Clinical Applications 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

The Clinical Applications Engineer (CAE) reports to the Manager of Clinical Applications Engineering. The CAE plays a critical role in the early adoption of new technology, expanding access to robotic minimally invasive care. This individual will be primarily focused on building and supporting early users through their system learning curve and provide technical expertise on the system as applicable during clinical procedures. They will play a crucial role in transitioning users from their initial training to proficiency with the system and its use.  They will also be responsible for providing guidance and perspective to design engineering about system usage nuances within the market they serve. 

Essential Job Duties

• Provide procedural support to new robotic system sites to promote safety and effective progression
• Collaborate with global Clinical Applications Engineering and Endoluminal Sales to support new users through their early learning curve
• Provide expert clinical product and technical assistance and training to physicians and clinical staff on the effective use of Intuitive’s equipment during clinical procedures
• Identify key areas of concern for clinical users for procedure adoption and collaborate with training and development partners to evaluate and address them
• Drive collaboration and maintain consistent, open lines of communication across the assigned responsibilities with the global Clinical Applications Engineering team as well as the development teams.
• Collaborate with peers and development engineering partners to develop and share best practices and product feedback
• Stay current on company products instructions for use (IFU), best practices and technical troubleshooting, as well as relevant scientific clinical literature and new product information
• Prioritize and appropriately respond to requests in a high-stress environment.

Required Skills and Experience

• A minimum of 2 years of technical or clinical experience in healthcare
• Experience navigating hospitals and supporting procedures required
• Self-starter who performs well with autonomy and can be flexible in a dynamic work environment
• Problem solver who can maintain composure and think critically in high pressure environments

• Highly collaborative and works well in a remote team environment
• Effective communication skills including oral, written and interpersonal.  Strong situational awareness
• Experience working with highly complex technical systems and/or working in a critical patient care setting with physicians and support staff
• Ability to seek out and process large amounts of data to translate information into actionable insights
• Desire to learn and build new skills
• Ability to travel up to 70%, located near a major airline/rail hub, and ability to work nights and weekends as needed
• Ability to independently prioritize and manage travel logistics, and complete associated administrative tasks in a timely manner
• Ability to travel on a moment’s notice and support cases across varying geographies; comfortable booking and utilizing all forms of travel

Required Education and Training

• Bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering or in healthcare-based field

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.

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 base compensation ranges are listed.