Principal Clinical Development Engineer
Listed on Intuitive’s official careers site. Posted October 5, 2026. Check that it is still open and apply there.
Apply on Intuitive’s careers site →Job description
Primary Function of the Position The Principal Clinical Development Engineer (CDE) uses their in-depth knowledge of translational research, clinical/surgical environments and medical technology to drive clinical development activities supporting advanced and new product development within Intuitive. As a part of the Clinical Development Engineering (CDE) team, this role is responsible for initiating and leading the design, development, execution, and implementation of scientific/engineering research projects and working collaboratively with CDE, product teams, and clinicians to establish foundational knowledge that ultimately drives products that produce high-quality patient outcomes.
This position will primarily support Research and Development activities within the dV Cardiac business unit
Essential Job Duties
Research Define and drive key research projects with the goal of contributing to the development of new products or improvement of existing ones.
With an understanding of complex product designs and component interactions, specify devices, materials selections, and design features to effectively implement new concepts and technologies
- Support product development teams by providing technical expertise during problem solving and brainstorming exercises
- Develop, drive and contribute to intellectual property filings for novel clinical applications and technologies
- Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders and use knowledge to influence project strategy, foresee project risks and future-proof project deliverables Development
- Apply in-depth knowledge of the operating room environment and of the da Vinci Surgical Systems to become an expert within the company on the clinical application of Intuitive’s products Work with key opinion leaders, subject matter experts, physicians, and other stakeholders to identify clinical goals and translate those needs for user-centric design and development of new platforms, procedures, instruments, and/or accessories
- Support clinical risk documentation, pre-clinical test strategy and execution, and regulatory submissions for new products Leadership
- Work through difficult and unique problems.
Achieve sound results within challenging constraints. Influence teams on high-impact project decision making Drive complex projects by supporting key decisions across multiple areas of expertise with strategic stakeholders. Make clinical decisions, set priorities and assess validity of others' approaches. Positively collaborate at all levels of the organization. Able to confidently provide responses when questioned on topics relevant to scope of work in ways that generate understanding and confidence.
Strong sense of shared responsibility and shared reward /success with peers from all teams May supervise or mentor other team members. Keep Intuitive’s vision and values at the forefront of decision making Perform other duties as required to support the company’s overall strategy and goals
Qualifications
Experience and Qualifications
15+ years of experience in medical device industry with a Bachelor’s degree, 12 years experience with a Master’s degree, or 8 years with a PhD degree; or equivalent experience Experience working with surgeons in an operating room environment; Fluent in surgical terminology and sound knowledge of anatomy and surgical technique Experience working in preclinical labs and with cadaveric or animal models; Strong ability to design and execute clinical or preclinical evaluations and translate results into development direction Excellent communication skills, including the ability to clearly convey complex ideas across clinical and technical audiences Working Conditions Ability to travel up to 20% of the time, internationally and domestic
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