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Staff Electrical Engineer

Intuitive


Job Location:

San Francisco, CA - USA

Monthly Salary: Not provided by the employer
Posted: 10 September 2026 (10 hours ago)
Application Deadline: 8 December 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Primary Function of Position:

We are seeking a Staff Electrical Engineer to join the Advanced Product Development (APD) research and development team at Intuitive this role you will be responsible for both embedded architecture definition motor control systems and the design and implementation of high-speed compute platform PCAs. As a Staff Electrical Engineer you will work with a small multidisciplinary start-up-like team chartered with inventing the future of computer-augmented robotic surgery. You will be involved in delivering features by integrating complex functionality into complete surgical robot solutions and seeing these through verification validation and product release.

The successful candidate must excel in a high-energy focused small-team environment be able to drive to solutions from rough requirements and have a commitment to high product quality. Quick learning and a desire to deeply understand requirements develop high-fidelity prototypes and rapidly iterate are essential. A strong sense of shared responsibility and shared reward is required as is the desire to make work fun collaborative and interesting. Supporting you will be a development and management team that knows and cares about what you are doing and is a partner in your continued career development and success.

Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Design bring-up and integration of custom printed circuit assemblies (PCAs).
  • Architect communication processing and distribution of electronic subsystems across the product. Challenge the status quo architecture to propose alternate efficient and latest tech stacks
  • Collaborate on system design and architecture with other Advanced Development engineering team members including FPGA logic design mechanical software and controls.
  • Identify and implement key components in actuation of robotic systems (e.g. position and motion sensing vision embedded display and UI and the driving of brushed and brushless DC motors).
  • Implement PCB designs that balance performance cost and manufacturability.
  • Perform board level bring-up and troubleshooting.
  • Perform formal risk analysis and develop mitigations.
  • Discover and develop new vendors and their technologies develop the design and performance understanding to transform these into robust building blocks for future platforms.
  • Write detailed design documentation including specifications and verification plans per Intuitives guidelines.
  • Write V&V (Verification and Validation) protocols and associated scripts as well as protocol execution.
  • Follow rigorous design control methodology from design specification through design transfer to manufacturing.

Qualifications :

Skill/Job Requirements:

  • Minimum BS degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering
  • Minimum 12 years industry experience in embedded system design
  • Demonstrated expertise in dense Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design
  • Strong understanding of digital logic design and transmission line theory
  • Strong understanding of BLDC motor control systems GAN FETs Current sensing mechanisms
  • Design experience with products that have real-world physical interaction (sensing and actuation)
  • Experience in design testing and troubleshooting to meet electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements
  • Familiarity with a broad range of electronic components and hardware including FPGAs (Xilinx preferred) memories logic signal conditioning and communication interfaces
  • Expertise with schematic capture tools (OrCAD preferred)
  • PCB layout experience desired (Allegro preferred)
  • Exposure to FPGA logic design tools and verification process (Verilog and ModelSim preferred)
  • Excellent ability to debug and characterize electronic systems using standard bench test equipment such as oscilloscopes function generators logic analyzers protocol analyzers etc.
  • Proficiency in using scripting languages for development and test (Python preferred)
  • Experience with all phases of the product development lifecycle including design implementation debug verification validation and transfer to manufacturing
  • Comfort with concepts of design input design output traceability and risk analysis
  • Hands-on engineering experience with proven ability to work well in a team environment
  • Excellent communication and documentation skills
  • A passion to get to the root cause of tough technical problems!

A desire to deliver a quality and innovative product that will improve millions of peoples lives!


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 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 governments 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 employeesstart 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 candidates experience knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidates 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.


Remote Work :

No


Employment Type :

Full-time


About Company

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At Intuitive, we are united behind our mission: we believe that minimally invasive care is life-enhancing care. Through ingenuity and intelligent technology, we expand the potential of physicians to heal without constraints. As pioneer and leading company in the field of robotic-assi ... View more

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