Technical Lead - Software Engineering (New Product Development)

Intuitive Surgical•Sunnyvale, CA

41d

About The Position

We are seeking a technical lead to drive the architectural vision and execution for our core software products. This is a critical, hands-on leadership role for an individual who has a strong background in embedded systems and excels at communicating complex technical concepts to a diverse range of stakeholders. 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. This is important as issues can change rapidly during the fast-paced early stages of product development.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field and 10 years of experience; or Master's degree and 8 years of experience; or PhD and 5 years of experience
10+ years of experience with 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.

Nice To Haves

Experience with safety-critical or high-reliability systems development
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

Architectural Ownership & Vision:
Design, document, and lead the implementation of end-to-end system architecture for new and existing applications, focusing on scalability, security, and performance.
Establish and enforce best practices for software design, coding standards, and deployment processes across the engineering team.
Evaluate and recommend new technologies, tools, and frameworks by performing proof-of-concepts (PoCs) and analysis to keep our technology stack modern and competitive.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills:
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to influence and build consensus among stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise.
Proven ability to translate abstract business needs into concrete technical solutions and system diagrams.
Strong negotiation skills and the ability to manage differing opinions to arrive at the best technical outcome for the business.
A collaborative and approachable demeanor, dedicated to mentoring and elevating the skills of the entire team.
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.
Documentation & Compliance:
Generate and maintain clear, well-structured technical documentation, including software requirements specifications, design documents, and test reports.
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.
Utilize version control systems (e.g., Git) and bug tracking tools (e.g., Jira) as part of an agile or waterfall development process.