Director, Technical Learning & Capability Development

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 211,000 - 316,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive is seeking a Director, Technical Learning & Capability Development to lead global strategy for technical training across manufacturing, maintenance, logistics and other operations.

This leadership role partners with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality and Service Operations to build standardized training, certification, and workforce development programs that ensure regulatory compliance and organizational scalability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• 12+ years leading technical training and operations.
• 5+ years leading managers and training orgs.
• Experience building competency frameworks and certification programs.
• Experience with LMS, certification tracking, and workforce platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute training programs and learning strategies aligned with Operations and global strategy.
• Oversee technical training for technicians and material handlers; monitor onboarding and assessments.
• Drive blended, digital, and experiential learning to enable scale.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of training professionals and foster collaboration.
• Measure learning effectiveness and business impact using data.
• Manage budgets, resources, and equipment for cost-effective learning solutions.

Skills

Technical training

Workforce development

Leadership

Learning management systems

Instructional design

Adult learning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

LMS

Certification tracking

Data analytics tools

Job description

Director, Technical Learning & Capability Development

• Full-time
• Shift: Day
• Max. Salary Region 2: 284400 USD
• Max. Salary Region 1: 316000 USD
• Ways of Working: Onsite - This job is fully onsite.
• Employee Type: Employee
• Min. Salary Region 1: 210600 USD
• Global Job Level (HCM): Management 5, Dir (16)
• Min. Salary Region 2: 189500 USD

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, Technical Learning & Capability Development reports to senior operations leadership and is responsible for the global strategy, governance, and execution of technical capability development programs supporting manufacturing, maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO), logistics, and other technical operations across the enterprise.

This leader will establish and continuously improve standardized technical training, certification, competency management, and workforce development programs that ensure employee readiness, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and organizational scalability. The role is accountable for developing enterprise-wide learning frameworks, skills matrices, qualification standards, and certification pathways that enable a highly capable technical workforce.

As a member of the Operations Leadership Team, this individual will partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Service Operations, Supply Chain, Planning, Regulatory Affairs, Human Resources, and business leaders to ensure workforce capability aligns with strategic priorities, operational capacity, new product introductions (NPI), and evolving technology requirements.

The Director will drive continuous improvement of technical learning systems, optimize training resources, and leverage data and performance metrics to accelerate workforce readiness, improve productivity, reduce quality risk, and support global operational growth.

• Lead the design and execution of training programs and learning strategies aligned with the Operations business priorities and global strategy.
• Design and oversee technical training programs for technicians and material handlers and establish a framework to monitor training delivery quality via the use of standardized processes for onboarding, competency checks and training assessment tools.
• Drive innovation in learning delivery through blended, digital, and experiential approaches, enabling scale.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of training professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Establish a framework for measuring and evaluating learning effectiveness and impact, using data to improve training programs and demonstrate business impact.
• Manage budgets, resources, and equipment to ensure cost-effective and high-quality learning solutions.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in:Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Biomedical) orManufacturing Engineering Technology orOperations Management orSupply Chain / Industrial Technology or equivalent technical experience

12+ years of experience leading technical training, workforce development, learning programs, manufacturing operations, service operations, engineering organizations, or related technical environments

5+ years leading managers and technical training organizations supporting large-scale operational or technical workforces

Demonstrated experience building and scaling workforce capability programs in complex technical environments

Experience developing competency frameworks, certification programs, qualification systems, and skills matrices

Experience partnering with operational, engineering, quality, and business leaders to translate technical requirements into effective workforce development programs

Experience implementing and scaling learning management systems (LMS), certification tracking systems, or workforce development platforms

Strong understanding of adult learning principles, instructional design methodologies, and organizational capability development

Nice to have:

Experience supporting organizations operating in regulated, quality-driven, or highly controlled environments

Experience driving organizational change, workforce readiness, and capability development during periods of growth and transformation

Demonstrated ability to align workforce capability initiatives with business objectives, operational performance, quality outcomes, and productivity goals

Strong program management, organizational leadership, and change management skills

Excellent executive communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills

Experience supporting manufacturing, service operations, logistics, distribution, healthcare, medical device, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, or other highly technical industries

Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) or operational readiness initiatives

Knowledge of regulated environments including FDA, ISO 13485, GMP, or similar quality systems

Experience supporting technical certification programs for manufacturing, repair, maintenance, engineering, or field service organizations

Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or operational excellence experience

Experience leading global workforce development organizations

Experience supporting automation, digital transformation, or enterprise-scale capability initiatives

Exposure to manufacturing, repair, failure analysis, warehouse operations, or supply chain environments

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.

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’sstart 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.

Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:

Intuitive is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [e-mail].

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.