Staff Software Engineer

Intuitive • Sunnyvale, CA

7h

About The Position

Primary Function of Position The Staff Software Engineer will play a critical role in building and evolving the embedded networking and connectivity software that underpins Intuitive’s surgical robotic platforms. This role sits within the IoMT & Platform Integration team and focuses on the system-side software that enables secure, reliable communication between robotic systems, adjacent platform components, and cloud services. This is a Staff-level role requiring deep embedded systems expertise, strong networking fundamentals, and the ability to operate as a technical lead—owning designs, solving complex production issues, and guiding other engineers through influence and mentorship. The work spans both new capability development and support of released, in-market systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related technical field (Master’s preferred)
• 8+ years of hands-on experience developing software for embedded, robotic, or IoT systems
• Strong proficiency in Python, with meaningful experience in C/C++ for system services, tooling, or integration
• Solid experience with network protocols and system design patterns
• Proven ability to debug and support production systems
• Strong communication, documentation, and collaboration skills

Nice To Haves

• Experience with embedded Linux or RTOS environments (e.g., Yocto, QNX, VxWorks)
• Experience integrating embedded systems with AWS or similar cloud platforms
• Experience with asynchronous and multi-threaded systems
• Exposure to cybersecurity concepts (TLS/SSL, PKI, certificates, secure transport)
• Experience working in regulated or safety-critical industries (medical devices, telecom, aerospace, industrial systems)

Responsibilities

• Embedded Networking & Systems Development Design, develop, and maintain embedded networking software running on robotic or IoT systems
• Implement and evolve communication mechanisms using protocols such as TCP/IP, HTTP, WebSockets, MQTT, gRPC, or pub/sub models
• Contribute to system architecture that balances performance, reliability, security, and long-term maintainability across hardware generations
• Support fielded products, including root cause analysis and resolution of complex production issues
• Platform & Cloud Integration Enable robust device-to-platform and device-to-cloud integration, primarily with AWS-based infrastructure
• Collaborate with partner teams to ensure embedded systems integrate cleanly with backend services
• Design connectivity with awareness of latency, bandwidth, uptime, and operational constraints typical of embedded systems
• Security, Quality & Reliability Design software that meets security, safety, and reliability expectations appropriate for surgical systems
• Implement secure communication mechanisms (e.g., encryption, authentication, authorization)
• Participate in risk analysis activities (e.g., FMEA) and implement software mitigations as needed
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with QA, Product Management, Cybersecurity, Regulatory Affairs, and Clinical teams
• Support the full software development lifecycle, from requirements through verification and release
• Communicate design intent, tradeoffs, and risks clearly across technical and non-technical audiences
• Staff-Level Technical Leadership Act as a technical lead on complex problems and initiatives
• Provide mentorship and guidance to other engineers through code reviews, design discussions, and day-to-day collaboration
• Drive clarity and alignment in ambiguous or evolving problem spaces

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees