

We are seeking a skilled and passionate Systems Software Engineer with a strong background in real-time OS systems to join our R&D team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software that runs on our next-generation medical devices, with a specific focus on Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) and Linux-based platforms. This role requires a deep understanding of low-level software, hardware-software integration, and the ability to work within a highly regulated development environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
5+ years of experience in embedded software development.
Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming for embedded systems.
Hands-on experience with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) such as ThreadX, SafeRTOS, QNX, etc.
Experience with embedded Linux, including kernel configuration, driver development, and application development in the user space.
Solid understanding of hardware-software integration and the ability to read and understand schematics and datasheets.
Experience with communication protocols commonly used in embedded systems (e.g., SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, USB, Ethernet, TCP/IP).
Familiarity with medical device regulations and standards, particularly IEC 62304 (Medical device software - Software lifecycle processes).
Experience with debugging tools (e.g., JTAG/SWD debuggers, GDB), and hardware testing equipment.
Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Minimum BSc degree in Computer science or adjacent technical field with 8 years of experience, or master's degree with 6 years of experience, or PhD degree with 3 years of experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with safety-critical or high-reliability systems development.
Knowledge of scripting languages like Python for automated testing and build processes.
Experience with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
Familiarity with other relevant standards such as ISO 13485 (Quality Management System) and ISO 14971 (Risk Management).
Experience with multi-threaded, event-driven programming.
Knowledge of embedded security principles and practices.

Responsibilities

Embedded Software Development
Design, develop, and maintain embedded software in C/C++ for real-time and safety-critical applications on medical devices.
Work with and contribute to software running on Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) like [e.g., ThreadX, SafeRTOS, QNX] and embedded Linux distributions like [e.g., Yocto, Buildroot].
Develop and implement device drivers, board support packages (BSPs), and other low-level firmware to interface with custom hardware.
Optimize software for performance, memory usage, and power consumption on resource-constrained embedded platforms.
Systems Integration
Collaborate closely with hardware engineers to define software requirements, troubleshoot hardware-software integration issues, and ensure seamless system functionality.
Debug and validate software using a range of tools, including in-circuit debuggers, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.
Participate in the bring-up and testing of new hardware prototypes and custom boards.
Architecture & Design
Contribute to the software architecture and technical design of new products and features, ensuring designs are robust, scalable, and maintainable.
Apply knowledge of software design methodologies and design patterns to produce high-quality, reusable code.
Verification & Compliance
Develop and execute unit tests, integration tests, and system-level tests to ensure software reliability and compliance with design specifications.
Adhere to software development lifecycle processes and documentation standards required for medical device regulation (e.g., IEC 62304).
Participate in risk analysis and contribute to the software risk management file (per ISO 14971) to identify and mitigate software-related hazards.
Documentation & Collaboration
Generate and maintain clear, well-structured technical documentation, including software requirements specifications, design documents, and test reports.
Work effectively in a cross-functional team environment, collaborating with systems engineers, quality assurance, and clinical specialists.
Utilize version control systems (e.g., Git) and bug tracking tools (e.g., Jira) as part of an agile or waterfall development process.