Principal Mechanical Engineer Metals and Materials

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. seeks a Principal Engineer in metals & materials technology to advance safe, high-quality devices for minimally invasive robotic surgery.

You will evaluate metallic materials, guide wear and corrosion studies, and lead failure analysis on instrument components, collaborating across Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, and Quality teams to ensure robust product performance and patient safety.

Qualifications

• Strong technical depth in metals and materials science.
• Experience in reliability engineering for medical devices.
• Ability to support development and improvement of surgical instruments.
• Regulatory awareness and risk assessment for FDA oversight.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate materials for instrument designs to improve reliability and performance.
• Lead studies on wear, friction, and surface interactions under simulated use.
• Perform failure analysis on field returns and rejects using fractography and metallography.
• Develop surface treatments and coatings to enhance corrosion resistance.
• Design and execute material characterization tests (hardness, tensile, fatigue, corrosion).
• Collaborate with design, manufacturing, and QA teams to implement material solutions.
• Develop models to predict material behavior and component life.
• Provide mentorship on metallurgy and material science challenges.

Skills

Metals & materials science

Reliability engineering

Failure analysis

Material characterization

Cross-functional collaboration

Design principles

Tools

MIM

Machining

Forging

Laser processing

Job description

Job Description

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.

Essential Job Duties

• 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 optimize 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 behavior, 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.