Director, Instruments and Accessories

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 Future Forward organization is Intuitive’s advanced concepts group. We explore emerging technologies, prototype next-generation solutions, and build software experiences that shape the future of robotic-assisted surgery.  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. The Director of Instruments and Accessories leads the strategy, design, development, documentation, and verification of new and derivative complex flexible medical instruments and system accessories. They will lead multiple managers and are responsible for helping lead the identification and creation of product requirements and driving the design, development, project schedules, and product performance against those requirements as well as the management of multiple groups of managers and engineers to ensure efficient product development that meets market, patient, user, and business needs. The successful candidate will coordinate team efforts across multiple projects, manage personnel efficiently, and ensure project milestones are met despite time constraints and evolving information typical of new product development. Essential Duties: Set long-term strategic vision aligning team goals with business priorities Develop and manage the Instruments and Accessories team, focusing on culture, hiring, and retention Define performance expectations and ensure effective communication across all team levels Oversee project planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for operational excellence Advocate relationship building and handoffs between new product development and manufacturing/NPI Engage collaborators to ensure product engineering project priorities and help for long-term goals Anticipate roadblocks and remove silos for seamless execution of priorities Qualifications Required Skills and Experience: 12 years experience designing, manufacturing and commercialization of medical devices or products 7+ years experience managing design of medical device projects and leading teams A closely involved engineering person with the proven ability to work well in a team environment Demonstrated expertise in all phases of the product development lifecycle Experience navigating medical device risk analysis Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) or equivalent engineering degree and/or a MS or PhD preferred Preferred Skills and Experience: Class II medical product experience Experience with FDA regulations and medical device design control Working knowledge and experience designing for sterilization and re-processing standards and requirements Organizational skills and ability to work on several fast-paced projects simultaneously Ability to interact effectively with a wide variety of people and departments Effective communication and documentation skills Proven ability to motivate, guide, and inspire members of core and extended project teams Proven knowledge of engineering fundamentals Experience in studying tradeoffs between product features, customer needs/requirements, producibility, and cost Planning, decision-making and negotiation Expertise in evaluating and selecting patient-contacting and implantable medical device materials Knowledge of Design Control processes for medical devices Proven ability to Seek, recognize, and execute clever and simple solutions to resolve complex department challenges 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 notifi