IntuitiveElectrical Engineer - Future Forward
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
Job Summary:
Primary Function of Position
Are you a resourceful, hands-on engineer who is ready to learn from the best in the industry? We are seeking an Electrical Engineer to join our Advanced Energy Systems team. This is not a "hide behind a desk" role. You will work directly under industry-leading electrical engineers to build, test, and document a groundbreaking medical device within a rigorous timeline.
The ideal candidate is "street smart"—you know how to find a solution when a part is out of stock, you aren't afraid to pick up a soldering iron, and you have the humility to realize that the "boring" tasks (like documentation and board testing) are the foundation of a safe, successful medical product.
Essential Job Duties
1. Rapid PCBA Development & Iteration
- Support the senior staff by taking high-level schematics into functional PCBA layouts using Altium, OrCAD, or KiCAD.
- Manage the component library and handle the "boots on the ground" work of sourcing parts and working with fabrication houses to meet tight deadlines.
2. Board-Level Testing & "The Chores"
- Perform rigorous, repetitive board-level testing, thermal characterization, and signal integrity checks that the senior engineers define.
- Be the primary owner of the bench setup: calibrate equipment, manage cable harnesses, and ensure the lab is ready for high-precision testing.
- Assist in "bring-up" phases—manually probing boards and identifying solder bridges or assembly errors.
3. Documentation & Regulatory Support
- Own the technical documentation that is vital for medical device compliance (Design History Files, Test Reports, and BOM management).
- Translate raw test data into clear, concise reports that "connect the dots" between electrical performance and system requirements.
4. "Connect the Dots" Problem Solving
- Actively listen during design reviews and help bridge the gap between different sub-systems (e.g., how the power supply affects the sensor noise floor).
- Exhibit a "can-do" attitude—if the team needs a custom test fixture built by tomorrow, you are the one who figures out how to make it happen.
Qualifications
Required Skills and Experience
Technical Essentials
CAD Proficiency: Proven experience (work, internships or personal projects) in Altium, KiCAD, or OrCAD. You should be able to navigate a complex schematic and layout a multi-layer board.
Lab Skills: High proficiency with oscilloscopes, DMMs, and soldering stations (SMD rework experience is a huge plus).
Electrical Fundamentals: A strong grasp of Ohm’s Law, passive components, and basic transistor circuits.
Soft Skills
Humility & Eagerness: You view "chore work" as an opportunity to see how world-class systems are built from the ground up.
Communication: You can explain what you found during a test clearly and concisely to a busy senior Electrical Engineers, Systems Engineers, and Embedded Engineers.
Resourcefulness: You are "street smart." When you hit a wall, you try three different solutions before asking for help.
Resilience: You thrive in a high-performing, fast-paced environment where the schedule is tight and the stakes are high.
What You Will Get in Return
Direct Mentorship: You will be "shadowing" some of the brightest minds in power electronics and medical energy.
Career Acceleration: One year in this role is equivalent to three years at a traditional, slow-moving corporation.
Impact: Your work will directly contribute to a device that saves or improves lives.
Required Education and Training
- BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
- A minimum of 5 years of related experience with a university degree; or 3 years of experience and a master’s degree; or a PhD without experience; or equivalent work experience.
Travel: up to 10% international
Preferred Skills and Experience (As applicable - Specific skills, knowledge, and experience that are not required to perform the job, but are desirable to have)
- Python Mastery: Experience using Python for data analysis (NumPy/Pandas) or instrument control (PyVISA) to make testing more efficient.
- A Passion for the Craft: You truly love electrical circuit design. You likely have a portfolio of personal projects, "dead-bug" prototypes, or a home lab where you experiment.
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.
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.
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.