Primary Function:
Intuitive Surgical designs and manufactures highly-complex robotic systems for use in minimally-invasive surgical applications. These systems consist of deeply embedded computing nodes networked together in a safe, robust configuration. This position will be responsible for FPGA design, verification, and integration of logic for sensor interfaces, servo control and communication for next-generation surgical systems. The engineer will play a lead role in design and development, as well as interfacing with surgical applications and clinical development engineers in order to iterate concepts. The successful candidate must excel in a high-energy team environment and be capable of making sound decisions when faced with the time pressures, ambiguous, and incomplete information typical of research and development.

Roles and Responsibilities 
This position has responsibility and authority for:
Working within a fast-paced team of robot developers to bring up, integrate and verify sensors, motor control circuits, subsystems, and distributed communications 
Develop tests and scripts for verifying embedded processor and FPGA-based motion control systems in simulation and in the lab 
Rapidly acquire knowledge of safety and servo systems, sensors, and actuators, and apply that knowledge to driver integration, bring-up, troubleshooting, characterization and verification on real hardware 
Write diagnostic programs to debug and bring-up the designs 
Contribute to FPGA designs with microarchitecture and RTL design 
Support Software, Mechanical, and Systems Analysis Engineering in building and integrating high quality prototypes for iterative product evaluation and refinement 
Define the scope of design projects, including detailed schedules and task lists 
Write detailed design documentation, including specifications and verification plans 

Competency Requirements 
Competency is based on: education, training, skills and experience. In order to adequately perform the responsibilities of this position the individual must:
A BS or MS degree in Electrical Engineering, or similar. Graduate degrees or equivalent work experience is preferred 
A minimum of five (5) years of hands-on experience with embedded systems and FPGA-based design. Medical Device experience is a plus 
A passion, and talent, for creating robust and reliable designs for mission-critical applications 
Experience with scripting languages such as JavaScript, Python and Perl 
Experience with object oriented design 
Experience with test & measurement instruments such as logic analyzers, emulators, oscilloscopes, and function generators 
Experience with Verilog, System Verilog, logic simulation, logic synthesis and timing analysis 
Familiarity with a broad range of electronic components and hardware 
Exposure to and experience with all phases of product development, including design, development, debug and verification is preferred. Prior experience transitioning designs to product is a plus 
An interest in the medical applications of robotics, with the ability to observe surgical procedures 
Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication 
Proven ability to drive to creative-yet practical-solutions from rough requirements, to identify new technologies and principles, and to rapidly develop product concepts and physical prototypes based on such technologies 
Demonstrated ability to excel within a high-energy, small, focused team environment, to maintain a strong sense of shared responsibility and shared reward, and to make work fun and interesting