Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - Robotic Systems

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

Job summary

Intuitive is seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer in Sunnyvale, CA to own complex electromechanical subsystems for robotic systems. You will lead architecture, resolve multidisciplinary issues, and drive design from concept through verification and transfer.

This hands-on role combines design ownership with technical mentorship in a dynamic product development environment. You will work closely with systems, electrical, controls, and manufacturing teams to ensure robust, safe, and manufacturable

Qualifications

• Experience developing robotic or complex electromechanical products in a regulated industry with independent subsystem ownership.
• Knowledge of design controls, risk management, and verification/validation processes.
• Strong fundamentals in mechanics, stiffness, dynamics and fatigue analysis.
• Proficiency in GD&T, tolerancing, materials, DFM/DFA and manufacturing processes.
• Experience in joints design, actuation/sensing integration and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Hands‑on prototyping including assembly, testing, debugging and rapid iteration.

Responsibilities

• Own subsystem development from concept to verification and design transfer with requirements and risk analyses.
• Lead subsystem architecture decisions and justify trade‑offs.
• Design precision mechanisms and select components based on loads and life.
• Use first‑principles modeling to define load paths, stiffness and fatigue margins.
• Create CAD models, drawings, and GD&T documentation for release.
• Build, test, debug, iterate prototypes and verify corrective actions.
• Collaborate with systems, electrical, controls, QA, and manufacturing teams.
• Lead technical reviews and mentor engineers across functions.

Skills

Robotic system development

Subsystem ownership

Design risk management

First principles mechanics

GD&T and tolerancing

Education

Bachelor’s degree +12 years

Master’s +8 years

PhD +5 years

Master’s/PhD in Mechanical Engineering (preferred)

Tools

SolidWorks

ANSYS

Windchill

Job description

Intuitive is seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer in Sunnyvale, CA to own complex electromechanical subsystems for robotic systems. You will lead architecture, resolve multidisciplinary issues, and drive design from concept through verification and transfer.

This hands-on role combines design ownership with technical mentorship in a dynamic product development environment. You will work closely with systems, electrical, controls, and manufacturing teams to ensure robust, safe, and manufacturable