Sr. Supplier Process 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.

Primary Function of Position

Responsible for ensuring suppliers meet ISI requirements for quality, service, delivery, and cost.

Drive both suppliers and internal teams to continuously improve both manufacturing and business

processes. Evaluate and collaborate on supplier selection with cross functional partners. Support

both NPI and ongoing production by engaging with suppliers to improve supplier performance,

monitor product and process performance, scale-up production, and work with design and

manufacturing teams to implement improvements. Lead and execute detailed supplier projects to

implement changes affecting product quality, cost, capacity, risk mitigation/supply continuity, and

integration of new manufacturing technologies.

The ideal candidate possesses a broad process experience in metal machining and/or plastic

Injection molding and extrusions, and has the skills and experience to assess and develop

optimal supplier partners in these categories while mentoring others in this skillset.

Essential Job Duties

• Partner with suppliers to execute cost reductions, capacity improvements, and risk

mitigation projects for high severity parts, sole suppliers, or proprietary materials.

• Manage complex supplier changes including manufacturing process changes, design

changes, production optimization, facility changes, new equipment qualification, and new

line validations.

• Complete part qualification deliverables including: First Article, Supplier pFMEA, Process

Validations (IQ/OQ/PQ), Inspection Reports, Gage R&R, and Process Capability

Analysis, and lead, train, and mentor suppliers through the process.

• Participate in supplier selection process: selecting the right process and supplier for the

part, considering long term fit, and total cost of ownership.

• Drive suppliers to continually improve their business and manufacturing process

performance to meet Intuitive’s requirements for supplier excellence using a collection of

best practices in project management, Six Sigma, Lean, SPC and negotiation. Lead

these efforts at several suppliers simultaneously, without managerial guidance.

• Own and drive to closure supplier nonconformances from symptom through root cause

analysis to corrective action, including Nonconformance Reports and SCAR

documentation.

• Drive changes to ISI requirements as necessary, by initiating and managing changes to

specifications and drawings through the Engineering Change Order process

• Develop metrics for supplier part cost, delivery, quality, capacity, and capability, and

continually drive for timely achievement of those metrics.

• Provide effective and timely component inventory health information and

recommendations to management by creating and delivering data-driven supply base

information.

• Review, analyze, and close customer complaints, manufacturing variance requests, and

first article inspections by judging risk analyses and justifications, determining corrective

and preventive actions at suppliers. Look for opportunities with suppliers to eliminate

recurrence.

• Effectively prioritize and advance multiple concurrent high priority projects. Effectively

integrate and distill communications across multiple teams for cohesive and unified

messaging both internally and externally. Create formal networks with key decision

makers and serve as external spokesperson for the organization.

• Work with suppliers and ISI New Product Development/Introduction Engineering to:

o Create product supplier landscapes to determine launch readiness and report to

management

o Develop supplier ramp readiness plans by judging business risk based on

forecast, supplier capacity, quality performance, and process capability.

o DFM by engaging suppliers early in development cycle to feedback

manufacturability improvements in the designs prior to production

o Influence and guide Engineering in choosing suppliers by determining selection

criteria for preferred suppliers and leading the team effort to evaluate preferred

suppliers

o Review, analyze and close customer complaints, manufacturing

nonconformances, and first article inspections by judging risk analyses and

justifications

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable knowledge in evaluating and challenging supplier technical, quality, and

business capabilities

• Demonstratable knowledge of supplier part qualifications, supplier change controls, and

design controls

• A proven history of implementing Lean/6 Sigma/SPC Programs at suppliers

• Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of manufacturing processes including

understanding of key input variables for quality, cost, and capacity (i.e. metal fabrication,

plastics, extrusions, electronics, and/or contract manufacturing)

• Demonstratable knowledge of CAPA process (specifically containment, root cause

analysis, corrective/preventive actions)

• Excellent Project Management skills and experience in influencing without formal

authority

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including presentations to upper-level

management

• Excellent interpersonal skills and team building skills

• Excellent analytical, root-cause, and problem-solving skills along with good judgment

• Excellent knowledge of 21 CFR part 820 and ISO 13485 (experience in auditing suppliers

to these standards preferred)

• Proficiency with Windows, Word, Excel, ERP Information Systems (preferably SAP), and

PLM Systems (preferably Agile)

Required Education and Training

• BS degree in Engineering or equivalent.

• Minimum 8 years related experience in Supplier Quality Engineering and/or Supplier

Development or related field.

Working Conditions

• Ability to travel to suppliers on an as needed basis – domestic and international (approx

20%)

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with one or more of the following commodities is preferred: metal fabrication,

plastics, extrusions, electronics, and/or contract manufacturing.

• Experience in the Medical Device industry is preferred

• Experience with GD&T, tolerance stack and CAD experience with 3D modeling tools is a

plus

• Ability to read and interpret detailed mechanical drawings (GD&T) and communicate

technical information

• Proven ability to work alongside Design Engineering and assess supplier capability

during the design iteration process

• Experience with statistical analysis software such as Minitab is a plus

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.