Sr Project Manager, Applied Research

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 the Position

The Senior Project Manager, Applied Research, plays a critical role in driving early-stage research and technology development initiatives at Intuitive Surgical. This position is designed to lead and support projects that are both exploratory in nature, often characterized by evolving objectives and undefined parameters, and early stage, aligned with specific business and patient value. The Senior Project Manager will collaborate closely with engineers and scientists, fostering an environment of innovation and discovery, with the goal of generating foundational insights and prototypes that will contribute to both the expansion of existing surgical robotics platforms and the creation of entirely new technologies and applications.

A successful candidate will provide strategic direction by translating high-level research ambitions into actionable plans and development roadmaps, prioritizing efforts, and aligning resources with the group’s dynamic needs. On a tactical level, this role demands hands-on project management, proactive problem-solving, and coordination of multidisciplinary teams to ensure research activities progress efficiently, adapt to new findings, and deliver valuable outcomes that can be leveraged across a broad spectrum of surgical robotics solutions.   The Senior Project Manager, Applied Research will also provide training and support on research-oriented project management and tools for the Research Engineering team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, initiation, and management of applied research projects, ensuring alignment with broader technology development objectives and evolving milestones.
• Develop and execute flexible project plans that accommodate the exploratory nature of early research, integrating timelines, resource allocation, and deliverable tracking for emerging technology initiatives.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, scientific research, clinical affairs, regulatory, and operations, to facilitate seamless integration of research findings into the surgical robotics ecosystem.
• Partner with engineers and scientists to define experimental approaches, establish project requirements, and provide technical support for proof-of-concept studies, prototype development, and feasibility assessments.
• Oversee documentation and knowledge transfer processes, ensuring that research outputs are well-documented, reproducible, and ready for transition to downstream development or regulatory pathways as appropriate.
• Manage logistics for prototype development and testing, including coordinating material availability, tracking inventory, and ensuring timely delivery of components to project teams.
• Implement procedures for project closeout, including reconciliation of materials, documentation of learnings, and disposition of prototypes in accordance with quality and research guidelines.
• Support the applied research group by developing and maintaining tools to monitor project progress, proactively identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies to ensure timelines and budgets are maintained.
• Facilitate regular project meetings, providing clear status updates to the research team, capturing actionable items, and communicating decisions to relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinate with internal and external collaborators, including academic partners and key opinion leaders, to inform project design, execution, and interpretation of results.
• Ensure high-quality documentation, reporting, and data integrity across all research activities, supporting the transition of research outputs to development teams.
• Support the summary reporting of Applied Research dynamic dashboards and regular updates, including coordinating format and content of readouts to executive leadership.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of project management processes and best practices, with a focus on enhancing cross-functional collaboration and operational efficiency within the applied research framework.

Additional helpful attributes/experiences

• Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree (MS, PhD, or equivalent) preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in project management, with at least 3 years focused on leading technology development or applied research initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience managing exploratory research, feasibility studies, and prototype development projects.
• Familiarity with regulatory considerations and standards relevant to medical device and robotics research (e.g., FDA, ISO, GCP).
• Proven track record of successful cross-functional leadership in a research or technology development environment.
• Leadership: Ability to inspire, influence, and drive multidisciplinary teams toward common research and development goals.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills; adept at presenting complex and evolving concepts to diverse audiences.
• Project Management: Advanced organizational, planning, and prioritization skills; proficiency with project management tools and methodologies suitable for early-stage research.
• Regulatory Acumen: Understanding of research standards and compliance requirements applicable to technology and medical device development.
• Problem Solving: Proactive in identifying challenges and developing innovative solutions in ambiguous and rapidly changing environments.
• Collaboration: Experience working with multidisciplinary teams, external partners, and academic collaborators.
• Attention to Detail: Commitment to accuracy, quality, and reproducibility in all deliverables.

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.