Sr. Manager, Electrical 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.

Were 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.

The Future Forward organization is Intuitive’s advanced concepts group. We explore emerging technologies, prototype next-generation solutions, and build software experiences that shape the future of robotic-assisted surgery.

If you're ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you'll find your purpose here.

Description:

The Senior Manager, Electrical Engineering owns people leadership, electrical/electronic system architecture, and technical strategy in the development of a novel surgical robotic platform. In this role, the Sr. Manager leads the team directly responsible for board design and FPGA-based development and is accountable for translating clinical and market requirements into a coherent, multi-year architecture and technology roadmap.

The successful candidate is both a proven people leader and a recognized subject matter expert who can set technical direction, make sound architectural trade-offs under time pressure and incomplete information, and build the leadership pipeline needed to sustain a high-performing organization.

This person partners closely with cross-functional leaders (Software, Mechanical, Systems, Quality/Regulatory, Manufacturing) to align electrical engineering strategy with business unit and corporate priorities, and to ensure programs meet Intuitive's quality system and FDA regulatory requirements throughout the medical device development lifecycle.

Essential Job Duties

This position has organizational responsibility for people leadership, electrical/electronic architecture, planning across robotic surgical systems. The Senior Manager, Electrical Engineering will:

• Provide people leadership across a team of PCBA and firmware (FPGA) designers,
  • Own hiring, promotion, and performance decisions for the organization; build and develop a strong leadership pipeline of managers and technical leads
  • Coach and mentor managers and senior engineers; create an environment that supports attraction, retention, and successful long-term careers at Intuitive
  • Set individual and team development goals, and proactively address underperformance in a timely way
• Define and drive electrical/electronic system architecture and multi-year technology roadmaps for novel robotic surgical platforms:
  • Work with cross-functional leaders to translate clinical and market requirements into high and low-level architecture and design strategy
  • Serve as a recognized subject matter expert, guiding architecture-level design trade-offs for embedded, FPGA-based, analog, and high-speed digital systems, including cross-functional mechanical and software requirements.
  • Guide the team through design, implementation, verification, qualification, and transfer to manufacturing of complete robotic surgery designs, that include robotic servo control, vision processing, electrosurgical energy control, advanced compute and networking capabilities
• Independently establish objectives, schedules, budgets, and resource plans for the organization; negotiate resources and priorities with other functional and resource managers:
  • Set team and departmental goals aligned to business unit strategy; anticipate interdependencies and avoid surprises through proactive planning and risk management
  • Report status, risks, and resource needs to senior management and cross-functional program leadership
• Ensure the organization's programs comply with Intuitive’s quality system and statutory requirements for medical device development:
  • Oversee Design History File documentation, design controls (design input/output, traceability, risk analysis), and support for quality and regulatory processes across the team's programs
  • Ensure compliance with 60601 standards, with early identification of issues through methodical dry runs and testing at the sub-system and system level
  • Provide engineering oversight for resolution issues at all phases of the product lifecycle: design, verification and validation testing, and field support
• Represent Electrical Engineering to senior leadership and cross-functional partners; tailor communication of complex technical topics to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Drive process improvement, best practices, and new methodologies within and beyond the immediate organization

Required Skills and Experience

• Proven track record leading and developing engineering managers as well as individual contributors, with strong commitment to team members' professional growth
• Demonstrated experience independently managing budgets and resource plans for a large engineering organization
• Recognized subject matter expertise in complex embedded and FPGA-based systems integrating digital, analog, and sensor technologies, gained in a fast-paced, high-transaction development environment
• Experience defining cohesive electrical system architectures that combine mechanical and computational requirements in a cohesive manner.
• Experience in defining and delivering on multi-year technical roadmaps for complex products,  
• Skilled at leading cross-functional teams and with cross-organizational negotiation; strong project management capability
• Deep proficiency across the product development lifecycle - design, implementation, debug, verification, qualification, and transfer to manufacturing
  • Strong understanding of design controls, design input/output, traceability, and risk analysis in a highly regulated industry
  • Experience working with FDA and international regulatory requirements for medical device products
• Working knowledge of schematic capture and layout tools, electronic test equipment, analog and digital circuit design, embedded systems, high-speed digital transmission lines, and complex PCB material stackups
• Significant hardware development experience in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment, preferably in medical, surgical, or therapeutic products
• Understanding of component selection criteria, design for reliability, manufacturability, test, and EMC compliance
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to tailor messaging for senior leadership, cross-functional partners, and non-technical audiences

Required Education and Training

• BSc degree in Electrical Engineering or adjacent technical field with at least 10+ years of relevant experience (preferably in the medical device field), including at least 3 years as a people manager; or Master's degree with at least 8 years of experience; or PhD with at least 4 years of experience, in each case including at least 3 years as a people manager

Working Conditions

• None

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.