{"id":1011435,"url":"https://alion.io/job/intuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer","title":"Sr/ Staff Human Robot Interaction Design Engineer","company":{"id":3128,"name":"Intuitive Surgical","domain":"intuitive.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/intuitive","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SmartRecruiters","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":70,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.986,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":30,"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Robotics","role_family":"Robotics","seniority":"staff","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Sunnyvale, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":160000,"max_usd":318000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":54},"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-16T21:10:47Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-16","last_verified_at":"2026-10-20T21:53:53Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":34,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":34},"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.\nWe’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.\nThe 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.\nIf you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you’ll find your purpose here.\n Primary Function of Position\nThe Human Factors Design Engineer (HFDE) is part of the Human Factors (HF) organization that aims to maximize usability and desirability of Intuitive products while minimizing risk through scientific research and usability engineering. HFDE is focused on research and design within product development of new robotic systems, instruments and accessories. This role works closely with product managers, clinical engineers, mechanical engineers, computer scientists, industrial/ interaction designers, regulatory affairs, quality and design controls, and other cross functional teams. HFDE helps de-risk design strategies within product development through a range of formative research activities and hands-on design engineering activities that inform the definition of user requirements and user interface design requirements underlying the user experience of Intuitive products.\nThe HFDE position reports to a Manager within the broader HF organization at Intuitive.\nEssential Job Duties\nTele-operations would be good/motion control/haptics\n\nApply deep expertise in robotics, HRI, HMI, and mixed-methods research to identify unmet user needs, performance limitations, and opportunities for future product innovation.\n\nRepresent Intuitive during formative research with clinicians and customers across global markets.\n\nIndependently generate, prioritize, and communicate actionable design insights that shape product strategy, influence development priorities, and advance human factors capabilities.\n\nDe-risk design strategies focused on the analysis of human performance, workflow, and usability factors, while identifying and mitigating systemic usability risks across product lines.\n\nServe as the human factors lead for complex development initiatives, partnering with engineering, clinical, product management, quality, and regulatory teams to drive usability-centered design decisions.\n\nInfluence product and business decisions by balancing user needs, safety, usability, technical feasibility, and organizational priorities.\n\nLead the definition and management of usability design inputs across robotic systems, instruments, and accessories, translating research findings into actionable user and interface requirements.\n\nDevelop and evaluate conceptual prototypes that communicate design strategies, performance considerations, and future product concepts.\n\nChampion safety, usability, and user experience through evidence-based risk-benefit analyses and human-centered design practices.\n\nAuthor and maintain human factors engineering deliverables, ensuring compliance with design controls, usability engineering processes, and regulatory requirements. Mentor peers and project teams in applying HF methodologies, frameworks, and best practices while fostering innovation through the integration of user insights and cross-functional expertise.\n\nRequired Skills and Experience\nMinimum 5+ years relevant experience in industry.\n\nExcellent technical communication skills (verbal, written, and formal presentation) and business acumen.\n\nAbility to analyze and synthesize large volumes of information into simple, accessible, and meaning communications to stakeholders.\n\nKnowledge and ability in one or more complex robotic systems, including mechanical design (kinematics/ mechanisms), sensing and perception, control systems, software engineering (programming/ simulation) and human-robotic interaction.\n\nAbility to work with and across various groups and levels of management within the organization, including other engineering groups, marketing, clinical engineering, and regulatory.\n\nAbility to apply user-centered design and usability engineering principles to product research, development, and design.\n\nRequired Education and Training\nMinimum BS or MS in Human Factors Engineering, Cognitive Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Human-Centered Design, or a related field with an emphasis in user experience design and human-robotic interaction.\n\nWorking Conditions\nAbility to travel internationally as well as domestically (up to 25%).\n\nPrimarily office-based set schedule working model.\n\nPreferred Skills and Experience\nExperience in medical device, or similar regulated industry, a plus.\n\nExperience with design engineering in product development.\n\nAbility to empathize with people and to understand the human condition.\n\nAbility to interface with clinical experts (e.g., surgeons) in a highly professional manner.\n\n 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.\nIntuitive 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.\nMandatory Notices\nU.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.\nCertain 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).\nFor 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.\nWe will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.\nPreference 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.\nThis position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on\nbusiness need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.\nCompensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the\ncandidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.\nWe 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.\nAccommodation & Accessibility Notice:\nIntuitive 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 .","description_format":"text","description_chars":8587,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"All levels","optional":false}]},"benefits":["Equity"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"},{"name":"Iowa","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Florida","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Missouri","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Pennsylvania","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Maryland","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Oklahoma","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Arkansas","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Delaware","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Alabama","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Louisiana","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"South Carolina","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Mississippi","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Indiana","iso":null,"kind":"city"},{"name":"Tennessee","iso":null,"kind":"city"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Medical & Healthcare Robotics"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-17T20:17:51Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 251 · green card filings: 131","filings_12m":251,"filings_prev_12m":325,"green_card_filings_12m":131,"median_offered_wage_usd":158521,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-15T11:24:14+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":78}],"liveness":{"score":32,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.574,"p_room":0.55,"age_days":33,"expected_fill_days":30,"reasons":["conf:1","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/intuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/intuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-21T00:55:46Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":1438,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":3128},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=3128"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fintuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fintuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fintuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/intuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fintuitive-surgical-sr-staff-human-robot-interaction-design-engineer"}]}