Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Robotic Surgery Systems

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive in Sunnyvale is seeking a Sr Mechanical Engineer to advance the design, stabilization, and scaling of da Vinci robotic platforms. You will lead mechanical design, perform robust analysis, and mentor teammates to deliver production‑ready solutions.

This role requires a strong background in GD&T, FEA, and thermal design, with 10+ years in mechanical engineering and a BS (MS/PhD preferred). You will collaborate across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory to drive safer,

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience with a Bachelor’s degree; 8 years with a Master’s or PhD.
• Strong foundation in mechanical design and analysis, including tolerance stack‑ups, GD&T, FEA, materials selection, and DFM/DFA.
• Proficient with CAD, simulation, and PLM tools such as SolidWorks, ANSYS, Windchill.
• Demonstrated ability to lead root‑cause investigations.
• Effective communicator with experience influencing technical and business decisions through cross‑functional presentations.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring junior engineers and collaborating across various functions.

Responsibilities

• Work in or lead cross‑functional project teams to design, develop and verify modifications to robotic or other complex mechanisms.
• Lead mechanical design of components and subsystems for da Vinci systems, with emphasis on new enhancements, electromechanical integration, and thermal design.
• Lead root‑cause investigations using structured problem‑solving methods (e.g., 8D, DMAIC); support CAPA activities per quality system procedures.
• Drive cross‑functional decision‑making aligned with program goals, collaborating with Engineering, Clinical, Human Factors, Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Sourcing, Quality, and Regulatory.
• Partner with suppliers and Supplier Engineers to assess capabilities, resolve process issues, and ensure parts meet design specifications.
• Mentor junior engineers in mechanical design principles, structured problem‑solving techniques, and documentation best practices.
• Identify and implement best practices between teams and engineering departments.
• Generate and maintain design control documentation.
• Deliver impactful technical presentations to staff, leadership, and cross‑functional teams, articulating trade‑offs and design rationale.
• Contribute to risk management activities through structured risk analysis, mitigation planning, and reliability assessments using FMEA and other methods.

Skills

Mechanical design & analysis

CAD/Simulation/PLM

Root-cause investigations

Cross-functional communication

Mentoring engineers

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Master's or PhD preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

ANSYS

Windchill

Job description

Intuitive in Sunnyvale is seeking a Sr Mechanical Engineer to advance the design, stabilization, and scaling of da Vinci robotic platforms. You will lead mechanical design, perform robust analysis, and mentor teammates to deliver production‑ready solutions.

This role requires a strong background in GD&T, FEA, and thermal design, with 10+ years in mechanical engineering and a BS (MS/PhD preferred). You will collaborate across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory to drive safer,