Senior Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technician at Intuitive — Sunnyvale, CA

Description of Position:

The Future Forward group within Intuitive Surgical is searching for a Senior Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technician with a focus on the Electro-Mechanical design of next generation surgical robot instruments. This role is an exciting opportunity to join a small and innovative team in the early phases of product development.

Joining Intuitive Surgical means joining a team dedicated to using technology to benefit patients by improving surgical efficacy and decreasing surgical invasiveness, with patient outcomes as our highest priority. The Senior Electrical Engineering Technician is responsible for supporting a team of Electro-Mechanical engineers developing new products at Intuitive. The ideal candidate will be fully proficient in all typical instrument manufacturing processes. The candidate should be comfortable working with minimal supervision, and with minimal work instructions and be able to take ideas from R&D engineers and figure out how to build fully functional instrument prototypes. In addition, the individual will assist with developing and maintaining a clean and well-organized engineering lab environment that includes robotic instruments, rapid prototype machines, tools, fixtures, prototypes, and supplies. A strong sense of integrity, care, and attention to detail is required as well as a commitment to developing products of the highest quality.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Build, rework, inspect, and troubleshoot SMT and through-hole PCB assemblies, including high-precision soldering, component replacement, micro-rework, trace modifications, and jumper installation.
• Perform manual soldering and rework under a microscope or similar magnification equipment.
• Inspect PCBAs and validate workmanship through electrical and functional testing.
• Read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, PCB assembly drawings, cable drawings, and engineering documentation.
• Fabricate, rework, test, and document control boxes, wire harnesses, and custom cables using proper cutting, stripping, soldering, crimping, connector assembly, labeling, and wire-management techniques.
• Translate engineering concepts, sketches, drawings, and verbal instructions into functional electro-mechanical prototypes.
• Assemble, modify, troubleshoot, and maintain mechanical and electro-mechanical prototypes, including small precision components and mechanisms.
• Manage 3D-printing activities, including print preparation, material selection, equipment setup, print monitoring, part removal, post-processing, and basic printer troubleshooting.
• Perform basic prototype fabrication and modification using hand tools, power tools, and appropriate machine-shop equipment.
• Support mechanical assembly processes such as fastening, alignment, adhesive bonding, laser welding, precision wire preparation, and integration of sensors, motors, PCBAs, cables, and connectors.
• Inspect prototype components and assemblies using calipers, micrometers, microscopes, vision systems, CMMs, and other metrology equipment.
• Prepare instruments, accessories, fixtures, test equipment, and supporting materials for engineering tests and pre-clinical laboratory evaluations.
• Coordinate prototype builds and test preparation with engineering teams and other cross-functional groups.
• Document prototype assembly, rework, inspection, and test procedures.
• Train other technicians and support knowledge transfer across teams.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized engineering laboratory, including robotic instruments, 3D printers, rapid-prototyping equipment, tools, fixtures, calibrated test equipment, prototypes, and supplies.
• Monitor laboratory inventory and coordinate the ordering, storage, labeling, and disposal of materials and consumables.
• Support equipment maintenance, calibration tracking, and laboratory readiness.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on experience supporting electrical, electro-mechanical, mechatronic, or robotic product development in an engineering laboratory or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in PCBA assembly, inspection, rework, micro-soldering, and electrical troubleshooting.
• Experience building and troubleshooting cables, wire harnesses, control boxes, and electro-mechanical assemblies.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, mechanical drawings, assembly drawings, and work instructions.
• Experience operating oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, and other electrical test equipment.
• Hands-on experience assembling and modifying mechanical prototypes and precision electro-mechanical components.
• Experience operating 3D printers or other rapid-prototyping equipment.
• Experience with mechanical assembly methods, including fastening, adhesive bonding, precision alignment, and small-component assembly.
• Ability to inspect components and assemblies using standard metrology equipment, including calipers, micrometers, microscopes, and vision systems.
• Manual dexterity and the ability to assemble, solder, inspect, and rework small components under magnification.
• Strong organizational, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced R&D environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Associate of Science degree in Electronics, Electrical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics, or a related discipline—or equivalent education and work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with laser welding, machining, adhesive selection, cable fabrication, and precision manufacturing processes.
• Experience preparing equipment and prototypes for benchtop or pre-clinical laboratory evaluations.
• Familiarity with CAD file handling, slicing software, and additive manufacturing workflows.
• Experience working in a regulated medical-device or similarly controlled product-development environment.

Mandatory Notices