Full-Time
Senior Product Support Engineer
Posted on 11/2/2025
Intuitive Surgical
10,001+ employees
Manufactures robotic surgical systems and services
No salary listed
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
In Person
 Sales & Solution Engineering (1) |
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- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent required
- Minimum 10 years of experience as a Product Support Engineer or in a similar role supporting a field organization
- Proven ability to mentor junior team members
- Skilled in reviewing, creating, and managing technical documentation against specific criteria, required
- Demonstrated project planning skills, including schedule creation and objective management
- Basic understanding of GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and ISO standards
- Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving abilities
- High attention to detail, strong individual initiative, ownership mindset, and excellent organizational skills
- Self-starter capable of working independently with minimal supervision
- Experience working effectively in cross-functional project teams
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; proficiency in German and/or other EU languages is a plus
- Act as regional expert within product support group and represent the interests of the region to corporate product support
- Act as technical liaison for the region to local and corporate groups via the product support team (engineering, post market, regulatory, field service, management, etc.)
- Understand the customer / field technical requirements and explain to other groups as needed
- Regional subject matter expert for new product development requirements
- Evaluate the impact of engineering changes on the support of product in the field
- Coordinate with marketing, post markets, and other relevant groups to provide NPI training, direction, and other support for local teams
- Collaborate with Regulatory / Post Market surveillance teams on Field Actions to understand the issue and develop implementation plan
- Provide direction to field service team on field action FSOs and support as needed
- Monitor implementation of all field actions
- Coordinate with Regulatory/Compliance teams to verify all field actions are completed in compliance with local regulatory bodies
- Develop implementation plans for all upgrades/updates for the region with various groups (logistics, post market, customer service, marketing, etc.)
- Coordinate rollout activities with field service personnel
- Perform training of field service staff as needed
- Monitor progress and confirm completion as needed
- Perform analysis and explanation for technical issues as needed
- Provide support for technical documentation and translation of technical terminology
- Develop Knowledge Database articles intended to communicate system issues and notices to the field
- Support and resolve escalations for technical issues and further escalate/communicate to appropriate groups as needed (engineering, IT, post market, etc.)
- Identify areas of improvement for product support activities and make proposals for how to improve
- Build capabilities for support structure within EU with global support requirements considered
- Understand needs and plan for expanding support functions
- Experience with Documentation Control systems (e.g., Agile/ACCS, SAP, inventory management, or Device History Records) is strongly preferred
- Proficiency in German and/or other EU languages is a plus
Intuitive Surgical designs, manufactures, and sells robotic surgical systems and provides related services and accessories for minimally invasive surgery. The core product helps surgeons perform operations with enhanced precision by guiding robotic arms controlled from a console, allowing procedures to be done through small incisions. Instruments and consumables are used with the systems and are supported by service contracts, creating a recurring revenue stream. Compared to competitors, Intuitive has a large installed base and focuses specifically on robotic-assisted surgery, combining devices, disposable instruments, and ongoing services to support hospitals and surgical centers. Its goal is to improve patient outcomes by enabling safer, less invasive procedures while expanding the use and capabilities of robotic surgery for more procedures and providers.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Sunnyvale, California
Founded
1995
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Bariatric surgery market expansion as da Vinci outperforms GLP-1 drugs for sustained weight loss.
- Ion bronchoscopy system procedures grew 39% YoY with 1,041 installed units capturing lung cancer detection.
- Less than 5% of eligible surgeries globally performed robotically indicates substantial international adoption runway.
What critics are saying
- FDA Class II recalls of instruments with fraying cables disrupt 86% of Q1 recurring revenue.
- FDA safety communication on curved tip staplers halts hospital use, eroding surgeon confidence in reliability.
- EU MDR recertification deadline December 2028 halts 25% European sales during redesign and testing.
What makes Intuitive Surgical unique
- 70-80% market share in soft-tissue robotics with 11,395 installed da Vinci systems globally.
- 85% recurring revenue from instruments, accessories, and service contracts provides predictable cash flow.
- da Vinci 5 platform expands into cardiac surgery and complex procedures previously requiring open surgery.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↑ 0%Intuitive Surgical could emerge as a dark horse in the anti-obesity market as bariatric surgery proves more effective than GLP-1 drugs for long-term weight loss. A recent study of over 50,000 patients found surgery patients lost an average of 58 pounds after two years, compared to just 12 pounds for those using GLP-1 medications. The study also showed surgery delivers more sustainable results. Gastric bypass patients maintain around 52% of their excess weight loss after 10 years, whilst GLP-1 users often regain all lost weight after stopping treatment. Intuitive's da Vinci surgical system offers minimally invasive bariatric surgery options. The company generated $10.1 billion in revenue last year, up from $8.4 billion, with profit margins around 28%. Despite shares falling over 20% this year, the company's position in surgical innovation makes it a compelling long-term investment.
Intuitive Surgical has experienced recent share price weakness, declining 3% in one day with negative returns over the past week, month and three months. The stock currently trades at $452.66, down 10.1% over one month and 19.45% year-to-date, though three-year total shareholder returns remain strong at 77.19%. The medical technology company reports annual revenue of $10.1 billion and net income of $2.9 billion, maintaining a dominant position in minimally invasive surgical technology. According to one valuation analysis, Intuitive Surgical's fair value sits at $532.46, suggesting the stock is undervalued by approximately 15% at current levels. The analysis projects 12% annual revenue growth over the next five years, supported by recurring revenues from spare parts and software licences, with profit margins expected to reach 30% from the current 28.6%.
Intuitive Surgical shares rose 23% following Jim Cramer's recommendation on CNBC's Squawk on the Street in June 2025, where he urged investors to "just go buy ISRG". The medical robotics company experienced a 27% surge in October after reporting third-quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates. Revenue reached $2.51 billion against expectations of $2.40 billion, whilst adjusted earnings per share hit $2.40 versus the predicted $1.98. However, the stock declined 2.7% in January 2026 after Intuitive Surgical released preliminary fourth-quarter results, citing concerns that Medicaid funding cuts and competing products could slow growth of its robotic surgical systems. Despite the recent setback, shares remain up significantly since Cramer's initial endorsement, though they're down 7.8% over the past year.
Intuitive Surgical faces headwinds from tariffs and increased competition in the robotic-assisted surgery market, yet its fundamentals remain strong. The medical device company reported fourth-quarter revenue growth of 19% to $2.87 billion, whilst adjusted earnings per share rose 14.5% to $2.53. Procedures using its da Vinci surgical system increased 17%, with the installed base growing 12% to 11,106 units. However, the stock trades at 47.6 times forward earnings, compared to the healthcare sector average of 17.1. New competition is emerging, with Medtronic's Hugo system recently cleared and Johnson & Johnson expected to launch its own device soon. Despite these challenges, Intuitive Surgical maintains advantages through switching costs and extensive real-world data, whilst the underpenetrated robotic-assisted surgery market offers long-term growth potential.
Intuitive Surgical maintained a 37% operating margin in Q4 despite tariffs creating a 95 basis point drag, alongside higher facility costs and unfavourable product mix from newer platforms like da Vinci 5 and Ion. The company offset these pressures through product cost reductions, component savings and manufacturing efficiencies. Procedure growth of 18% in Q4 and recurring revenue now comprising 81% of total revenues provided operating leverage. Management's 2026 gross margin guidance of 67-68% suggests continued stability, even as tariff headwinds are expected to increase to roughly 1.2% of revenues. Meanwhile, Boston Scientific expanded adjusted operating margins by 100 basis points to 28% in 2025, though tariffs will offset favourable product mix in 2026. The company expects 50-75 basis points operating margin expansion in 2026 through scale efficiencies and supply-chain optimisation.