Clinical Research Intern

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 Clinical Research Intern will join Intuitive's Future Forward Advanced Research team for a 10–12 week summer internship, reporting to a Senior Clinical Research Scientist within Future Forward. The intern will contribute directly to early-stage product development for a novel technology platform, applying clinical and scientific expertise to support product strategy, clinical evidence generation planning, and market opportunity evaluation. Working alongside cross-functional team members in engineering, translational science, medical affairs, and product management, the intern will help de-risk key clinical and strategic uncertainties for an early technology in development. The internship culminates in a final presentation to leadership and cross-functional partners.

Essential Job Duties

• Clinical Evidence Strategy: Develop and refine clinical evidence generation strategies for an early-stage technology platform, including identifying key clinical endpoints, target patient populations, and study design considerations.

• Literature Review & Outcomes Research: Conduct targeted literature reviews and clinical outcomes research to benchmark the technology against standard of care, identify evidence gaps, and support clinical trial planning activities.

• Scientific De-Risking: Collaborate with translational science teams to identify, prioritize, and de-risk key scientific and clinical risks for the technology under development; contribute to de-risking plans, experimental design, and milestone definitions.

• Product Development: Partner with cross-functional teams, including engineering, medical affairs, and product management, to support early project de-risking activities, align clinical requirements with technical feasibility, and contribute to risk mitigation plans.

• Product Strategy & Market Opportunity Evaluation: Evaluate expansion market opportunities by analyzing disease-state epidemiology, procedure volumes, competitive landscapes, and unmet clinical needs for adjacent or new clinical applications. Translate clinical insights into product and market requirements, contributing to upstream product strategy, clinical value propositions, and market positioning. Potential participation in clinical observations, physician interviews, or voice-of-customer sessions.

• Communication & Deliverables: Summarize findings in clear visualizations, written deliverables, and presentations; deliver a final presentation to leadership and cross-functional partners.

Required Skills and Experience

·       Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate clinical literature and synthesize findings into actionable strategic insights.

·       Experience with clinical study design concepts or clinical trial planning.

·       Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to develop and test clinical hypotheses.

·       Experience or training in needs-based innovation, clinical immersion, or translational research (e.g., Biodesign, clinical fellowships, or equivalent).

·       Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex clinical and scientific concepts for diverse audiences including engineering and business teams.

·       Comfortable working on defined deliverables under the guidance of senior team members, with the independence to drive them to completion within the internship period.

·       Intellectual curiosity and comfort with ambiguity; this team works on problems that are not yet fully defined.

University Hiring Program Eligibility Requirements:

·       University Enrollment: Must be currently enrolled in and returning to an accredited degree-seeking academic program after the internship.

·       Internship Work Period: Must be available to work full-time (approximately 40 hours per week) during a 10-12 week period starting May or June. Specific start dates are shared during the recruiting process.

Required Education and Training

·       Current enrollment in a Medicine (MD), Bioengineering, Biomedical Sciences, or related degree-seeking program at the Doctorate (MD or PhD) level.

·       Master's level students with specific relevant experience in clinical research, Biodesign / needs-based innovation training, or medical device product development may also be considered.

Working Conditions (As applicable - Any physical requirements for the job.  If not applicable, state “none”)

None

Preferred Skills and Experience (As applicable - Specific skills, knowledge, and experience that are not required to perform the job, but are desirable to have)

·       Completion of or current enrollment in a Biodesign or equivalent needs-based innovation program (e.g., Stanford Biodesign, Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, or similar).

·       Experience in upstream product management, product strategy, or product development within medical devices or healthcare technology.

·       Clinical experience in a surgical or interventional specialty (e.g., through residency, clinical rotations, or research fellowships).

·       Familiarity with regulatory pathways (e.g., 510(k), De Novo, PMA) and design controls for medical devices.

·       Experience with health economics, market sizing, or reimbursement analysis.

·       Intellectual property awareness or experience contributing to patent disclosures.

·       Peer-reviewed publications or congress abstracts in relevant clinical or engineering domains.

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.

Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:

Intuitive is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [email protected].

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay (paid at an hourly rate), benefits, and a housing allowance. 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 relevant skills and experience for this internship, degree-seeking academic program (PhD, Master’s, Bachelor’s, etc), year in school, and location. The hourly rate is prorated against the intern program salaries listed and total program compensation will be based on internship duration.