Staff Optical 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 Staff Optical Systems Engineer will support the design, specification, testing, certification, and transition to volume production of critical electro-optical components and sub-systems to perform eye imaging tasks in medical capital equipment. Success in this role will depend on the ability of the candidate to fluently communicate and efficiently collaborate with experts across multiple disciplines, both within Intuitive and through external suppliers. The role is inherently multi-disciplinary: the candidate must skillfully choreograph embedded camera optics, embedded camera sensors, embedded camera system manufacture / testing / calibration, illumination sources, illumination optics, embedded electronics / image processing, software, and opto-mechanics. Engineer is expected to own the resultant eye imaging system’s safety and efficacy, and should be excited about how their work will be part of a broader, highly complex, and interconnected surgical system. It is expected that Engineer will bring-up existing designs and find innovative ways to improve their performance, reduce their cost, and improve their manufacturability. Engineer should be a self-starter capable of prioritizing their own time and making sound engineering decisions with minimal oversight.

Qualifications

Skill/Job Requirements:

• Strong engineering fundamental knowledge: equivalent to Masters or PhD in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics or similar field, with an additional 5-10 years of embedded camera systems experience
• Broad knowledge of the embedded camera industry and experience designing end-to-end embedded camera systems
• Familiar with eye anatomy, eye ergonomics, and eye safety standards, with a track record of applying this knowledge to the execution of near-infrared eye imaging systems.
• Skill in the use of Zemax or equivalent sequential ray tracing software for camera lens design and analysis, illuminator design, and eye modeling
• Skill in the use of Zemax or equivalent non-sequential ray tracing software for stray light analysis, illuminator design, and light pipe design
• Familiar with lens fabrication technologies, including molded optics, diamond-turned optics, and 3D printed optics
• Familiar with near-infrared sources, including near-infrared LEDs and laser diodes
• Familiar with camera system calibration methods, including distortion and stereo calibration
• Familiar with camera system characterization, including modulation transfer and distortion
• Familiar with methods and algorithms for iris identification, pupillometry, and gaze estimation

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.

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: dd915007-6f30-4a96-a2e0-40938a11b6d8

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2025-12-17T19:39:21