Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Company Description

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.

Job Description

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

The Senior Embedded Software Engineer will work with a group of talented and dedicated people to improve and extend Intuitive’s surgical robotic product lines. The successful candidate will contribute to the Product Engineering team, with a focused contribution on embedded software for the ION robotic bronchoscopy platform. As a member of the team, you will be involved in supporting and maintaining the existing platform. The successful candidate must excel in a high-energy small, focused team environment, be able to drive to solutions from rough requirements, and have a commitment to high product quality. Quick learning and a desire to understand requirements and create solutions are essential to become a valuable integrator and system developer. A strong sense of shared responsibility and shared reward is required. Supporting you will be a development and management team that knows and cares about what you are doing and wants you to succeed.

Essential Job Duties

• Maintain and enhance the existing embedded software across multiple hardware boards, ensuring high reliability, performance and improvements in customer experience.

• Conduct root cause analysis and implement solutions for issues in released products.

• Provide technical support for deployed medical devices, including troubleshooting firmware and system issues as well as investigating and resolving customer complaints.

• Work closely with hardware and test teams to support the complete lifecycle of medical device systems.

• Generate and maintain technical documentation including design descriptions, test protocols, and change history in accordance with internal and regulatory guidelines.

• Ensure all designs meet rigorous quality and safety standards per the Intuitive Quality Management System.

Qualifications

Qualifications

Required Education, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field and 8+ years of experience; or Master's degree and 6+ years of experience.

• Expertise in developing and debugging firmware and software in C and C++.

• Proficiency in Python for scripting, testing, application and tool development.

• Experience with embedded communication protocols, including I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, and TCP/IP networking.

• Demonstrated expertise in debugging embedded systems, with a track record of isolating and resolving issues at the mechanical, hardware, and software component level.

• Proven ability to build and maintain cross-functional relationships, evidenced by participation in at least two major multi-department projects or initiatives.

Preferred qualifications

• Demonstrated experience participating in all phases of the product development lifecycle, including design, implementation, debugging, verification, validation, and transfer to manufacturing.

• Experience with modern software lifecycle tools (JIRA, Git, Jenkins).

• Experience with build systems such as CMake and Emake.

• Proven experience implementing and troubleshooting fiber optic communication interfaces in embedded systems.

• Experience supporting commercial medical devices in the field.

Additional Information

Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19.  Details can vary by role.

Intuitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.

Mandatory Notices

U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer:  In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)), some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employees
who are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.

Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the government’s licensing process can take 3 to 6+ months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (“TCP”) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).  

For any Intuitive role subject to export controls, final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employee’s
start date, which may or may not be flexible, and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable, candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes. 

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside, or plan to reside, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Tennessee.

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including experience, skills, and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.

Client-provided location(s): Sunnyvale, CA

Job ID: 6eee2b66-5288-4741-a57b-37ba00d535eb

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2026-03-16T19:56:35