Staff Embedded Software Engineer

Primary Function of Position

We are looking for an experienced embedded software engineer with strong system architecture design and GPU systems engineering expertise to design, build, and optimize reusable software frameworks and infrastructure for compute-intensive applications on the dV5 system and future platforms. This role will help establish shared software foundations that can be leveraged across multiple platforms to deliver consistent capabilities with reduced engineering overhead. The primary focus of this position is edge compute architecture, including distributed compute frameworks, data transfer mechanisms, graph-based execution pipelines, GPU/CPU workload optimization, system observability, and performance engineering for production embedded systems.

With a passion for transforming hardware capabilities into reliable, scalable, and high-performance software platforms, you will work across the software stack — from embedded Linux, OS/kernel interfaces, device drivers, CUDA kernels, inference engines, middleware, and application frameworks — to make data-driven architectural and implementation decisions that improve system performance, robustness, maintainability, and developer productivity. Our team empowers application and algorithm developers by providing easy-to-use frameworks, tooling, and reliable run-time software ecosystems. This is an opportunity to work on complex and rewarding problems at the intersection of embedded Linux software development, hardware/software integration, edge compute architecture, performance optimization, UI and interaction software infrastructure, hybrid compute design, and ML/AI application enablement within the da Vinci production ecosystem.

The successful candidate is a self-directed, hands-on developer who can operate effectively in a high-energy, focused, and cross-functional environment. The candidate is expected to demonstrate end-to-end ownership, strong systems thinking, and a shared responsibility for delivering high-quality frameworks and production-ready software solutions.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Design and develop robust, multi-threaded C++ embedded Linux software infrastructure, libraries, and tool suites that enable modular, configurable, and reusable edge compute architectures across heterogeneous hardware environments.
• Design and evolve distributed compute frameworks, data transfer mechanisms, and graph-based execution pipelines for compute-intensive applications, including ML inference, perception algorithms, and other high-performance workloads.
• Define, profile, and optimize end-to-end compute performance across CPU/GPU pipelines and multi-node systems, including latency, throughput, jitter, memory bandwidth, power, thermal behavior, resource utilization, and determinism.
• Develop automated performance tests, reproducible benchmarking workflows, and CI integrations to maintain performance baselines, prevent regressions, and provide empirical evidence for architecture and product design decisions.
• Partner with hardware, platform software, application software, algorithms, and systems engineering teams to define architecture requirements, performance targets, integration strategies, and reusable framework capabilities.
• Improve software modularity, portability, instrumentation, observability, and field diagnosability through shared mechanisms such as metrics, structured logs, health monitoring, performance monitoring, and analysis tooling.
• Create high-quality technical documentation capturing architecture decisions, design concepts, trade-offs, and implementation principles.

Required Skills and Experience  

• Strong experience with designing and developing embedded software infrastructure for heterogeneous edge compute systems, distributed compute frameworks, middleware, libraries, or platform-level services.
• Extensive hands-on experience with modern C++, advanced Linux system software development, and Linux internals including scheduling, memory management, concurrency, IPC, networking, logging, and storage.
• Strong understanding of distributed system design concepts, including data flow, scheduling, synchronization, resource management, fault handling, observability, scalability, reliability, and maintainability.
• Hands-on experience with GPU application development, CUDA programming, GPU execution models, and CPU/GPU performance profiling and optimization in embedded or resource-constrained systems.
• Knowledge of ML inference frameworks, such as TensorRT, and practical considerations for deploying ML/AI workloads on embedded systems.
• Hands-on software development experience in Python and shell scripting, such as Bash.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to independently analyze complex system issues and isolate software, hardware, integration, and performance problems.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and translate product, system, and application needs into reusable software architecture.

Required Education and Training 

• BS in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or relevant disciplines with minimum of 7 years of industry experience; MS with minimum of 5 years of industry experienced is required
• 5+ years of industry experience in developing embedded systems with ML models

Preferred Skills and Experience 

• Experience building scalable, production-ready edge compute, distributed compute, dataflow, graph execution, or ML inference pipelines for embedded systems.
• Experience with performance profiling tools such as NVIDIA Nsight Systems, Nsight Compute, eBPF-based tooling, or similar system analysis tools.
• Experience with system observability, including metrics collection, tracing, structured logging, health monitoring, and visualization tools.
• Understanding of cybersecurity best practices, security hardening strategies, and secure software development practices.
• Familiarity with computer vision, robotics, medical imaging, or machine learning projects from concept through deployment.

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.

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 will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
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.