Senior Mechanical Design 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

Primary Function of Position The Ion™ endoluminal system is Intuitive's robotic platform for minimally invasive biopsy in the peripheral lung, with an initial goal of improving the early diagnosis of lung cancer.  

Our Product Engineering (PE) team focuses on maintaining and improving Ion™ product. 

In this role, the Senior Mechanical Engineer will work with and lead multi-disciplinary teams to maintain and improve the design, production, and service of the Ion™ Robotic Bronchoscopy System. This role is an exciting opportunity to join a rapidly growing new business within Intuitive and make a meaningful contribution to its future growth. 

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience  

• Minimum of 8 years related experience with a University degree; or 6 years related experience and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years of related experience. 

• Technical expertise with mechanism design, with a preferred focus on robotics and/or medical products. 

• Mechanical analysis, including statics, dynamics, kinematics, stress, fatigue, thermal, and reliability. 

• Proficiency at failure analysis. 

• Design, analyze and document components, structures, and mechanical assemblies in SolidWorks or similar CAD software. 

• Capacity to lead multiple complex projects in parallel. Independently prioritizes activities across projects, ensuring high quality and delivery. 

• Experience with of all phases of the product development lifecycle including design, implementation, debug, verification, qualification, and transfer. 

Required Education and Training  

Minimum BS or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics or equivalent 

Preferred Skills and Experience  

• Curiosity and excitement to learn new subjects and get to the bottom of tough technical problems. 

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, communicate with stakeholders, and navigate feedback from the broader engineering team. 

• Ability to communicate effectively (written, oral) across peers and management. 

• Experience in a regulated environment (FDA, Military, FAA or equivalent). Comfortable with execution of design verification/validation test protocols, assessing risk (FMEA), providing inputs to regulatory agency approval including UL, CE and FDA is a plus. 

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: 00e6a582-05f1-45b2-9002-230719966e36

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2025-12-15T17:12:57