Senior Supplier Engineer

Company Description

It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive. As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion—have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide.

We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world.

The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life.

If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you’ll find your purpose here.
 

Job Description

Primary Function:

At Intuitive, our mission is to advance minimally invasive care through innovation. As a Supplier Engineer, you will play a critical role in ensuring suppliers can consistently deliver high-quality, innovative products that meet Intuitive's stringent quality, delivery, capacity, and cost requirements.

The Supplier Engineer serves as the technical interface between suppliers and internal cross-functional teams, including Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, Supply Chain, and Operations. This role is responsible for supplier qualification, process validation, new product introduction (NPI), supplier performance improvement, and ongoing supplier development.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Supplier Development & Qualification

• Assess, qualify, and develop suppliers to meet Intuitive's technical, quality, regulatory, and business requirements.
• Lead supplier manufacturing readiness activities for new products and process changes.
• Evaluate supplier processes, capacity, quality systems, and technical capabilities.
• Support supplier selection and sourcing activities through technical assessments and on-site audits.

New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Partner with Design Engineering and suppliers to support Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives.
• Drive supplier readiness for product launches and scale-up activities.
• Ensure supplier qualification deliverables are completed on schedule, including:
  • Process Flow Diagrams
  • pFMEA
  • Control Plans
  • Process Capability Studies
  • First Article Inspection (FAI)
  • Measurement System Analysis (MSA)
  • PPQP/PPAP submissions
• Facilitate successful transfer from development to production.

Supplier Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor supplier performance against quality, delivery, cost, and capacity metrics.
• Lead supplier corrective action activities utilizing structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Drive root cause investigations and verify effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions.
• Support supplier audits and quality system assessments.
• Promote continuous improvement initiatives to reduce defects, improve process capability, and increase operational efficiency.

Technical Manufacturing Support

• Provide expertise in various manufacturing processes. SME in either Metals or Electronics is a plus.
• Review engineering drawings and specifications, including GD&T requirements.
• Identify manufacturing risks and implement mitigation strategies.

Project Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Manage supplier-related project plans, timelines, and risk mitigation activities.
• Coordinate with engineering, sourcing, quality, and operations teams to achieve project objectives.
• Present supplier performance, project status, and risk assessments to stakeholders.

#LI-Hybrid

Qualifications

Skills/Job Requirements:

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical field.

Experience

5+ years of experience in one or more of the following:

• Supplier Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Supplier Quality Engineering
• Process Engineering
• New Product Introduction

Technical Competencies

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and supplier development.
• Experience with APQP, PPAP, PPQP, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, and capability studies.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Experience conducting supplier audits and technical assessments.
• Structured problem-solving skills (5 Whys, Fishbone, CAPA, SCAR).
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 and/or ISO 13485 quality systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in medical device, aerospace, robotics, or regulated manufacturing environments.
• Exposure to global supply chains and international supplier management.
• Project management experience with concurrent programs and multiple suppliers.
• Familiarity with machining, castings, and complex electromechanical assemblies.

Travel

• Ability to travel to suppliers (domestic and international) as needed: minimum 30%

Key Success Metrics

• On-time supplier qualification and NPI launches.
• Supplier quality performance and defect reduction.
• Supplier delivery and capacity readiness.
• Successful completion of PPQP/PPAP activities.
• Supplier risk reduction and business continuity improvements.
• Achievement of cost, quality, and operational improvement goals.

Additional Information

Intuitive is an Equal Employment 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.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance 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. 

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on
business need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.