Software Engineer, IoT

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

 The Software Engineer will collaborate with a skilled and dedicated team to advance and expand the digital solutions available in Intuitive’s surgical robotic product portfolio. The individual selected for this role will make a significant impact on the IoMT & Platform Integration team, especially by developing and enhancing the network connectivity software for Intuitive’s surgical platforms.

In this position, your responsibilities will include designing and developing network connectivity software on the system side, contributing to a comprehensive digital solution delivered to our customers. To excel, you must thrive in a dynamic and focused team setting, possess outstanding communication abilities, and balance independent work with effective teamwork during all phases of planning, development, integration, and assessment of exploratory concepts and initial product versions.

A strong candidate will quickly become familiar with existing systems and devise innovative, yet practical solutions based on requirements. You’ll be supported by a caring management and development team dedicated to your professional success.

Essential Job Duties

• Design, Develop, and Maintain Embedded Network Applications

• Build and sustain embedded software solutions utilizing network communication protocols such as TCP/IP, WebSocket, and MQTT, ensuring seamless integration with scalable cloud environments (including AWS VPC, EC2, and ELB).

• Perform root cause analysis and address issues for products in both released and production stages.

• Security and Reliability

• Ensure embedded network applications meet security and reliability requirements.

• Implement encryption, authentication, and authorization where necessary.

• Collaboration and Compliance

• Work closely with cross-functional teams (Quality Assurance, Product Management, Cybersecurity, Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Affairs) to deliver high-quality solutions compliant with FDA medical device regulations and IEC 62304 software lifecycle standards

• Contribute to formal risk analysis (such as FMEA) and develop software-based mitigations to address identified risks

Required Education, Skills and Experience

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in computer science or related technical field (Graduate degree preferred)

• A minimum of 2 years of hands-on experience with C/C++ and Python on embedded systems or IoT (Internet-of-things) devices

• Experience with network protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, HTTP, WebSocket)

• Experience with network system design patterns (e.g. REST, Pub/Sub model)

• Proven ability to work well in a team environment

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent communication and documentation skills

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with adopting new technologies to build network-connected robotic or embedded systems is highly desirable

• Experience with AWS IoT cloud development is highly desirable

• Experience with asynchronous programming (e.g. multi-threading, asyncio) is a plus

• Experience with cybersecurity elements (such as SSL, TLS, PKI, JWT) is a plus

• Experience with medical device software development life cycle is a plus

• Experience with industrial embedded OS (e.g. Yocto, QNX) and cross-compilation is a plus

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 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.

Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:

Intuitive 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 [email protected].

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.