{"id":3780330,"url":"https://alion.io/job/intuitive-surgical-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments","title":"Staff Mechanical Engineer (Flexible Instruments)","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":63,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":29,"computed_at":"2026-11-10T06:52:35Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","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":null,"experience_years_min":12,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"21 CFR Part 820","optional":false},{"name":"ISO 13485","optional":false},{"name":"ISO 14971","optional":false},{"name":"SolidWorks","optional":false},{"name":"Verification & Validation","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-05T00:07:19Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-05","last_verified_at":"2026-11-10T07:58:08Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":5,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":5},"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.\nWere 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.\nThe Future Forward organization is Intuitive’s advanced concepts group. We explore emerging technologies, prototype next-generation solutions, and build software experiences that shape the future of robotic-assisted surgery.\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 Staff Mechanical Engineer, Advanced Energy, will serve as a technical and design lead for the development of advanced energy products and/or sub-systems at Intuitive. This role is responsible for driving early concept exploration through commercialization translating ambiguous clinical/technical needs into robust architectures, and leading rapid prototype iteration to de-risk key technical challenges. They will have both the technical depth to resolve complex mechanical, material, and manufacturing design issues as well as the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team to troubleshoot and root cause higher level system issues. They must have strong technical depth in relevant areas and have a track record of successful product development efforts. Using their subject matter expertise, exceptional communication skills and cross-functional collaboration, they will investigate and develop advanced energy applications for novel clinical applications across our robotic surgical systems.\nThis person thrives in a small, high-energy team, takes end-to-end ownership, and consistently delivers high-quality prototypes, data-driven decisions, and scalable designs. A strong sense of shared responsibility and shared reward is required as well as a commitment to high product quality.\nEssential Job Duties\nWork in a small, cross-functional project team to design, develop and verify new concepts for advanced energy catheters and/or flexible electromechanical instruments\nDefine early product architecture, interfaces, and design requirements; translate feasibility prototypes into scalable products\nDevelop, implement, test and document new solutions, processes, and designs according to corporate standards and departmental operating procedures\nHands-on assembly and testing of devices to support proof of concept, design development, pre-clinical and V&V activities\nInvestigate and determine root cause of emerging design or manufacturing defects/failures.\nDevelopment and documentation of design and manufacturing documentation including inspection procedures, assembly instructions, test methods, purchase specifications, BOMs, part and assembly drawings using appropriate change control procedures\nCollaborate with clinical engineering team to assess product concepts and do tradeoff analysis of proposed designs and feature sets\nPartner with testing engineering and NPI to define verification approaches, ensure design outputs are measurable, and support design transfer\nObserve clinical cases and participate in interviews with clinical experts to inform designs; provide support for pre-clinical labs and clinical cases\nEstablish individual goals consistent with overall project goals\nPerforms other duties as required to support the company's overall strategy and goals\n Required Skills and Experience\nTypical minimum of 12 years of relevant experience, minimum 8 years with a masters\nDemonstrated success as a technical lead (and/or design lead) in cross-functional R&D teams, influencing decisions across engineering, testing, clinical, quality and manufacturing.\nDemonstrated ability to originate novel concepts and rapidly convert ideas into functional prototypes to evaluate technical feasibility and clinical value\nProven track record operating in highly ambiguous environments with limited data, effectively identifying key risks and prioritizing experiments to accelerate learning\nDemonstrated ability to determine what to prototype versus what to analyze, balancing speed, risk reduction, and long-term scalability\nExpertise in structured problem-solving and rapid design iteration cycles (build-test-learn)\nDeep technical experience across multiple catheter and flexible instrument design domain such as shaft construction (coil/braids, liners, jackets), adhesives/bonding, sealing/insulation strategies, electrical component integration, thermal management considerations etc.\nHands-on experience with rapid prototyping methods for flexible instruments and associated components, including 3D printing, plastics processing, metal fabrication, and bench-level assembly\nProficiency in CAD-based mechanical design (SolidWorks preferred)\nExperience with all phases of the product development lifecycle; including proof-of-concept, design, implementation, debug, verification, qualification, and transfer\nHigh autonomy and ability to work independently under limited supervision to determine and develop approach to solutions.\nStrong written and verbal communication; able to clearly present tradeoffs, risks, and technical rationale to varied audiences.\nExperience with FDA QSR 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485, ISO 14971 and other related standards\nRequired Education and Training\nMinimum education: BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering or related engineering or scientific discipline, or equivalent work experience\nPreferred Skills and Experience\nExperience with energy delivery devices is a strong plus\nExperience with flexible electromechanical device development is a strong plus\nUnderstanding of medical system integration and interfaces is a plus\n Working Conditions\nMust be available to work full-time and commute/relocate to Sunnyvale, CA\nUp to 10% travel. Some international travel may be required.\nPrimary Location: Sunnyvale, CA\nDue 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.\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 .\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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":9608,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":12,"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":true,"industries":["Medical & Healthcare Robotics"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-05T00:41:32Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"adverts_offering_sponsorship_24m":3,"sanctioned_now":false,"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":"2026-11-09T07:32:21+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)","Alion: sponsorship offered in the employer's own job adverts (24 months)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.632,"p_room":1,"age_days":5,"expected_fill_days":29,"reasons":["conf:4","stale_co","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-10T06:52:35Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/intuitive-surgical-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/intuitive-surgical-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-10T09:52:21Z","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":22921,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-11T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"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-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"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-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"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-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments"},{"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-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fintuitive-surgical-staff-mechanical-engineer-flexible-instruments"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3780330}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"intuitive.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3780330},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}