Senior Technical Writer

Intuitive; California; On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive is seeking a senior technical writer to develop and maintain Field Service documentation for complex medical devices, including the da Vinci system and Ion. You will extract and translate intricate technical information from engineering, lab demos, and field observations while mentoring junior writers and contractors.

this on-site role requires three days a week in office and lab environments, with collaboration across product, engineering, and training teams to ensure documentation

Qualifications

• 7+ years technical writing for complex hardware and medical devices.
• Ability to independently learn mechanical systems via labs and field demos.
• Expertise in minimalist hardware documentation using DITA XML.
• Professional writing samples showing technical depth and clarity.
• Strong writing, analytical skills, and scientific communication.
• Solid project-management experience with multiple concurrent projects.
• Proficiency with Adobe tools for documentation graphics.
• Experience in medical device field documentation preferred.
• Ownership mindset and commitment to quality.

Responsibilities

• Plan, write, edit, and maintain Field Service documentation for medical devices.
• Extract requirements from systems, labs, and field observations independently.
• Establish and enforce documentation standards, templates, and best practices.
• Mentor junior writers and contractors with technical feedback.
• Manage documentation release steps and track work in JIRA.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, training, and field teams to meet end-to-end needs.
• Lead process improvements, tooling, and workflow optimization initiatives.
• Develop deep technical knowledge of Intuitive hardware to translate concepts.
• Onsite presence required: three days per week in office/lab environments.

Skills

Technical writing

DITA XML

Adobe Creative Suite

Medical device experience

Independent learning

Project management

Documentation standards

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Oxygen XML Editor

Adobe Acrobat

InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

JIRA

Job 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.

Primary Function of Position

As a member of the Services organization’s technical writing team, you’ll serve as both an independent contributor and leader in the development, delivery, and maintenance of Field Service documentation. This role combines hands‑on technical writing with responsibility for establishing documentation standards, mentoring junior writers and contractors, and driving continuous improvement in documentation processes and quality.

To be successful in this role, applicants must demonstrate independence in extracting and synthesizing complex technical information from systems, subject matter experts, field demonstrations, and laboratory environments. Strong technical judgment, combined with exceptional communication skills, enables this role to evolve with changing business needs while ensuring documentation remains accurate, clear, and usable, while staying compliant with company guidelines.

This is an on-campus position with a minimum of 3 days a week in office and laboratory environments. Hands‑on lab access is essential to this role’s effectiveness.

Essential Job Duties

• Plans, writes, edits, and maintains Field Service documentation (i.e., Field Service procedures) for medical device systems with strong independent technical judgment.
• Independently investigates and extracts technical requirements through systems review, laboratory demonstrations, engineering consultation, and field observation. Takes ownership of information gathering rather than relying on engineers to provide pre‑written content.
• Establishes and maintains documentation standards, style guidelines, templates, and best practices. Develops and refines processes to improve team productivity and quality.
• Mentors and coaches junior writers and contractors. Provides technical feedback, reviews documentation, and contributes to team member development.
• Completes documentation control steps to release final documentation, tracking work in JIRA and maintaining Change Order records.
• Collaborates across product, engineering, training, and field service teams to ensure documentation meets end‑to‑end needs and aligns with company goals and quality standards.
• Evaluates and recommends process improvements, tooling enhancements, and workflow optimizations. Leads or participates in documentation infrastructure initiatives.
• Builds and maintains technical knowledge of Intuitive Surgical hardware systems sufficient to translate complex engineering concepts for field audiences.
• ONSITE 3-DAYS PER WEEK

Required Skills and Experience

• 7+ years technical writing experience for complex hardware and medical device products (installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, repair).
• Demonstrated ability to independently learn and understand mechanical systems through direct investigation and lab/field demonstrations.
• Expertise in minimalist hardware documentation using DITA XML tools (Oxygen XML Editor or equivalent).
• Professional writing samples must demonstrate technical depth, minimalist principles, and clear communication of complex concepts.
• Exceptional writing and analytical skills; ability to grasp, validate, and effectively communicate complex scientific and engineering concepts with technical rigor.
• Solid project-management skills; ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines and mentor others in project execution.
• Proficiency with current Adobe tools (Acrobat, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop) for documentation graphics.
• Medical device industry experience required. Field service or customer‑facing documentation experience strongly preferred.
• Ownership mindset, commitment to quality and continuous improvement.

Required Education and Training

• Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Writing, Engineering, or related field required.

Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19. Details can vary by role.

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.

Mandatory Notices

U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer:In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)), some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employeeswho are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.

Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the government’s licensing process can take 3 to 6+ months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (“TCP”) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).

For any Intuitive role subject to export controls, final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employee’s start date, which may or may not be flexible, and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable, candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on business need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.

Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.

Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:

Intuitive is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [e-mail].

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including experience, skills, and qualifications. The target base compensation ranges are listed.