AI/ML Data Scientist

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 AI/ML Data Scientist is pivotal in identifying and prioritizing business opportunities for leveraging Machine Learning (ML) to drive substantial value and innovation across the organization. This role involves building and deploying ML applications on a centralized ML platform, facilitating the cross-pollination of ML algorithms across different portfolio teams, and championing the development of shared ML codebases. The AI/ML Data Scientist collaborates with business stakeholders to understand their challenges, developing and scaling ML-driven solutions that are integrated into the organization's data ecosystem. 

Essential Job Duties  

• Collaborate with business units to identify challenges and opportunities where ML can drive value; conduct data exploration and feasibility studies. 

• Take part in developing a long-term ML strategy and roadmap, aligning with the organization's overall goals and objectives. 

• Design, train, and implement a range of ML models, including classical algorithms and advanced deep learning, on a centralized platform. 

• Oversee the lifecycle of ML models from development to deployment, monitoring, and maintenance; optimize models for performance and scalability. 

• Lead dissemination of ML techniques and best practices across teams to enhance collective expertise and foster collaboration. 

• Keep up-to-date with emerging ML technologies and methodologies to drive continuous improvement and innovation in ML initiatives. 

• Communicate complex ML concepts to stakeholders and translate model results into actionable business insights. 

Required Skills and Experience  

• Minimum 3+ years of experience in machine learning, with a deep understanding of the latest ML research and technologies. 

• Strong programming skills in Python and SQL. 

• Strong statistical analysis skills with a solid grasp of probability and statistical theories. 

• Experience with a wide range of machine learning techniques, including both supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, and LLMs. 

• Proficiency with ML frameworks and libraries such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and scikit-learn. 

• Familiarity with cloud-based platforms such as Snowflake and data analytics platforms like Databricks. 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex ML concepts to non-technical audiences. 

Required Education and Training  

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in computer science, data science, or a related field.

Preferred Skills and Experience  

• Creative and analytical problem-solving skills with the ability to translate business challenges into data-driven solutions. 

• Experience in driving collaboration and cross-functional ML knowledge sharing across teams. 

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.