Director, Advanced Energy Instruments

Intuitive; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive is a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, driving innovation with the da Vinci system and Ion. The Director of Advanced Energy Instruments will guide a dynamic team to develop patient‑contacting devices for integration with da Vinci platforms, overseeing design, validation, and lifecycle improvements.

You will coordinate cross‑functional efforts across projects, manage personnel, and ensure milestones are met amid evolving information typical of new

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Biomedical Engineering or equivalent engineering degree; MS or PhD preferred.
• 10+ years designing, manufacturing and commercialization of medical devices or products.
• 5+ years leading design of medical device projects, operations/manufacturing while directly managing teams.
• Experience with energy instruments (RF, ultrasonic, etc.) and related risk analyses.

Responsibilities

• Set long‑term strategic vision aligning team goals with business priorities.
• Drive and manage product engineering team, focusing on culture, hiring, and retention.
• Define performance expectations and ensure effective communication across all team levels.
• Oversee project planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for operational excellence.
• Advocate relationship building and handoffs between NPD and manufacturing/launch.
• Engage collaborators to align project priorities with long‑term goals.
• Anticipate roadblocks and remove silos for seamless execution.

Skills

Team leadership

FDA regulations

Risk analysis

Design for manufacturability

Medical device design

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory compliance

Materials selection

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Eng

Biomedical Engineering

MS or PhD preferred

Job 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

The Director of Advanced Energy Instruments drives a dynamic team in the new product development of cutting‑edge medical devices and systems for minimally invasive surgeries. This role involves managing Managers, Engineers, and technical staff, focused on design and development of patient contacting instruments slated for integration with the da Vinci platforms. The Director will oversee the design, documentation, validation, and enhancement of new and existing designs, ensuring they meet customer and business needs. The successful candidate will coordinate team efforts across multiple projects, manage personnel efficiently, and ensure project milestones are met despite time constraints and evolving information typical of new product development.

Essential Job Duties

• Set long‑term strategic vision aligning team goals with business priorities.
• Drive and manage product engineering team, focusing on culture, hiring, and retention.
• Define performance expectations and ensure effective communication across all team levels.
• Oversee project planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for operational excellence.
• Advocate relationship building and handoffs between new product development and manufacturing/NPI.
• Engage collaborators to ensure product engineering project priorities and help for long‑term goals.
• Anticipate roadblocks and remove silos for seamless execution of priorities.

Required Skills and Experience

• A closely involved engineering person with the proven ability to work well in a team environment
• Demonstrated expertise in all phases of the product development lifecycle, largely focused on scalability, design for manufacturing, assembly and on‑going quality improvements, preferred experience with Energy (RF, ultrasonic, etc.)Instruments.
• Proven ability to motivate, guide, and inspire members of core and extended project teams with strong project management skills
• Class II medical product experience and experience navigating medical device risk analysis
• Experience with FDA regulations and medical device design control
• Experience in studying tradeoffs between product features, customer needs/requirements, producibility, and cost
• Organizational skills and ability to work on several fast‑paced projects simultaneously
• Ability to interact effectively with a wide variety of people and departments
• Proven knowledge of engineering fundamentals
• Planning, decision‑making and negotiation
• Expertise in evaluating and selecting patient‑contacting and implantable medical device materials
• Experience with toxicological risks
• Proven ability to seek, recognize, and execute clever and simple solutions to resolve complex department challenges

Required Education and Training

• Bachelor of Science inMechanical, Biomedical Engineering or equivalent engineering degree and/or a MS or PhD preferred
• 10+ years experience designing, manufacturing and commercialization of medical devices or products
• 5+ years experience leadingdesign of medical device projects, operations/manufacturing while directlymanaging teams

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 employeeswho 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 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.

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.