Manager, Manufacturing Engineering

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 

Lead a team responsible for manufacturing engineering support of production operations, sustaining engineering activities, and manufacturing capability development. Drive process improvements, capacity expansion, and manufacturing support activities while ensuring compliance with medical device quality system requirements. 

Roles & Responsibilities 

• Leads a small to medium sized group of similarly skilled technical contributors (typically 3+). 

• Makes hiring decisions with approval from senior leaders and recommends promotions. Proactively trains team.  

• Effectively manages performance and addresses underperformance in a timely way. 

• Learning best practices for effective leadership. Demonstrates the commitment to motivate, influence, and develop staff. 

• Creates an environment that leads to attraction, retention, and successful careers at Intuitive. 

• Effectively communicates goals and objectives.  Monitors and reports progress and identifies risks. Effectively presents to groups and runs meetings. 

• Able to effectively communicate changes from above to their organization. Manages change within their own team. 

• Communicates on behalf of functional and project teams to leaders and to similar functions across the company. 

• Interfaces effectively with Internal teams, suppliers, and some cross functional audiences. Helps team members to effectively communicate. 

• Receives high level objectives and manages execution against them. Informs schedule and goals. 

• Has demonstrated competence and understanding of what needs to be done to execute. 

• Contributes to budget and resource planning. 

• Provides accurate estimates of time and resources required to achieve results in area of responsibility.  Incorporates leadership feedback to optimize plans. 

• Proposes individual goals and assignments for their team and ensures goals of their teams support the overall project effort. 

• Makes sure team stays on track by anticipating and avoiding disruptions and addressing setbacks effectively as they occur. 

• Ensures team understands and applies relevant processes (e.g. quality management procedures, business processes) and best practices for their function to achieve objectives. 

• Identifies obstacles and proposes solutions. Makes day-to-day decisions to advance the work. Knows when their own knowledge is insufficient and solicits help. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline. 

• Typically requires at least 8 years as an individual contributor and 1-3 years as a people manager or prior management responsibilities through project management or team leadership efforts. 

• 5+ years manufacturing, process, industrial, or test engineering experience. 

• 2+ years leading technical projects, cross-functional teams, or engineering personnel. 

• Strong problem-solving, root cause analysis, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master's degree in Engineering. 

• Medical device manufacturing experience. 

• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience. 

• Experience supporting complex electro-mechanical systems

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.

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, 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.