Sr. Image Processing Software 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.

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.

The goal of the Advanced Imaging team is to design, prototype, test, and implement next-generation optical imaging technologies to enable surgeons to see more, gather information, and enhance their visual surgical experience. We are looking for a strong, systems-oriented software engineer with interest in surgical imaging and who is driven by a “patients first” purpose.  The candidate will have experience in image processing/computer vision, with an emphasis on real-time performance; comfortable operating in a monorepo environment and deploying software; and who is hands-on and self-directed. The ideal candidate will have strong software development and integration skills, can systematically analyze system performance across complex co-integrated components, diagnose problems in imaging pipelines, and perform rigorous data analysis. They will have opportunities to work on state-of-the-art products and technologies to shape next generation vision system. This individual must possess a strong sense of individual ownership as well a desire to work in cross-functional teams with shared responsibility and on complex projects. This role reports to the Director of Advanced Imaging.

No prior medical device experience is required for this position.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Develop software in a mixed software/hardware environment that includes Python, C++, CUDA, Matlab on Linux and Windows.
• Implement image processing blocks from prototype to production environments, considering system data communication strategies and real-time embedded requirements.
• Create tools and software releases, and debug them on custom surgical system hardware, for evaluation by our partner teams.
• Lead preclinical data collection and analysis.
• Write scripts to automate data collection and workflows.
• Obtain and iterate feedback into design.
• Establish and maintain strong, productive relationships and collaborations across functional and organizational boundaries.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• At least 5 years of experience or comparable in a similar role.• Proficiency in C++, Python, Matlab.
• Experience in real-time image processing.
• Experience in shell scripting.
• Experience designing, implementing, testing and optimizing imaging modalities and their display.

• Experienced with good software practices in prototyping, implementing, debugging and testing.
• Experience developing in a large monorepo environment.

• Experience with software release frameworks and methodologies.
• CUDA programming experience is a plus.

• Experience with embedded software and/or real-time systems and concepts is a plus.
• Highly innovative with a demonstrated track record for clean solutions to complex technical challenges.
• Comfortable interacting with specialized hardware.
• Knowledgeable in camera sensors, displays, optics and illumination sources.
• Good documentation and communication skills.
• Ability to engage in open, active collaboration.

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.