Manager, Mechanical Engineering, Capital Equipment

Socket.dev; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive Surgical in Sunnyvale seeks an experienced Instruments Mechanical Engineering Manager to lead a team that designs, develops, and launches new instrument products. You will guide architecture, coordinate across functions, and ensure designs meet patient and hospital needs.

The role requires deep CAD, hands-on leadership, and proven ability to recruit, mentor, and deliver manufacturable solutions in a highly regulated environment, while communicating with surgeons and executives.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience taking products from concept to production (medical product experience preferred).
• At least 8 years of experience with mechanical design and CAD proficiency.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and presenting to executives.

Responsibilities

• Provide vision for mechanical engineering team and foster an environment that encourages creativity, appropriate risk taking, and crisp execution.
• Guide the team in developing compelling product architectures and pillars.
• Work with senior management to define product goals and align with customers.
• Decipher complex situations and set priorities to drive team success.
• Review designs and mentor engineers to ensure high quality and throughput.

Skills

Technical leadership

Team management

Mechanical design

CAD (SolidWorks)

FDA/regulatory experience

Product development lifecycle

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Finite element analysis

Problem solving

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

MS or PhD preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

CAD/FEA tools

Regulatory documentation tools

Job description

Primary Function of Position

Intuitive Surgical designs and manufactures highly complex mechanical systems for use in surgery. These systems include both capital equipment and “consumables” in the form of surgical instruments and accessories. The Instruments Mechanical Engineering Manager is responsible for leading a team of engineers that design, develop, and launch new instrument products to the field. The candidate will lead a team to identify and evaluate new product opportunities that address new and unmet needs within the instruments product portfolio. The successful candidate must have technical depth in relevant areas and be as comfortable collaborating and leading across organizational boundaries as they are working independently. The Core Instruments team is searching for a Mechanical Engineering Manager to guide the development, documentation, and verification of new product designs, as well as coordinating improvements to existing designs to meet the needs of our customers. The Mechanical Engineering Manager is responsible for the functional management of a group of Mechanical Engineers and other technical personnel, which includes selecting, developing, and evaluating personnel to ensure efficient operation of the group.

Essential Job Duties

• Provide vision for mechanical engineering team and foster an environment that encourages creativity, appropriate risk taking, and crisp execution.
• Guide the team in developing compelling product architectures.
• Work with senior management and internal customers to define product pillars and business goals.
• Decipher complex situations and set appropriate priorities to focus team for success.
• Develop working knowledge of external customer needs/requirements to ensure product designs provide value to patients, surgeons, and hospitals.
• Communicate effectively with surgeons and customers about the technical design details of the product.
• Create high-level technical presentations to communicate effectively with leadership on project goals, status, and risks.
• Establish group objectives and individual work goals consistent with overall product development goals.
• Assign tasks, set priorities, establish metrics, and track progress.
• Support mechanical engineers in the development of functional specifications and related risk documents.
• Review mechanical engineering designs in both a formal and informal capacity.
• Manage, coach, and mentor mechanical engineers.
• Assess employee performance and provide coaching to improve performance.
• Grow and maintain a team of mechanical engineers by recruiting and retaining highly talented and motivated individuals.
• Manage department Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and drafting/design guidelines.
• Ensure design engineers follow appropriate design history file guidelines per FDA requirements and hold design reviews in accordance with product development procedures.
• Coordinate activities of his or her team with those of other groups in the organization.
• Interface with functions such as Product Marketing, Legal, Clinical Engineering, Test Engineering, Manufacturing, etc.
• to build consensus and make progress.
• Maintain cross-functional relationship with Manufacturing, Supplier Engineering, Quality, etc.
• to facilitate transfer of designs.
• Provide administrative leadership / control for planning, staffing, budgeting, and project/program cost tracking.

Required Skills and Experience

• Must be a selfless leader who inspires trust and commitment within their team and in the broader organization through integrity, passion, and professional excellence.
• Minimum 5 years of experience taking products from concept to production (medical product experience preferred).
• At least eight (8) years of experience with mechanical design.
• Comfortable with all phases of the product development lifecycle including design, implementation, debug, verification, qualification, and transfer.
• Hands-on engineering manager with the proven ability to work well in a team environment.
• Ability to lead/influence cross functional teams in the design of complex surgical products.
• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to present the work of his or her team to executive management.
• Strong people management abilities with capability to ensure team success (staffing, productivity) as well as career development of team members.
• Exceptional mechanical aptitude and visual thinking skills.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills such as finite element analysis, statistics, and experimental designs.
• Proficiency using CAD to design and document mechanical designs.
• SolidWorks preferred.
• Breadth of knowledge in various manufacturing techniques, including techniques for rapidly fabricating proof‑of‑concept and functional prototypes.
• Experience with component selection criteria, and design for reliability and manufacturability.
• Strong project management, planning, and change management skills.
• Experience designing products in a highly regulated environment.

Required Education and Training

• Minimum BS (Mechanical Engineering or related engineering field), MS or PhD preferred.

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 employees who 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.

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.