Machine Learning Engineer

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.

Were 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.

The Future Forward organization is Intuitive’s advanced concepts group. We explore emerging technologies, prototype next-generation solutions, and build software experiences that shape the future of robotic-assisted surgery.

If you're ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you'll find your purpose here.

As a Machine Learning Engineer on the Future Forward Navigation team, you will develop innovative digital solutions to extend Intuitive’s robotic product lines. Collaborating with experts in robotics, imaging, and software, you will build medical image analysis and computer vision systems for novel robotic platforms. This role spans the entire development cycle—from prototyping approximate requirements to delivering high-quality production code. The ideal candidate is an independent problem-solver with a broad technical scope (robotics, ML, graphics) who learns quickly and thrives in a collaborative environment.

 

Essential Job Duties

• Support the development of advanced computer vision and ML algorithms (segmentation, 3D reconstruction, object tracking) from proof-of-concept to deployment on resource-constrained embedded platforms

• Participate in building low-latency, real-time inference pipelines using C++ and CUDA to meet timing and accuracy requirements for surgical assistance

• Collaborate with designers, clinical engineers, and other software developers to translate approximate clinical needs into concrete technical requirements and verifiable software specifications

• Contribute to safety-critical software engineering practices, including failure mode analysis, hazard mitigation, and validation strategies for AI models

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field

• Minimum of 5 years of industry experience; or Master’s degree and 3 years of experience; or a PhD

• Academic or project experience with C++ (11/14/17+) and Python, exposure to system-level programming, memory management, and multi-threading for real-time applications

• Foundational knowledge in geometric computer vision (camera calibration, SLAM, registration, multi-view geometry) and deep learning (classification, tracking, mapping, transformers/CNNs)

• Familiarity with model optimization or deployment tools (e.g., TensorRT or similar)

• Clear communication skills and ability to explain technical work to a broader audience

 

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Coursework or project experience validating computer vision/ML models for medical applications

• Exposure to robotics, sensor data, kinematics, or coordinate transformations

• Experience with data pipelines (data curation, labeling, augmentation, synthetic data)

• Experience working with medical imaging modalities (Endoscopic video, Ultrasound, CT) or similar sensor data

• Familiarity with profiling/optimizing algorithm performance on CPU and GPU

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.

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on

business need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.

Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the

candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.

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.