Manager, Electrical Engineering - Instruments & Accessories

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.

Primary Function of Position

The Manager, Electrical Engineering, I&A is responsible for leading the design and implementation of control hardware and sub-systems for new energy-based surgical equipment and surgical instruments. This responsibility includes functional management of electronic hardware development team members and oversight of the entire product development process, from the evaluation of early feasibility study prototypes through formal product verification and validation activities. Responsibilities for development continue until the products are approved by the regulatory agencies in the targeted geographies and fully released to market.

This position provides design and analytic assistance to other development teams to help them understand the energy-based technologies, and to guide the design of instruments and accessories that enhance or support the energy-based equipment used during surgical procedures.

This position also maintains awareness and interest in developing research and technologies related to energy based surgical equipment and in the evolution of regulations, standards and guidance documents that impact the regulatory approval process.

Essential Job Duties

• Lead a team of electronic development engineers and directly contribute to the design of new energy-based surgical systems through the entire development process from initial feasibility evaluations to completion of the design control process and release to production.
• Work with direct reports to establish impactful objectives and goals consistent with overall program goals.
• Provide oversight and directly contribute to the creation of design control documentation describing risks, requirements, specifications, and verification/validation test protocols.
• Understand the application, market needs and risks associated with the use of energy-based medical devices for surgical procedures.
• Understand the existing energy-based surgical equipment intellectual property landscape and drive efforts to develop innovative new intellectual property.
• Maintain a close working relationship with the regulatory affairs team members to support the development of regulatory strategy for energy-based products and to provide technical input on the content of submission documents.
• Provide electrical engineering sustaining support for resolution of supply chain, manufacturing and field issues.
• Assist with planning, staffing, budgeting and project/program cost tracking.
• Lead by having a breadth of technical knowledge that enables a top-level view of the entire project and act as an interface between the various functional specialties to drive towards an optimal product solution.

Required Skills and Experience

• 5 years of professional experience as an electrical engineer.
• 2 years of experience managing engineering personnel and other technical resources.
• Working knowledge and experience with the recognized consensus standards pertaining to electronic surgical equipment, specifically including IEC 60601-1, 60601-1-2, 60601-2-2.
• Strong knowledge of electronic circuit design, high voltage circuit design, and energy control algorithms with an emphasis on design for manufacturability and reliability.
• Creative and proactive leader with a passion for coaching, developing and mentoring employees throughout the organization.
• Excel in a high-energy, small-team environment.
• Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Required Education and Training

• BS degree in Electrical Engineering with 5 years of proven experience bringing electronic medical capital equipment through the entire development process and release to production.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience implementing microcontroller and FPGA based control systems on medical device products in conformance with IEC 62304.
• Possess embedded C programming capabilities as well as hardware, software, and mechanism integration skills.
• Understanding of the energy-based surgical equipment market to be able to assess complex trade-offs and risk mitigations to ensure programs remain on schedule and deliver the intended performance.

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.