Staff Embedded Software Engineer

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 224,000 - 322,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive is a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, transforming care delivery with technologies like the da Vinci system and Ion. The role focuses on embedded software for high-assurance medical devices, leading software design, risk analysis, and cross-functional collaboration.

The successful candidate will design and integrate software for distributed multi-processor systems, work with hardware teams on PCAs/FPGA IP, and ensure regulatory compliance in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering, or similar technical field.
• A minimum of 12 years of experience in developing and supporting embedded systems (or 8 years with a Master’s degree, or 5 years with a PhD).
• Fluent in designing and developing mission-critical cross-platform code in C++ or C, with focus on embedded and real time systems (e.g. QNX).
• Fluent with embedded compute architectures, and their development and testing methodologies, including hardware debugging.

Responsibilities

• Gather high-level cross-functional requirements, ranging from customer-facing, clinical and safety requirements, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders on the definition of development plans and timelines, that combine technical needs with schedule and resource need.
• Identify interfaces and communication requirements between hardware and software components, architect modular and testable software that supports the system high-level behaviors.
• Support prototyping and development activities of novel surgical robotic platforms, by leveraging and adapting the existing infrastructure that is shared across all Intuitive robotic systems; learn from each iteration, refine and extend code quickly and methodically.
• Lead formal risk analysis; identify additional hardware requirements and develop software mitigations.
• Act as software lead in the high-level specification, bring-up and integration of new custom PCAs and FPGA IP.
• Perform detailed design, development, documentation and support verification activities of embedded software and supervisory state machines, in compliance with regulatory requirements and Intuitive's internal guidelines.
• Contribute broadly to multiple areas of software development for our distributed multi-processor systems, including but not limited to video and servo hardware control and monitoring, inter-processor communication subsystem development, system diagnostic and service application development, user interface development.
• Apply high level and specialized industry expertise that results in new innovations and problem-solving approaches that can be leveraged across multiple products.
• Represent your project ably in interactions externally with key customer collaborators and internally within the company.

Skills

C/C++ embedded

RTOS

TCP/IP CAN

Python scripting

FPGA tools Vivado

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/EE/CE

Tools

Vivado

FPGA development tools

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

Essential Job Duties

• Gather high-level cross-functional requirements, ranging from customer-facing, clinical and safety requirements, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders on the definition of development plans and timelines, that combine technical needs with schedule and resource need.
• Identify interfaces and communication requirements between hardware and software components, architect modular and testable software that supports the system high-level behaviors.
• Support prototyping and development activities of novel surgical robotic platforms, by leveraging and adapting the existing infrastructure that is shared across all Intuitive robotic systems; learn from each iteration, refine and extend code quickly and methodically.
• Lead formal risk analysis; identify additional hardware requirements and develop software mitigations.
• Act as software lead in the high-level specification, bring-up and integration of new custom PCAs and FPGA IP.
• Perform detailed design, development, documentation and support verification activities of embedded software and supervisory state machines, in compliance with regulatory requirements and Intuitive's internal guidelines.
• Contribute broadly to multiple areas of software development for our distributed multi-processor systems, including but not limited to video and servo hardware control and monitoring, inter-processor communication subsystem development, system diagnostic and service application development, user interface development.
• Apply high level and specialized industry expertise that results in new innovations and problem-solving approaches that can be leveraged across multiple products.
• Represent your project ably in interactions externally with key customer collaborators and internally within the company.

Qualifications

Required Education and Training

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering, or similar technical field.
• A minimum of 12 years of experience in developing and supporting embedded systems (or 8 years with a Master’s degree, or 5 years with a PhD degree).

Required Skills And Experience

• Fluent in designing and developing mission-critical cross-platform code in C++ or C, with focus on embedded and real time systems (e.g. QNX).
• Fluent with embedded compute architectures, and their development and testing methodologies, including hardware debugging.
• Fluent with communication protocols such as TCP/IP, CAN, serialization protocols.
• Fluent with memory management, concurrency, synchronous and asynchronous event handling.
• Working knowledge of Python or other scripting languages for automation, diagnostics and testing. Familiarity with Vivado and other FPGA development tools.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Familiarity with servo-controls and electro-mechanical systems.
• Experience designing software products in a regulated industry or for mission critical applications; comfort with concepts of design input, design output, traceability, risk analysis, and mitigations.
• Familiarity with medical technology projects from inception through field validation to launch. Strong understanding of medical product ecosystem services.
• Familiarity with CUDA programming and memory management concepts.
• Cyber-security concepts such as secure boot, authentication and encryption.
• Hands‑on engineering experience with proven ability to work effectively in a team environment.

Additional Information

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 employees who 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. Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside, or plan to reside, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Tennessee. 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

Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and Candidate’s Qualifications, Consistent With Applicable Law. 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 compensation ranges are listed.

Base Salary Range Region 1:$223,900 - $322,100

Base Salary Range Region 2: $190,300 - $273,800

Shift: Day

Workplace Type: Onsite - This job is fully onsite.