Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 196,800 - 283,200; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive is seeking a skilled software developer to enhance real-time intraoperative intelligence for robotic systems. The role involves developing software that improves surgical outcomes through innovative technology.

The ideal candidate will possess a Master's or PhD in relevant fields, alongside significant expertise in algorithm development and software design. This is an onsite position in Sunnyvale, California, with a competitive salary based on experience.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding and hands-on experience in computer vision and machine-learning algorithm development.
• Experience in image segmentation, registration, or reconstruction.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the full cycle of the development of intraoperative surgical software.
• Design, prototype, and implement user-facing software and computer-vision/machine-learning algorithms.
• Support system integration and testing.

Skills

Algorithm development

Software design and development

Problem-solving skills

C++

Python

Computer vision

Machine learning

OOP design

Education

Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related fields

Tools

OpenCV

PyTorch/TensorFlow

ITK/VTK

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

The person in this position will be expected to work with a cross‑functional team to develop real‑time intraoperative intelligence software for minimally invasive robotic systems, to improve the surgical efficiency and clinical outcomes for patients. Successful candidates will have experience in algorithm development, software design and development. The ideal candidate is an independent and fast‑paced developer with excellent problem‑solving skills and a passion for good software architectures and processes, capable of producing robust, high‑quality code in the face of rapidly changing requirements.

Essential Job Duties

• Participate in the full cycle of the development of intraoperative surgical software
• Understand clinical requirements and develop technical specifications
• Design, prototype, and implement user‑facing software and computer‑vision/machine‑learning algorithms
• Iterate with user feedback and deliver production‑ready code
• Support system integration and testing
• Generate formal design documentation
• Prepare and review patent applications
• Contribute to system and software architecture
• Stay up‑to‑date with the latest model architectures and development trends and technologies, and propose innovative solutions to enhance our software algorithms

Qualifications – Required

• Minimum Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related fields
• Deep understanding and hands‑on experience in computer vision and machine‑learning algorithm development
• Knowledge and experience in image segmentation, registration, or reconstruction
• Software development experience using C++ or Python, and experience with OOP design
• Familiarity with one or more tools and libraries: OpenCV, PyTorch/TensorFlow, ITK/VTK
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• High levels of independence and technical ownership

Qualifications – Preferred

• Proficiency in GPU programming such as CUDA
• Experience with software development process in a regulated medical‑device environment
• Knowledge and experience in camera pose estimation/SLAM

Compensation

Base salary (Region 1): $196,800 – $283,200.

Base salary (Region 2): $167,300 – $240,700.

Shift: Day.

Workplace type: Set schedule – the job will be onsite weekly; the percentage of onsite work will be defined by the leader.

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.