Senior Embedded Software Engineer - Platform

Every movement a Da Vinci surgical robot makes – every incision, every stitch – runs on software our team builds and owns. We are the BSP and Operating Systems Engineering team at Intuitive and we are responsible for the OS foundation that the da Vinci 5 robotic platform depends on.

We are looking for a Senior Embedded Software Engineer who wants to own something consequential: the OS Abstraction Layer (OSAL) framework and resource management architecture across a heterogeneous platform spanning Linux, QNX RTOS, and bare-metal environments on NVIDIA Jetson Orin, TI AM69/TDA4, and AMD MPSoC silicon.

This is not a maintenance role. You will design the contracts that govern how processes compete for CPU, memory, and I/O on a safety-critical surgical system – and you will own those decisions end to end.

You will have real technical ownership, work alongside engineers who go deep, and ship software that is used in operating rooms around the world.

Essential Job Duties

• Technical ownership of the OSAL framework: architect, implement, and maintain a consistent API across Linux, QNX, and bare-metal environments.
• Design and implement contract-based resource allocation frameworks governing memory budgets, CPU scheduling guarantees, I/O bandwidth, and device access contracts for system processes and applications.
• Build monitoring and enforcement infrastructure that detects and responds to resource violations in real time on a safety-critical platform.
• Optimize system performance through deliberate scheduling strategies and resource allocation across heterogeneous mutli-processor SoC/FPGA environments.
• Debug complex multi-threaded and multi-process system failures – including the hardest cross-layer problems that require deep OS internals knowledge to resolve.
• Work directly with Linux kernel interfaces, QNX microkernel APIs, and bare-metal system programming to deliver robust, production-quality C/C++ software.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on OS internals, system architecture, and systematic debugging practice.

Required Education, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field with 8+ years of experience; or Master’s degree with 6+ years; or PhD with 3+ years; or equivalent experience.
• Deep expertise in Linux kernel and user space – process/thread management, scheduling, memory management (VM, paging, allocation), and IPC.
• Strong C/C++ with real system-level programming experience, not just application-layer C++.
• Hands-on debugging fluency with tools such as GDB, strace, valgrind, ftrace, perf or equivalent profilers.
• Experience with at least one RTOS or bare-metal environment (QNX, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar).
• Demonstrated ability to architecture and own a software framework or abstraction layer used by other engineers.
• Comfortable influencing system architecture decisions across teams through design reviews and V&V activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication – you can explain a kernel scheduling decision and a resource allocation contract to a non-expert.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• NVIDIA Jetson platform experience (TX2, Xavier, Orin NX/AGX, Thor) as we use this hardware regularly.
• QNX RTOS depth – microkernel architecture, pulse/message-based IPC, resource managers.
• Secure boot, TPM integration, or embedded security architecture experience.
• Hypervisor or virtualization experience in embedded contexts (Xen, KVM, QNX Hypervisor).
• Yocto / OpenEmbedded experience – BSP maintenance, layer design, recipe authorship.
• Python and bash scripting for test automation and boot sequence design.
• Demonstrated experience in and comfort with all phases of the product development lifecycle, including design, implementation, debugging, verification, validation, and transfer to manufacturing.
• Experience designing software products in an FDA or other regulated industry or for mission-critical applications; comfortable with concepts of design input, design output, traceability, risk analysis, and mitigations.

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.

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.

Mandatory Notices

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.

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.

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.