At Intuitive, we are united behind our mission: we believe that minimally invasive care is life-enhancing care. Through ingenuity and intelligent technology, we expand the potential of physicians to heal without constraints.
As a pioneer and market leader in robotic-assisted surgery, we strive to foster an inclusive and diverse team, committed to making a difference. For more than 25 years, we have worked with hospitals and care teams around the world to help solve some of healthcare's hardest challenges and advance what is possible.
Intuitive has been built by the efforts of great people from diverse backgrounds. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere. We strive to foster an inclusive culture built around diversity of thought and mutual respect. We lead with inclusion and empower our team members to do their best work as their most authentic selves.
Passionate people who want to make a difference drive our culture. Our team members are grounded in integrity, have a strong capacity to learn, the energy to get things done, and bring diverse, real world experiences to help us think in new ways. We actively invest in our team members to support their long-term growth so they can continue to advance our mission and achieve their highest potential.
Join a team committed to taking big leaps forward for a global community of healthcare professionals and their patients. Together, let's advance the world of minimally invasive care.
Position Description
As a Staff Industrial Designer for Ion you will be responsible for defining and contributing to the design of next-generation Ion Systems and improving existing product lines.
At Intuitive, Industrial Designers are very hands on, helping to translate real user insight into actionable design opportunities and high-performance user experiences. As a natural collaborator and leader, you will work closely with process partners (Engineering, Design, Human Factors, Clinical, User Research, and Product Management) and lead other industrial design team members on framing, defining, exploring, and executing future product opportunities. Focusing on the physical aspects of the product experience, you’ll employ an understanding of user needs, ergonomics, form, proportion, manufacturing processes, materials, and color to transform complex requirements into elegant solutions that are highly usable, beautiful, and manufacturable. In your role you’ll craft compelling stories and presentations that illustrate new user benefits and opportunities, and prove new opportunities though employing qualitative and quantitative methods to build consensus on the right path forward.
Job Responsibilities
Employ a user centered design process to help teams frame problems and define & explore opportunities
Often plan and lead the work of other industrial design team members on projects in a fast-paced environment
Help guide partners through making complex design decisions, tradeoffs, and compromises, often leveraging qualitative and quantitative data
Participate in user and customer research, clinical labs, and usability testing, and grounds design proposals to user-centered needs and insights
Distill technical and ergonomic requirements and develop a range of solutions that synthesize usability, utility, manufacturability, and desirability
Collaborate with other User Experience Team members and partners to create compelling integrated user experiences
Combine user experience objectives with the objectives of cross-functional partners to achieve mutual success
Develop and execute manufacturable and cost-effective design solutions in collaboration with Engineering partners
Actively participate in cross-functional team meetings and other forums and drives efforts forward with purpose
Utilize a range of 2D and 3D tools and techniques to explore and develop designs and effectively communicate proposals
Plan and generate functional prototypes to conceptually explore ideas, facilitate learning, and to validate design solutions
Capture and translate brand attributes into compelling physical forms with a focus on product semantics, ergonomics, and performance in demanding use cases & environments
Work with design managers on resource planning, scheduling, and user-centered design advocacy
The Ideal Candidate
Employs a user-centered approach driven by a curiosity about user behaviors and an eagerness to learn in the field and in a lab environment
Has a strong project management skillset and team leadership experience, and thrives working in a fast-paced environment
Has an effective skillset for facilitating meetings and workshops, and greatly enjoys doing so.
Is versatile in working style and can quickly adapt from tactical to strategic approach depending on project need
Approaches work with a strategic, systems-thinking mindset and naturally serves as a bridge between teams and projects
Is experienced in leading teams on projects. Direct management experience is a plus but not required
Has excellent storytelling and presentation skills and an ability to effectively communicate a user-centered point of view
Has a passion for designing meaningful, revolutionary products that make an impact on people’s lives
Demonstrates great organizational and communication habits, making you a responsive and exemplary team player
Can work and solve problems independently, and seek out information and partnerships as needed
Has a natural aptitude for teamwork, and is excited to work on difficult problems with a dedicated team of high-energy, high-caliber people
Is a highly creative problem solver and has a high capacity for technical problem solving and execution work
Takes a bias toward action and an eagerness to support the team and the project
Has a refined aesthetic sensibility grounded in product semantics, communication, and performance
Learns from, mentors, and inspires other designers and partners
Is efficient, reliable, and dedicated to achieving the highest quality design output
Has an incurable curiosity for all things design
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree or greater in Industrial Design
10+ years of professional experience in industrial design and product development
Has an exceptional portfolio that clearly and consistently demonstrates a human-centered design process and successfully delivering products from concept to production
A proven track record of collaborating successfully with engineering and product marketing teams to develop designs and bring successful products to market
Has experience designing regulated products. Medical device design experience a plus
Has experience working in and navigating a corporate environment, and ideally also has some consulting experience
Demonstrable experience leading designers on projects and facilitating user-centered design process
A comprehensive set of prototyping skills - from quick low-fi foam models to fabricating complex functional prototypes
A solid understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and DFM considerations
Strong 2D visualization skills including sketching, storyboarding, and digital rendering
Strong 3D CAD and rendering skills to develop compelling and technically viable design solutions
Extensive experience with SolidWorks is required. Specific experience with class A surfacing is a plus
Ability to travel up to 10% of the time for case observations
Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19. Details can vary by role.
Intuitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.
U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer: In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)), some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employees who are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.
Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the government’s licensing process can take 3 to 6+ months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (“TCP”) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).
For any Intuitive role subject to export controls, final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employee’s start date, which may or may not be flexible, and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable, candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes.
We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.
Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside, or plan to reside, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Tennessee.
We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including experience, skills, and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.
