Staff Software Engineer

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 

We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer to join the Intraoperative Intelligence team at Intuitive. This role focuses on building high-performance systems and user-facing applications that power how surgeons interact with robotic platforms in real time. 

You will take ownership of complex and sometimes ambiguous problem areas, driving solutions from early concepts through production deployment and long-term ownership, including verification and maintenance. 

Role & Responsibilities 

You will be part of a team developing software that processes complex data and presents it through intuitive, high-performance interfaces in a clinical environment. 

As a Staff Software Engineer, you will act as a technical leader and hands-on developer, working across systems and user-facing components. You will: 

• Own complex subsystems end-to-end, from early exploration through production deployment, verification, and long-term maintenance  

• Define problem spaces, shape requirements, and drive architectural decisions across components and systems  

• Design and build clean, extensible interfaces, with an emphasis on distributed system design  

• Develop C/C++ applications and UI-driven workflows in Linux or embedded environments  

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including software, design, clinical, and machine learning  

• Translate evolving or incomplete requirements into robust, production-quality solutions  

• Iterate rapidly from prototype to production, refining early concepts into scalable and reliable systems  

Required 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field  

• Significant industry experience developing production-quality software systems  

• Deep experience with C/C++ development  

• Experience building user-facing applications using UI frameworks (e.g., Qt or similar)  

• Strong experience working in Linux or embedded environments  

• Demonstrated ability to own and deliver complex systems with incomplete requirements  

• Strong software design, debugging, and performance optimization skills  

• Proven ability to make sound technical decisions and drive work across teams  

Preferred 

• Experience with real-time or performance-critical systems  

• Exposure to visualization or data-intensive applications  

• Familiarity with machine learning-based systems  

• Experience working in regulated environments such as medical devices 

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.

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.