Staff Mechanical Design Engineer

Intuitive•Sunnyvale, CA

About The Position

Contribute mechanical engineering expertise to the design and development of manufacturing equipment for Intuitive’s Multiport Accessories Process Engineering organization, with a focus on high-volume automation. The role takes responsibility for equipment development from initial concept and detailed mechanical design through fabrication, testing, qualification, and release to production. It includes designing proprietary in-house equipment and evaluating external automation suppliers, defining equipment specifications, and providing technical oversight to OEMs. The engineer is expected to apply strong mechanical design fundamentals and sound engineering judgment, coordinate across functional teams, and make effective decisions in a fast-paced environment, including when information is incomplete or timelines are constrained. The position also provides technical support for production, continuous improvement, capacity expansion, and equipment lifecycle management. Staff-level consideration requires additional technical depth and demonstrated leadership of complex equipment or automation projects.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline.
At least eight years of relevant experience developing manufacturing equipment or automation systems.
Direct experience in medical device manufacturing.
Experience with high-volume automation lines.
Fundamental understanding of process engineering, equipment, testing, and the manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated experience designing and releasing manufacturing equipment or complex automated systems into production.
Proficiency in 3D CAD and engineering drawing development.
Strong understanding of mechanical design, mechanism development, GD&T, tolerance analysis, material selection, and manufacturing processes.
Ability to integrate mechatronic components such as robotics, sensors, motors, pneumatics, motion control, and machine vision systems.
Experience developing equipment requirements and detailed technical specifications for automation OEMs or system integrators.
Experience reviewing supplier concepts, designs, drawings, component selections, and equipment acceptance plans.
Experience with equipment qualification, process validation, and regulated quality systems.
Strong analytical, troubleshooting, project execution, and technical documentation skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Self-motivated, able to take initiative, and effective in a multidisciplinary team environment.
Self-starter attitude and comfort in a hands-on environment, including the ability to work with other engineers to influence product design and improve reliability.

Nice To Haves

SolidWorks experience.
Experience in an ISO 13485-regulated medical device manufacturing environment.
Experience designing equipment for high-volume assembly of medical devices or precision products.
Experience managing internally designed equipment and externally sourced turnkey automation systems.
Experience with OEM selection, technical bid evaluation, design reviews, factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, and production qualification.
Familiarity with design controls, risk management, engineering change control, and equipment validation.
Experience with Windchill and Agile product lifecycle management systems.
Experience mentoring engineers or establishing equipment design standards and engineering best practices.

Responsibilities

Design and develop in-house manufacturing equipment, automation systems, tooling, and fixtures from concept through production release.
Translate manufacturing process needs into detailed equipment requirements, specifications, and acceptance criteria.
Develop 3D models, engineering drawings, tolerance analyses, bills of material, and supporting technical documentation.
Integrate mechanical designs with robotics, sensors, motors, pneumatics, motion control, machine vision, and safety systems.
Evaluate and select OEMs and system integrators based on technical capabilities and project requirements.
Develop specifications for externally sourced automation equipment and provide technical oversight through design, build, testing, installation, and qualification.
Lead equipment design reviews, risk assessments, troubleshooting, and technical problem-solving activities.
Guide equipment projects through applicable design control, engineering change, qualification, and release processes.
Develop equipment testing strategies, acceptance criteria, qualification protocols, maintenance requirements, and calibration procedures.
Apply Cpk, Gauge R&R, tolerance analysis, and other statistical and quality tools to improve equipment capability and reliability.
Provide equipment-related technical support for production operations, continuous improvement, capacity expansion, and equipment lifecycle management.
Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers, technicians, and cross-functional project team members.