Principal Mechanical Engineer - Instruments

Intuitive; Orange (CT); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead development of robotic instruments for the da Vinci systems.

The role focuses on creating safe, high‑quality devices through rigorous analysis within a fast-paced team environment. The successful candidate will collaborate with Mechanical, Manufacturing, Supplier, Quality and Clinical engineering teams to implement requirements, iterate prototypes, analyze performance, and ensure design outputs are integrated into effective

Qualifications

• Background in mechanical engineering instrument development.
• Experience designing and testing robotic instruments.
• Familiarity with safety and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test wristed robotic instruments.
• Innovate to enhance precision, efficiency, and safety.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate solutions.
• Work with Mechanical, Manufacturing, Supplier, Quality and Clinical engineering teams to implement requirements and prototypes.
• Develop methodologies to model system behavior.
• Support robotic instrument and capital equipment development across platforms.
• Perform risk analysis and implement safety mitigations; document risks, requirements, tests for FDA approvals.
• Provide technical mentorship to engineering staff.
• Provide support for field and manufacturing issues.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Robotics

Design for reliability

Risk analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Professional Engineering license (PE)

Tools

Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

Simulation methods

Job description

Job Description

** This role may reside in Orange, CT or Sunnyvale, CA**

Primary function of position:

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. produces the da Vinci® Surgical System, a minimally invasive robotic surgery system that uses highly complex mechanics, replaceable instruments and accessories, and enhanced three-dimensional visualization to extend surgical technique and precision beyond the limits of the human hand.

The Principal Mechanical Engineer will strive to create the safest and highest quality devices for minimally invasive surgery through rigorous and robust technical analysis. This role requires strong performance in a fast-paced, high-energy team environment and the ability to learn quickly. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise and hands-on experience with advanced surgical technologies to support development of surgical devices for the da Vinci Surgical.

Job Description:

We are seeking a skilled Mechanical Engineering Expert to join our team, focusing on the development and application of surgical devices for Robotic Assisted Surgery. The successful candidate will have a strong background in mechanical engineering instrument development, with specific expertise in designing and optimizing quality and reliability of these devices.

• Design, develop, and test wristed robotic instruments.
• Innovate and improve existing technologies to enhance precision, efficiency, and safety.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to incorporate solutions into product lines.
• Work closely with the Mechanical, Manufacturing, Supplier, Quality and Clinical engineering teams to implement requirements, iterate through prototypes, analyze performance and ensure design outputs are successfully integrated into effective system designs.
• Develop simulation or characterization methodologies to model system behavior and performance.
• Support robotic instrument and capital equipment development across multiple platforms.
• Perform risk analysis and implement safety mitigations. This includes documentation of risks, requirements, and test protocols to support requests for approval by regulatory agencies such as the FDA.
• Provide technical mentorship to engineering staff.
• Provide support for resolution of field and manufacturing issues.