Principal Systems Research Engineer

Job Description

Primary Function of Position

The Future Forward Research group at Intuitive Surgical explores novel, high-potential technologies for future surgical robotic products and applications in computer- and robot-assisted medical intervention. We seek a Principal Systems Research Engineer — a recognized expert who applies professional systems engineering concepts to resolve the group's most critical technical issues and broad system design matters — to serve as the senior technical authority for systems engineering across the group's concept-to-prototype portfolio.

The Principal Systems Research Engineer owns systems architecture, requirements flow-down, and technical risk-retirement strategy for multiple concurrent early-stage concepts — spanning novel system and instrument mechanisms, actuation and sensing schemes, visualization approaches, and control architectures — running on Intuitive's current surgical robotic platforms or new experimental platforms. This role has significant experience turning innovative ideas into real products and solutions, and is accountable for taking a concept from first-principles feasibility argument through an integrated, functional prototype validated to a phase gate requirement — through the group's formal review and approval process — to advance (or pivot) the concept ahead of formal program investment.

Beyond individual project ownership, the Principal Systems Research Engineer leads departmental and cross-functional projects and teams, mentors senior and staff engineers, and serves as an integral technical advisor to senior leaders on the feasibility, risk, and strategic value of emerging technologies. The role builds formal networks with key internal and external decision-makers and represents the organization externally — with academic and clinical collaborators, technology partners, and industry forums — to track and help shape the surgical robotics research landscape. The role operates with wide latitude in determining objectives and technical approach for critical assignments, and contributes to the goals, objectives, and high-level decisions that guide the work of the broader research team.

Essential Job Duties

Systems Architecture & Requirements Engineering

• Lead all aspects of systems engineering for a given concept: system architecture, functional decomposition, and clear, testable system/subsystem requirements.
• Own end-to-end requirements traceability from clinical need and technical hypothesis through system/subsystem/hardware/software requirements to feasibility verification.
• Own software-related system requirements: system behaviors, operational concepts, user stories, and use cases that align software functionality with system performance and surgeon workflow.
• Define and control system interfaces and interface specifications across hardware, software, and mechanical domains as the architecture evolves.
• Apply Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) / UML methods to define and manage system architecture, requirements, interfaces, and behavior for fast-evolving concepts.

Prototype Development & Integration

• Develop and validate distributed electro-mechanical systems and dynamic models through targeted experimentation, spanning novel kinematic architectures, actuation schemes, and sensor fusion approaches.
• Design and direct development of control algorithms, software architectures, tooling, and infrastructure supporting rapid prototyping of new surgical platforms.
• Integrate mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems into fully functional, testable prototypes; personally lead integration and debugging on the highest-risk system interfaces.
• Apply classical and modern control design methods (teleoperation, force/haptic feedback, shared/supervisory control) to prototype and validate novel medical robotic systems.
• Apply robust design and Design of Experiments (DoE) principles to characterize prototype performance envelopes and surface failure modes early, at a rigor appropriate to research-stage uncertainty.

Risk, Safety & Usability

• Assess system-level safety risks and technical failure modes relevant to prototype testing and drive risk-informed design decisions.
• Partner with Human Factors on usability considerations for novel instrument concepts and interaction schemes, surfacing use-related risks early.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Technical Reviews

• Drive cross-functional collaboration across hardware, software, controls, mechanical, and clinical stakeholders to keep requirements technically sound, testable, and grounded in real clinical use cases.
• Lead architecture development ensuring robust integration of electromechanical hardware, embedded/application software, control algorithms, sensing, actuation, and user interaction.
• Lead concept/architecture reviews with technical leadership, resolving cross-domain trade-offs and building the technical case for advancing or killing a concept, including presentation through the group's formal top-management review and approval process.
• Provide systems-level analytic support to other engineering groups on software architecture, interface design, and controls strategy.
• Drive translation of validated concepts into staged handoff packages (architecture rationale, requirements, test data, risk register) supporting downstream program investment decisions.

Communication & External Engagement

• Integrate communications across multiple teams and functions for cohesive, unified messaging within the research group and across Intuitive Surgical; translate strategic, clinical, and technical content into a clear sense of purpose for teams both within and outside direct span of influence.
• Build and maintain strong, enduring internal and external relationships through sophisticated, consistent communication; represent the research group externally with academic, clinical, and industry partners.
• Communicate system-level risks, constraints, and technical opportunities to senior management, translating clinical and technical insight into clear feasibility conclusions and investment recommendations.

Team Leadership, Planning & Problem Solving

• Contribute to the research team's goals, objectives, and other high-level decisions that guide the work of others; routinely solve the portfolio's most complex technical problems, enabling the team to make significant progress.
• Identify technical critical paths and facilitate structured problem-solving across the research team to unblock development.
• Support project planning with input on resourcing and schedule for concept-stage work.

Process, Documentation & IP

• Apply and enforce software/systems engineering best practices tailored to research-pace development; produce documentation aligned to phase gate requirements.
• Identify, document, and drive disclosure of intellectual property generated during concept development.