Principal Electrical/System Engineer

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 229,000 - 343,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive Surgical is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead the technical direction for the Advanced Energy portfolio within the da Vinci system. You will shape architecture and roadmaps, and mentor teams to deliver safe, high‑impact medical devices.

Based in Sunnyvale, CA, this role requires deep hardware design expertise, regulatory insight (FDA/IEC), and strong cross‑functional collaboration. Travel ~5–10% and a proven track record of launching multiple products through the full

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (BSEE) required.
• 15+ years experience in related electrical engineering roles.
• 8+ years hands‑on medical device product development including multiple products through design verification/validation and regulatory clearance (FDA 510(k)/PMA or equivalent).
• Proficient in mixed signal and embedded system design; patient‑isolated PCBA design.
• Experience with IEC 60601‑1, IEC 60601‑1‑2 EMC, IEC 60601‑2‑2 HF surgical equipment.
• Willingness to travel ~5‑10%.
• Strong leadership and mentorship abilities; ability to influence architecture and strategy.

Responsibilities

• Technical Ownership: Define product requirements across multiple programs within the Advanced Energy portfolio.
• Technical Strategy & Roadmap: Define multi‑year technology roadmap for energy‑based surgical platforms.
• System Integration: Ensure designs meet specs and integrate into systems.
• Development & Testing: Develop, validate, and document hardware solutions meeting clinical/enviro requirements.
• Problem Solving: Resolve design, manufacturing, or field challenges.
• Prototyping: Guide prototyping and feasibility studies for future concepts.
• Stakeholder Support: Advise senior leadership in technical reviews.
• Organizational Influence: Represent engineering in cross‑divisional reviews; influence decisions at business‑unit level.
• Quality & Regulatory: Define risk management and verification/validation planning per ISO 14971, support regulatory submissions.
• Clinical Collaboration & Validation: Partner with clinicians to validate device performance; support cadaver studies/animal studies.

Skills

Mixed signal design

Embedded system design

Patient‑isolated PCBA design

Design for reliability/manufacturab

PCB fabrication/assembly/testing

Medical electrical equipment standards

Technical leadership/mentorship

Willingness to travel

Education

Bachelor's degree (BSEE)

Advanced degree (MSEE or PhD)

Tools

EMC testing equipment

Job description

Company 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.

Job Description

Primary Function of Position

As a Principal Electrical Engineer, you will set technical direction and strategy for the innovative surgical energy equipment and accessories portfolio for Intuitive’s da Vinci Surgical System, shaping architecture and technology roadmaps across multiple products and programs. You’ll thrive in a dynamic, high‑energy environment, making sound decisions with incomplete information‑typical of cutting‑edge product development. The ideal candidate has deep technical expertise, a track record of successful medical product development across multiple product generations, and a collaborative, mentorship‑driven approach that elevates engineering capability across the organization.

Essential Job Duties

• Technical Ownership: Collaborate with Marketing, Software, and Clinical Engineering to define and refine product requirements across multiple programs within the Advanced Energy portfolio.
• Technical Strategy & Roadmap: Define the multi‑year technology and architecture roadmap for energy‑based surgical platforms, setting technical direction that spans multiple products and programs.
• System Integration: Identify and implement methods to satisfy product specs, ensuring seamless integration into effective system designs.
• Development & Testing: Develop, validate, and document hardware solutions that meet clinical and environmental requirements.
• Problem Solving: Provide technical expertise to resolve complex design, manufacturing, or field challenges.
• Prototyping: Guide prototyping and feasibility studies for future product concepts, directing engineers through build, test, and down‑select decisions.
• Stakeholder Support: Offer expert guidance on energy‑based surgical products to internal company stakeholders, including senior leadership and executive technical reviews.
• Organizational Influence: Represent Advanced Energy engineering in cross‑divisional and executive‑level technical reviews; influence platform, architecture, and make‑buy decisions at a business‑unit level.
• Quality & Regulatory: Define risk management strategy and process (DFMEA, hazard analysis, risk/benefit assessment per ISO 14971) and design verification/validation planning to ensure compliance with IEC 60601 series standards, and applicable FDA/international regulatory requirements. Author or review technical documentation supporting regulatory submissions (e.g., 510(k), CE/MDR technical files).
• Clinical Collaboration & Validation: Partner with Clinical Engineering, surgeons, and human factors teams to validate device performance against real‑world surgical use cases, including support for cadaver labs, animal studies, or clinical evaluations as needed.
• Risk Management Leadership: Drive cross‑functional risk analysis activities throughout the product lifecycle, identifying and mitigating electrical, mechanical, and use‑related hazards for patient and user safety across the product portfolio.
• Mentorship & Technical Leadership: Formally mentor Staff and Senior engineers, lead cross‑team design reviews, and drive technical communities of practice to raise engineering capability across the organization.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

• Proficient in mixed signal design, embedded system design, and patient‑isolated PCBA design.
• Skilled in component selection, lifecycle management, and design for reliability/manufacturability.
• Experienced in PCB fabrication, assembly, and testing.
• Hardware development in fast‑paced, high‑impact environments.
• Knowledgeable in all product development phases: design, implementation, debugging, verification, validation, and manufacturing transfer.
• Team player with hands‑on engineering experience.
• Demonstrated application of medical electrical equipment standards (e.g., IEC 60601‑1, IEC 60601‑1‑2 EMC, IEC 60601‑2‑2 for HF surgical equipment) in product design and verification.
• Strong communicator, able to influence and collaborate across teams and levels.
• Willingness to travel (~5‑10%).
• Growth mindset; eager to learn and solve tough technical challenges.
• Passion for creating robust, reliable products.
• Hands‑on experience with electrical safety design and testing for patient‑connected circuitry.
• Direct experience with medical device design controls, including risk/hazard analysis, design verification and validation (V&V) planning and execution.
• Demonstrated technical leadership across multiple technical domains or product platforms, with the ability to influence architecture and strategy decisions org‑wide without formal authority.
• Track record of successfully developing and launching multiple products or product generations through the full product development lifecycle.

• Project leadership or mentoring experience.

Required Education and Training

• Bachelor's degree (BSEE).
• 15+ years experience in related electrical engineering roles.
• 8+ years of hands‑on medical device product development experience, including multiple products taken through design verification/validation and regulatory clearance or approval (FDA 510(k)/PMA or equivalent).

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Advanced degree (MSEE or PhD).
• Experienced with switched‑mode power supplies and transformer/magnetic component design.
• Experienced with electrical safety, EMI/EMC testing and mitigation.
• Experienced with design control requirements for medical devices, such as risk/failure analysis, creation of product requirements, design verification and validation, and providing technical support for regulatory submissions.
• Experience with post‑market surveillance activities, including complaint investigation, CAPA, and field failure root‑cause analysis.
• Experience influencing product or technology strategy, including contributions to patents, publications, or industry standards bodies.

Additional Information

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

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 on 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 (email protected).

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.

Base Compensation Range Region 1: $228,600 USD - $343,000 USD

Base Compensation Range Region 2: $194,300 USD - $291,600 USD

Shift: Day

Workplace Type: Set Schedule - This job will be onsite weekly, the percentage of onsite work will be defined by the leader.