Principal Mechanical Engineer - Instruments

Company Description

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:
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. produces the da Vinci® Surgical System, a minimally invasive robotic surgery system that uses highly complex mechanics, replaceable instruments and accessories, and enhanced three-dimensional visualization to extend surgical technique and precision beyond the limits of the human hand.

The Principal Engineer will strive to create the safest and highest quality devices for minimally invasive surgery through rigorous and robust technical analysis. They must excel in a high-energy team environment and be a quick learner. The successful candidate must have strong technical depth and experience in advanced energy surgical technology to support the development of surgical devices for the da Vinci Surgical System.

We are seeking a skilled Mechanical Engineering Technology Expert to join our team, focusing on the development and application of instruments for Robotic Assisted Surgery. The successful candidate will have a strong background in mechanical engineering instrument development, with specific expertise in designing and optimizing quality and reliability of these devices.

• Design, develop, and test wristed robotic instruments.
• Innovate and improve existing technologies to enhance precision, efficiency, and safety.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to incorporate solutions into product lines.
• Work closely with the Mechanical, Manufacturing, Supplier, Quality and Clinical engineering teams to implement requirements, iterate through prototypes, analyze performance and ensure design outputs are successfully integrated into effective system designs.
• Develop simulation or characterization methodologies to model system behavior and performance.
• Support robotic instrument and capital equipment development across multiple platforms.
• Perform risk analysis and implement safety mitigations. This includes documentation of risks, requirements, and test protocols to support requests for approval by regulatory agencies such as the FDA.
• Provide technical mentorship to engineering staff.
• Provide support for resolution of field and manufacturing issues.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field. Minimum 15 years of medical device experience.
• Proven experience in the development and application of medical devices, and well regarded in the industry or academia as a subject matter expert.
• Experience developing products compliant with safety standards and regulatory requirements for medical devices.
• Lead by having a breadth of technical knowledge that enables a top‑level view of the entire project. Using this perspective, act as an interface between various technical specialties. Take ownership of issues that cross disciplinary boundaries to ensure the success of the project.
• Contribute to design documentation throughout the entire product lifecycle such as risks, specifications, test protocols, results and regulatory materials.
• Interested in working at a fast paced, high transaction environment providing solutions throughout the entire product lifecycle.
• Hands‑on engineering experience with a proven ability to work well in a…