Staff Mechanical Design Engineer

Intuitive•Sunnyvale, CA

11h

About The Position

It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive. As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion —have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide. We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world. The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life. If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you’ll find your purpose here.

Requirements

Strong experience designing precision mechanical components and assemblies for electro-mechanical or opto-mechanical systems.
Proficiency in SolidWorks 3D CAD, including complex assemblies, GD&T, and functional dimensioning.
Solid understanding of tolerance analysis, stack-up modeling, and mechanical simulation tools.
Experience applying DFM/DFA principles for complex or high-volume assemblies.
Hands-on understanding of mechanical–optical interfaces, electronics packaging, thermal effects, and sterilization-driven design constraints.
Experience designing fixtures, jigs, and basic calibration or alignment tools.
Proven ability to independently own and execute complex mechanical designs.
Strong problem-solving skills and comfort working in fast-paced, iterative development environments.
Effective written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.
Ability to manage multiple technical efforts while maintaining clarity and accountability.
BS or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline.
7–12 years of mechanical design experience in medical devices, robotics, imaging systems, or similarly demanding fields.
Demonstrated experience across multiple phases of the product lifecycle: concept, design, prototyping, verification, and manufacturing transfer.

Nice To Haves

Medical device experience preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Lead the mechanical design of components, mechanisms, and subsystems supporting optics, illumination, electronics packaging, sealing, sterilization, and thermal performance.
Translate system and subsystem requirements into detailed mechanical designs, specifications, and drawings.
Drive detailed design execution from concept through prototype build, verification, and manufacturing transfer.
Apply precision engineering principles, tolerance-driven design, and best practices for robust mechanical integration.
Work closely with Optics, Electrical Engineering, Firmware, Manufacturing, Reliability, Test, and Materials teams to resolve design tradeoffs and integration challenges.
Actively participate in design reviews, risk assessments, and failure analysis discussions.
Communicate technical concepts clearly across disciplines.
Build and iterate on proof-of-concept and engineering prototypes.
Perform detailed 2D/3D tolerance analysis, stack-up modeling, and basic FEA/simulation to validate design margins.
Develop and execute verification plans, DOEs, and durability testing to validate performance over the product lifecycle.
Troubleshoot design and prototype issues using data-driven root-cause analysis.
Drive DFM/DFA/DFS for assigned components and subsystems to enable scalable manufacturing.
Collaborate with suppliers on fabrication, finishing, and joining processes (precision machining, molding, casting, coatings, bonding, etc.).
Support supplier qualification, manufacturing ramp, and yield improvement activities.
Partner with Manufacturing and Quality to support design transfer, sustaining engineering, and reliability improvements.
Generate complete engineering documentation including drawings, tolerance analyses, specifications, test reports, and DHF content.
Support regulatory and quality-system requirements throughout development.
Contribute to intellectual property through invention disclosures and technical documentation.
Mentor junior engineers through design execution, best practices, and technical problem solving.
Contribute to continuous improvement of design processes, tools, and standards within the team.