Embedded Software Engineer, Platform Networking

Staff Embedded Software Engineer, Platform Networking

The Embedded Platform Software team designs and builds the foundational software infrastructure for next-generation surgical robotic systems. We are looking for a high-energy, talented Senior Software Engineer to join the Embedded Networking Software team, within the Multiport Platform Software group.

We are a small group that works in a focused, high-energy environment working on New Product Development. We believe in applying first principles thinking, data driven decision making, continuous learning, and systematic planning to deliver results and achieve our goals.

Your Role

You will be a technical leader on the team developing our flagship product, dV5. The team's focus is to enhance and extend the dV5 robotic embedded network across all 7 Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) layers and apply that deep understanding to new surgical robotic systems. You will own the architecture, set the multi-year technical direction, and grow the engineers around you.

Your Responsibilities

In your first year in this role, you will:

• Design, develop, and deliver features, own some architectures across the embedded network stack and help define the technical roadmap across:
• Reliability, including redundancy and fault tolerance strategies
• Performance architecture for growing data transfer needs: low latency switching, traffic shaping, queue management
• A distributed publish/subscribe messaging framework built on DDS-style middleware
• Layer 5 Session APIs for seamless disconnect and reconnect of services and network nodes
• Set the technical direction and standards for Layer 2/Layer 3 software, Ethernet MAC and PHY drivers, and deterministic real-time paths for safety critical data, applying queueing theory
• Lead design and code reviews, mentor senior and mid-level engineers, and raise the bar on design quality and debugging rigor while staying hands-on in the highest-risk code
• Serve as the technical authority on hardware integration, and lead escalations on the hardest hardware-software networking failures (JTAG, GDB, protocol analyzers)
• Drive alignment across cross functional teams such as Application Development, Algorithms, FPGA, Electrical, Clinical, and Manufacturing to negotiate requirements and resolve architectural tradeoffs
• Influence build-versus-buy, vendor silicon, and middleware selection, and make the case for investments that retire technical debt

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree with 10+ years, or Master's degree with 8+ years, of industry experience in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline

Demonstrated technical leadership on complex systems: owning architecture, mentoring engineers, and influencing direction across organizational boundaries

A natural communicator with strong critical thinking, and clarity of thought who can explain architectural tradeoffs to engineers and executives alike

Expert OSI networking knowledge across all 7 layers, including TCP/IP stack internals and Ethernet switching fabric design, and expert C/C++ skills for embedded development

Deep experience architecting and delivering high-speed networking software in switching, robotics, automotive, or aerospace, including low-level Ethernet MAC/PHY driver development

Experience with Linux and embedded RTOS environments, with a strong understanding of memory management, concurrency, and interrupt handling

Demonstrated experience leveraging new tools and technology, such as AI coding assistants, to increase speed, and driving adoption across a team

Preferred Experience

Experience defining multi-generation technical strategy or platform roadmaps for a shipping hardware product

Strong hardware-software fluency: schematics, datasheets, reasoning across system abstractions

Hands-on experience with IEEE 802.1 TSN/AVB (802.1AS, Qbv, Qav, Qci), high-availability redundancy on real hardware, and Automotive Ethernet (100/1000

BASE-T1, BASE-T1S)

Experience configuring and managing L2 switching (VLANs, QoS, segmentation) over SPI or in-band protocols

Experience with RTOS (FreeRTOS, ThreadX, Zephyr, QNX or VxWorks) and Linux driver development

Exposure to functional safety standards (IEC 62304, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, IEC 60601, ISO 26262) and embedded network security such as secure boot, MACsec, and IPsec

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…