Full-Time

Senior Clinical Development Engineer

Ion

Updated on 8/22/2026

Intuitive Surgical

Intuitive Surgical

10,001+ employees

Manufactures robotic surgical systems and services

No salary listed

Sunnyvale, CA, USA

Remote

Bachelor's, Master's, PhD

Category
Biology & Biotech (1)

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Requirements
  • Apply in-depth knowledge of tissue therapeutic clinical procedures and medical technologies for needs discovery and evaluation strategies.
  • Have a four-year degree and a master’s degree in Engineering, Biology, or a related field.
  • Have 15 or more years of experience in the medical device industry.
  • Have 10 or more years of experience in clinical development and preclinical evaluation.
  • Demonstrate experience with preclinical model development and validation of Class III products.
  • Be an expert in tissue and/or thermal technologies.
  • Have a strong understanding of complex engineering systems.
  • Have experience collaborating with physicians.
Responsibilities
  • Work on complex, multidisciplinary problems with significant impact across multiple programs.
  • Use clinical expertise, technical acumen, preclinical evaluation experience, and physician engagement to develop evaluation strategies for tissue-related applications.
  • Partner with Design Engineering to inform product decisions.
  • Collaborate with the Medical Office and Product Management to identify unmet clinical needs and drive the definition, development, and validation of innovative product solutions.
  • Explore and evaluate new endoluminal therapeutic applications in preclinical settings involving tissue.
  • Serve as a tissue subject matter expert and lead cross-functional teams through complex problem-solving efforts.
  • Collaborate with medical officers, physicians, and clinical users to understand clinical needs.
  • Partner with Design Engineering, Product Management, Quality, and Regulatory teams to define product requirements.
  • Develop evaluation strategies, including product characterization and tissue-effect assessments.
  • Assess clinical risks and define mitigation strategies.
  • Drive decision-making and escalate critical issues appropriately.
  • Lead planning and execution of evaluation and product launch strategies.
  • Mentor and guide junior team members.
Desired Qualifications
  • Have experience working cross-functionally across product development teams.
  • Have experience driving products from concept through commercialization.
  • Have experience with validation strategy and testing.
  • Be self-motivated and able to work independently.
  • Be an effective communicator.
  • Be willing to travel up to 15%.

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

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See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Q2 2026 revenue rose 19% to $2.89 billion, beating estimates.
  • Intuitive kept 2026 da Vinci growth guidance at 13.5%-15.5% after 16% Q2 procedure growth.
  • Penang's 316,000-square-foot plant starts 2028, adding 1,200 jobs by 2032.

What critics are saying

  • U.S. da Vinci growth slowed to 12% in Q2 2026 as ACA subsidies delayed cases.
  • April 2026 Class II recall covered 454 da Vinci units after an E-brake retainer-pin defect.
  • Medtronic's Hugo seeks broader FDA clearances; approval in general surgery directly attacks Intuitive's moat.

What makes Intuitive Surgical unique

  • Intuitive's da Vinci ecosystem generated 85% recurring revenue in Q2 2026.
  • da Vinci 5 drove 246 placements in Q2 2026 and over 15,000 surgeon users.
  • Ion and SP extend Intuitive beyond soft-tissue surgery into endoluminal procedures.

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Benefits

Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Yahoo Finance
Aug 19th, 2026
Abbott beats Q2 estimates with 13% sales growth as diagnostics surge 42%, while Intuitive Surgical posts 19% revenue rise

Abbott Laboratories reported strong fiscal Q2 2026 results, with sales rising 13% on a reported basis and 4.8% on a comparable basis, beating estimates and prompting the company to raise its annual profit forecast. The diagnostics segment was particularly strong, growing 42% to $3.09 billion, driven by its cancer diagnostics business following the Exact Sciences acquisition. Intuitive Surgical also exceeded expectations in Q2 2026, with revenue growing 19% to $2.89 billion and adjusted EPS of $2.80, beating forecasts by $0.30. The company placed 468 da Vinci units during the quarter, an 18% year-over-year increase, whilst maintaining a non-GAAP gross margin of 70.0%. The companies present contrasting investment cases: Abbott offers diversified healthcare portfolio resilience, whilst Intuitive Surgical relies on its robotic surgery ecosystem with recurring revenue comprising approximately 85% of total sales.

PR Newswire
Aug 17th, 2026
Intuitive leases 316,000-sq-ft facility in Penang to manufacture surgical instruments, create 1,200 jobs by 2032

Intuitive, the global leader in minimally invasive care and pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery, has signed a lease agreement with Penang Development Corporation for a new manufacturing facility in Malaysia. The 316,000-square-foot site in Bandar Cassia Technology Park will produce surgical instruments and electromechanical devices for Intuitive's da Vinci surgical system. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 and create 1,200 highly skilled jobs by 2032. The investment reflects Intuitive's commitment to Asia Pacific, where its da Vinci systems have treated more than 2.5 million patients across 13 markets over two decades. The expansion aims to support growing demand for robotic-assisted surgery across the region and strengthen Penang's position as a MedTech manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 16th, 2026
Oppenheimer upgrades Intuitive Surgical to 'Outperform' with $500 price target

Oppenheimer upgraded Intuitive Surgical from "Perform" to "Outperform" with a $500 price target, implying a 24.6% upside. The analysts expect the medtech company to maintain its leading position in robotic surgery despite increasing competition. Intuitive reported strong Q2 results, with revenue rising 18.5% year-over-year to $2.89 billion, surpassing analyst expectations. Non-GAAP earnings per share climbed 27.9% to $2.80, beating the $2.50 estimate. The company placed 468 da Vinci surgical systems and 55 Ion endoluminal systems during the quarter. Combined da Vinci and Ion procedures rose approximately 16% globally. Wall Street maintains a "Strong Buy" consensus rating on the stock, with 22 of 31 analysts recommending a strong buy. The consensus price target of $480.93 represents a 19.85% upside.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 12th, 2026
Intuitive Surgical's valuation barely budges despite two years of growth forecasts

Intuitive Surgical trades at $401.23, down 32% from its 52-week high and 15% over twelve months. The stock currently trades at 37.7 times trailing adjusted earnings. Analysts forecast earnings of $12.08 per share by 2027, bringing the multiple down to 33 times — only 13% lower despite two years of growth. Consensus projects 7% annual earnings growth and 9.7% revenue growth, suggesting margin compression ahead. Management raised its 2026 gross profit margin guidance to 68-69%. However, the company plans to extend instrument use limits starting in the first half of 2027 to lower procedure costs and boost adoption. Intuitive has not finalised pricing for this programme, creating uncertainty around 2027 estimates. The company will quantify the impact on its next earnings call.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 8th, 2026
Medtronic and Intuitive Surgical lag market amid sector weakness

Medtronic and Intuitive Surgical, two medical device leaders, have underperformed this year due to sector weakness and company-specific challenges. However, both show potential for recovery. Medtronic's fourth-quarter revenue rose 9.9% to $9.8 billion, though adjusted earnings per share fell 4.3% to $1.55 due to higher costs, including tariffs. The company posted its highest annual revenue growth in a decade, driven partly by its Pulse Field Ablation franchise. Medtronic recently received FDA clearance for its Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system for urologic procedures, positioning it to compete in the underpenetrated robotic surgery market. The company plans to spin off its lower-margin diabetes care division, which should improve margins. With a 3.4% forward dividend yield and 49 consecutive years of payout increases, Medtronic appeals to income-focused investors.