Program Manager - Systems

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive seeks a Program Manager to lead the full product development lifecycle of medical device capital systems, from concept through launch. You will drive strategy, cross-functional execution, and regulatory submissions to ensure compliant, manufacturable solutions.

Responsibilities include leading design controls, R&D-to-operations transition, and ongoing lifecycle management while partnering with finance on budgets and risks.

Qualifications

• Experience leading medical device development programs.
• Strong understanding of design controls and risk management.
• Familiarity with FDA, EU MDR, ISO standards and quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership to shape program strategy, roadmap priorities, and execution plans.
• Align engineering, clinical, regulatory, and product teams to meet goals.
• Facilitate program reviews and structured decisions to resolve issues.
• Lead cross-functional negotiations and stakeholder alignment.
• Drive manufacturing readiness and launch planning across functions.
• Coordinate regulatory documentation and testing throughout lifecycle.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Quality systems

Risk management

Design controls

V&V

Job description

Job Description

Primary Function of Position:

The Program is responsible for leading and executing the full product development lifecycle of medical device capital systems, from initial concept through commercial launch. This role requires deep expertise in medical device development, regulatory pathways, operations, and cross-functional project management. The Program Manager serves as a key driver of product innovation, compliance, and operational excellence within the organization. The Program Manager provides strategic leadership and tactical execution across all stages of product development, including concept generation, design, prototyping, verification and validation, regulatory submissions, manufacturing transfer, and launch. The role is pivotal in ensuring that all products meet stringent compliance requirements, including FDA, EU MDR, ISO standards, and relevant quality system regulations.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with product, technical, and functional leaders to shape program strategy, roadmap priorities, and execution plans.
• Align engineering, clinical, operations, regulatory, and product teams to meet program and portfolio goals.
• Facilitate program reviews and structured decisions to resolve issues, balance trade-offs, and maintain momentum.
• Lead cross-functional negotiations, resolve root-cause disputes, and build sustainable stakeholder alignment.
• Create concise executive narratives and reports that integrate analysis, recommendations, risks, and trade-offs.

Product & Design Development

• Lead cross-functional teams through concept development, design iteration, prototyping, verification/validation, and design transfer to manufacturing.
• Resolve cross-functional dependencies across subsystem teams, external partners, manufacturing, regulatory, and commercial functions.
• Partner with design, clinical, human factors, and engineering teams to ensure product requirements, usability, and performance criteria are met.
• Lead design control and business reviews, ensuring governance, compliance, accountability, and timely escalation.

Operational Execution

• Drive manufacturing readiness, including process development, supply chain coordination, build readiness, and launch planning.
• Ensure smooth transition from R&D to operations with strong cross-functional integration and documentation rigor.
• Support ongoing product lifecycle, cost reductions, reliability improvements, and sustainment workstreams.
• Partner with Finance to monitor program budgets, resource allocation, and long-term financial impacts.
• Manage scope across projects, evaluating strategic alignment, delivery impact, dependencies, and trade-offs.
• Optimize WBS and program schedules across interdependent projects, including critical and near-critical path analysis.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Ensure project deliverables meet relevant US and global medical device standards and quality system requirements.
• Coordinate cross-functional preparation of regulatory documentation and testing.
• Champion strong design controls, risk management, and audit-ready documentation throughout the lifecycle.
• Anticipate systemic regulatory, financial, operational, and technical risks; drive cross-functional response plans.