Principal Systems Research Engineer

Primary Function of Position

The Future Forward Research group at Intuitive Surgical explores novel, high-potential technologies for future surgical robotic products and applications in computer- and robot-assisted medical intervention. We seek a Principal Systems Research Engineer — a recognized expert who applies professional systems engineering concepts to resolve the group's most critical technical issues and broad system design matters — to serve as the senior technical authority for systems engineering across the group's concept-to-prototype portfolio.

The Principal Systems Research Engineer owns systems architecture, requirements flow-down, and technical risk-retirement strategy for multiple concurrent early-stage concepts — spanning novel system and instrument mechanisms, actuation and sensing schemes, visualization approaches, and control architectures — running on Intuitive's current surgical robotic platforms or new experimental platforms. This role has significant experience turning innovative ideas into real products and solutions, and is accountable for taking a concept from first-principles feasibility argument through an integrated, functional prototype validated to a phase gate requirement — through the group's formal review and approval process — to advance (or pivot) the concept ahead of formal program investment.

Beyond individual project ownership, the Principal Systems Research Engineer leads departmental and cross-functional projects and teams, mentors senior and staff engineers, and serves as an integral technical advisor to senior leaders on the feasibility, risk, and strategic value of emerging technologies. The role builds formal networks with key internal and external decision-makers and represents the organization externally — with academic and clinical collaborators, technology partners, and industry forums — to track and help shape the surgical robotics research landscape.

The role operates with wide latitude in determining objectives and technical approach for critical assignments, and contributes to the goals, objectives, and high-level decisions that guide the work of the broader research team.

Essential Job Duties

Systems Architecture & Requirements Engineering

• Lead all aspects of systems engineering for a given concept: system architecture, functional decomposition, and clear, testable system/subsystem requirements.
• Own end-to-end requirements traceability from clinical need and technical hypothesis through system/subsystem/hardware/software requirements to feasibility verification.
• Own software-related system requirements: system behaviors, operational concepts, user stories, and use cases that align software functionality with system performance and surgeon workflow.
• Define and control system interfaces and interface specifications across hardware, software, and mechanical domains as the architecture evolves.
• Apply Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) / UML methods to define and manage system architecture, requirements, interfaces, and behavior for fast-evolving concepts.

Prototype Development & Integration

• Develop and validate distributed electro-mechanical systems and dynamic models through targeted experimentation, spanning novel kinematic architectures, actuation schemes, and sensor fusion approaches.
• Design and direct development of control algorithms, software architectures, tooling, and infrastructure supporting rapid prototyping of new surgical platforms.
• Integrate mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems into fully functional, testable prototypes; personally lead integration and debugging on the highest-risk system interfaces.
• Apply classical and modern control design methods (teleoperation, force/haptic feedback,…