Senior Vision Systems 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

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Vision Systems Engineer to join our multidisciplinary engineering team. This role offers the opportunity to work across a large portion of the product lifecycle—from development and design through verification, manufacturing, sustaining engineering, and field support.

As a hands-on technical team member, you will leverage expertise in electrical and optics to solve complex technical challenges, improve product performance, and drive continuous improvement. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to investigate field issues, enhance manufacturability and reliability, and contribute to the development of next-generation vision systems.

Success in this role requires technical depth, intellectual curiosity, strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, and a collaborative mindset. You thrive in fast-paced environments, enjoy solving challenging problems, and are passionate about delivering robust, high-quality products that make a meaningful impact.

Key Responsibilities

Product Engineering & Technical Leadership

• Lead technical investigations spanning design, manufacturing, and field performance throughout the product lifecycle
• Conduct detailed root cause investigations for product, manufacturing, and field issues, developing effective corrective and preventive actions
• Design, develop, test, validate, and implement engineering solutions to improve product performance, reliability, and manufacturability
• Develop manufacturing processes to diagnose failures and repair returned products
• Drive engineering decisions using sound technical judgment, data analysis, and structured problem-solving methodologies
• Participate in and lead design reviews, technical discussions, and risk assessments to ensure design robustness and product quality
• Mentor junior engineers by sharing technical knowledge, engineering best practices, and structured problem-solving approaches

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Optical, Electrical, Firmware, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Test, Quality, Clinical, and Operations teams to resolve complex technical challenges
• Contribute to new product development by providing design feedback based on lessons learned from released products and field experience
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Technical Expertise

• Design and execute engineering experiments, Design of Experiments (DOE), verification testing, and product life-cycle validation activities
• Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and system-level issues using structured, data-driven root cause methodologies
• Perform circuit analysis and electrical troubleshooting as required
• Apply failure analysis techniques and collaborate with external analytical laboratories utilizing methods such as FTIR, X-ray imaging, SEM/TEM, EDS, and related technologies
• Working knowledge of scripting or programming in Python, C, C++, C#, or JavaScript is desirable to support automation, analysis, and engineering workflows

Manufacturing & Supplier Development

• Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Serviceability (DFS) initiatives for components and subsystems
• Partner with suppliers to improve component quality, manufacturability, and overall product performance
• Support supplier qualification, manufacturing transfer, production ramp-up, and yield improvement initiatives
• Collaborate with Manufacturing and Quality Engineering to support sustaining engineering and continuous product improvements

Education and Experience      

• Bachelor degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics or a related engineering discipline
• Minimum 8 years of engineering experience in medical devices, robotics, imaging systems, precision electromechanical products, or equivalent combination of education and experience 
• Familiarity with board level PCA/PCB design, signal integrity, and electromagnetic compliance (EMC)
• Demonstrated experience across multiple stages of the product lifecycle, including concept development, design, prototyping, verification, validation, manufacturing transfer, and sustaining engineering
• Skilled at planning and executing experiments using modern test and measurement equipment
• A hands-on engineer who enjoys solving challenging technical problems
• Curious, analytical, and driven to understand root causes rather than symptoms
• Passionate about designing reliable, manufacturable, and high-quality products
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, highly collaborative environments
• An effective communicator with strong presentation skills and confidence leading technical design reviews
• Willing to travel up to 10% as needed to support suppliers, manufacturing, or development activities

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.