Assistant General Counsel (California)

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.

We’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.

The 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.

If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare , you’ll find your purpose here.

Primary Function of Position

Draft, provide counsel on, analyze, and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements (including for marketing, research, customer training, and health technology/health economics). This is an experienced, “hands on” attorney position that will work very closely with other members of the legal department to support the business.

Essential Job Duties

• Independently draft, review, negotiate, and provide legal guidance on complex, non-standard commercial agreements including for clinical and human factors studies, health technology/healthcare economics, customer training, marketing, and applied research including collaborative, sponsored, fellowships, and data collection.
• Provide advice and counsel to internal business stakeholders and advise on best practices relating to commercial transactions and contracts.
• Assess and negotiate agreements to mitigate risks and comply with applicable laws and company policies.
• Advise business stakeholders on required contractual terms and conditions for alignment and compliance.
• Work closely with cross-functional stakeholders when negotiating agreements to ensure all stakeholders' interests are covered.
• Conduct legal research to find optimal solutions in various commercial engagements and answer legal questions.
• Provide legal guidance to business teams on a variety of issues related to commercial transactions.
• Collaborate cross functionally with other Legal Department team members, including Intellectual Property, Data Privacy, Employment, Regulatory, and Litigation, as well as Compliance.
• Ensure that contract files/databases for all agreements are maintained by paralegals.
• Continuously evaluate and update relevant contract templates and department processes and procedures. Develop new templates, playbook terms, and training materials as needed.

Required Skills and Experience

• Approximately 7 to 10 years legal experience, including 5 to 7 years of in‑house experience.
• Several years of law firm or government agency legal experience.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, including experience with a variety of commercial matters and agreements.
• Experience counseling on and providing training related to commercial law issues that come up in a day-to-day business context.
• Exceptional organizational skills, problem‑solving skills, and attention to detail.
• Highly professional, considerate, and motivated to work independently.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously within a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to manage outside counsel.
• Strong writing and oral communication skills.
• Ability to develop and implement cross‑functional processes.

Required Education and Training

• JD degree
• Admission to the Bar of at least one US jurisdiction

Working Conditions

• Requires at least 3 days in office per week

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in medical device, healthcare, life sciences, or FDA regulated industry.
• Some familiarity with litigation, advocacy, and data privacy.

Please note this position requires being onsite 3 days per week in our Sunnyvale, CA office.

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.