Principal Mechanical Engineer Metals and Materials

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 330,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer in Sunnyvale to lead metallurgical initiatives for high‑performance instruments. You will evaluate materials, qualify processes, and guide reliability improvements for the da Vinci system and related devices.

The role focuses on wear, surface engineering, failure analysis, and regulatory readiness, partnering with Design, Manufacturing, and Quality teams to deliver safer, more durable surgical tools.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in metallurgy of high‑performance alloys.
• Strong working knowledge of material selection criteria as applied to precision mechanical components with a focus for design for reliability and manufacturability.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate, select, and qualify metallic materials for new and existing instrument designs, driving improvements in reliability and cost.
• Lead studies to characterize wear mechanisms, friction behavior, and surface interactions under simulated surgical conditions.
• Conduct and direct failure analysis investigations on field returns and manufacturing rejects using fractography, metallographic analysis and other techniques.
• Develop and optimise surface treatments, coatings, and passivation processes to enhance corrosion resistance and extend instrument life.
• Design and execute material characterization test protocols (hardness, tensile, fatigue, corrosion) to support verification/validation.
• Innovate and improve material applications and manufacturing processes (MIM, machining, forging, laser processing) for precision and safety.
• Collaborate with Mechanical Design, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality Engineering to incorporate materials solutions and resolve production issues.
• Develop simulation/characterization methodologies to model material behavior and inform design decisions.
• Perform risk analysis and document requirements/test protocols for FDA/ISO regulatory approvals.
• Provide technical mentorship to engineering staff on metallurgy and design principles.

Skills

Metallurgy of alloys

Failure analysis

Material selection for reliability

Metallographic analysis

Fractography

Surface engineering

Design for manufacturability

Wear testing

Regulatory compliance (FDA ISO 13485)

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

SEM

EDS

XRD

Optical microscopy

Job description

Principal Mechanical Engineer Metals and Materials

• Full-time
• Shift: Day
• Max. Salary Region 2: 280500 USD
• Travel Requirements: 10% of the time
• Max. Salary Region 1: 330000 USD
• Ways of Working: Set Schedule - This job will be onsite weekly, the percentage of onsite work will be defined by the leader.
• Employee Type: Employee
• Global Job Level (HCM): Professional 6 (15)
• Min. Salary Region 1: 220000 USD
• Min. Salary Region 2: 187000 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

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 Engineer will strive to create the safest and highest quality devices for minimally invasive surgery through rigorous and robust technical analysis. We are seeking a skilled Metals & Materials Technology Expert to join our Core Instruments team, focusing on the performance, reliability, and manufacturability of high-performance metallic materials used in robotic surgical instruments. The successful candidate must have strong technical depth and experience in metals, materials science, and reliability engineering to support the development and continuous improvement of surgical instruments for the da Vinci Surgical System.

Evaluate, select, and qualify metallic materials for new and existing instrument designs, driving improvements in reliability, useful life, clinical performance, and cost.

Lead studies to characterize wear mechanisms, friction behavior, and surface interactions of instrument components under simulated surgical use conditions.

Conduct and direct failure analysis investigations on field returns and manufacturing rejects using fractography, metallographic analysis and other characterization techniques.

Develop and optimise surface treatments, coatings, and passivation processes to enhance corrosion resistance and extend instrument life through reprocessing cycles.

Design and execute material characterization test protocols, including hardness, tensile, fatigue, and corrosion testing, to support design verification and validation activities.

Innovate and improve existing material applications and manufacturing processes (e.g., MIM, machining, forging, laser processing) to enhance precision, efficiency, and safety.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Mechanical Design, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality Engineering to incorporate materials solutions into product lines and resolve production issues.

Develop simulation or characterization methodologies to model material behaviour, predict component life, and inform design decisions.

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 on metallurgy, materials science challenges, and design principles for metallic components.

Provide support for resolution of field and manufacturing issues, serving as the go‑to subject matter expert for metals‑related root cause investigations.

Contribute to patent development and IP strategy related to novel material applications, surface engineering, and instrument design.

Required Skills and Experience

Deep expertise in metallurgy of high‑performance alloys.

Strong working knowledge of material selection criteria as applied to precision mechanical components with a focus for design for reliability and manufacturability.

Proficiency in failure analysis and failure mechanics, including fatigue, fracture mechanics, fractography, and root cause analysis methodologies.

Hands‑on experience with metallographic preparation, grain structure analysis, micro‑structural characterization, and analytical techniques (optical microscopy, SEM, EDS, XRD, hardness testing).

Experience with manufacturing processes for metals such as MIM (metal injection moulding), precision machining, forging, sintering, brazing, laser welding, and heat treatment.

Proven experience developing products compliant with safety standards and regulatory requirements for medical devices (FDA, ISO 13485, ISO 14971).

Lead by having a breadth of technical knowledge that enables a top‑level view of the entire project. Act as an interface between various technical specialties. Take ownership of issues that cross disciplinary boundaries to ensure the success of the project.

Contribute to design documentation throughout the entire product lifecycle such as risks, specifications, test protocols, results, and regulatory materials.

Hands‑on engineering experience with a proven ability to work well in a team environment.

Proven expertise and desire to coach engineers to share knowledge and impart best practices.

Ability to communicate effectively (written, oral) across all levels and organizations.

Desire to learn and resolve complex and challenging engineering problems.

Ability to travel up