Mechanical Engineer - Robotic Systems

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and Med Tech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.

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R&D Product Development

R&D Mechanical Engineering

Scientific/Technology

Fremont, California, United States of America;
Los Gatos, California, United States of America;
Mountain View, California, United States of America;
Oakland, California, United States;
Redwood City, California, United States of America;
San Francisco, California, United States of America;
San Jose, California, United States of America;
Santa Clara, California, United States of America;
Santa Rosa, California, United States of America;
South San Francisco, California, United States of America;
Walnut Creek, California, United States

The Robotics and Digital solutions (RAD) group, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, is recruiting for a Mechanical Engineer - Robotic Systems for the Ottava Team. This is a hybrid position located in Santa Clara, CA.

The Ottava R&D team envisions a future for robotic intervention that is targeted, minimally invasive, and personalized. Building upon a deep understanding of patient and physician needs, we are developing a platform for the next evolution of soft-tissue robotic care.

We are a team of mechanical, electrical, mechatronics, robotic controls, software, and clinical engineers who are passionate about improving patient care. The team includes a wide range of experience levels from junior engineers to industry experts. We follow an iterative design approach to product development that requires us to collaborate closely across clinical, capital hardware, and instruments & accessories teams. We value autonomy and empower each other to take action while remaining a supportive and closely knit team.

We take pride in our culture and are committed to building an environment that is inclusive and promotes diversity of thought through varied experiences and backgrounds.

As a member of the Ottava R&D team you will join us on our journey to design and build one of the world's most advanced medical robotic platforms. You will work alongside all engineering functions to make significant contributions to the mechanical design of our capital hardware including (but not limited to) custom actuator design, structural design, and sensor development. This role offers a high degree of autonomy and opportunities for growth within the team as we progress towards realizing our vision.

We are seeking a Mechatronics Engineer to design, develop, and support electromechanical subsystems for a next-generation surgical robotic platform. This role will contribute across the full product lifecycle, including concept development, detailed design, integration, verification, and support of regulated medical devices. The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in mechanical and electrical engineering, hands‑on experience with mechatronic systems, and a passion for developing reliable, high‑performance hardware for use in the operating room.

This position requires close collaboration with cross‑functional teams including systems engineering, robotics and controls, quality, manufacturing, and regulatory.

• Design and develop electromechanical subsystems for surgical robotic systems, including actuators, sensors, motorized mechanisms, and control hardware interfaces
• Perform detailed mechanical design using CAD tools, including tolerance analysis and design for manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA)
• Integrate mechanical, electrical, and software components into functional mechatronic assemblies
• Develop and execute verification and validation (V&V) test plans for hardware components and…