Staff FPGA Engineer

Company Description

At Intuitive, we are united behind our mission: we believe that minimally invasive care is life-enhancing care. Through ingenuity and intelligent technology, we expand the potential of physicians to heal without constraints.

As a pioneer and market leader in robotic-assisted surgery, we strive to foster an inclusive and diverse team, committed to making a difference. For more than 30 years, we have worked with hospitals and care teams around the world to help solve some of healthcare's hardest challenges and advance what is possible.

Intuitive has been built by the efforts of great people from diverse backgrounds. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere. We strive to foster an inclusive culture built around diversity of thought and mutual respect. We lead with inclusion and empower our team members to do their best work as their most authentic selves.

Passionate people who want to make a difference drive our culture. Our team members are grounded in integrity, have a strong capacity to learn, the energy to get things done, and bring diverse, real-world experiences to help us think in new ways. We actively invest in our team members to support their long-term growth so they can continue to advance our mission and achieve their highest potential.

Join a team committed to taking big leaps forward for a global community of healthcare professionals and their patients. Together, let's advance the world of minimally invasive care.

Job Description

As Staff FPGA Engineer in the Multiport Firmware Video team, you will play a key role in the delivery of best-in-class FPGA solutions for our da Vinci systems (and other robotic platforms). The engineer in this position will work with the broader Vision and EE teams to architect, implement and verify high-speed interfaces, robust data transmission protocols and other novel solutions using FPGAs / FPGA SoCs deployed in our medical endoscopes.

Responsibilities

• Develop highly reliable and robust high-speed data interfaces and protocols, optimizing performance and system reliability
• Implement complex designs using (System)Verilog and verify in simulation and on hardware
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to drive balanced trade-offs across resources, cost, performance, and practicality to deliver optimal FPGA architectures
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical leadership within the FPGA team
• Drive improvements to FPGA design and verification methodology; explore avenues to reduce development and verification time
• Investigate and evaluate new FPGA / FPGA-SoC platforms
• Provide technical guidance on FPGA architecture decisions and design reviews

Qualifications

Required Education, Skills & Experience

• Minimum of 12 years of related experience and a Bachelor's degree; or 8 years experience and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years experience; or equivalent experience
• Advanced proficiency with SystemVerilog, C (or C++) and scripting languages such as Python
• Deep understanding of FPGA architecture, covering design methodologies, timing analysis, verification strategies, and debugging techniques
• Proven experience with high-speed serial interfaces and protocols; experience with gigabit transceivers on FPGA's
• Expert-level knowledge of AMD/Xilinx, Intel/Altera and/or Lattice FPGAs and their associated build tools
• Experience leading FPGA part and pin selection process
• Proficiency with revision control software (e.g., Git) and CI/CD workflows
• Proven track record of technical leadership and mentoring
• Strong communication, presentation, and technical documentation skills, facilitating seamless collaboration across teams
• Experience interfacing with image sensors and associated protocols e.g. MIPI is desired

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 Employment 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.

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

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 salary ranges are listed.

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: 8339a787-4418-4e22-a086-50791db43947

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2026-03-04T17:53:46