Sr. Clinical Development Engineer - Strategy

About the role

As a Clinical Development Engineer - Strategy, you will be a key member of Intuitive’s early-stage innovation incubator, reporting to the Associate Medical Officer - Strategy. In this role, you will co-own the identification, evaluation, and early development of new clinical opportunities. Working alongside physicians and cross-functional partners, you will translate clinical insights into structured hypotheses, design and execute early de-risking strategies, and help determine which opportunities should advance within the innovation portfolio. This role operates with a high degree of independence in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, contributing directly to early-stage decision-making and portfolio prioritization.

Responsibilities

• Partner with physicians to identify and validate unmet clinical needs through clinical immersion, research, and voice-of-customer engagement
• Synthesize clinical, technical, and user insights into clear opportunity definitions and problem statements
• Co-develop clinical and technical hypotheses and translate them into structured development and experimental plans
• Lead the design and execution of early-stage de-risking strategies, including preclinical and exploratory evaluations
• Develop and refine initial procedural concepts and workflows for new technologies
• Collaborate with engineering to define early product requirements, use cases, and performance targets
• Drive early prototype and concept evaluations, translating findings into clear recommendations on opportunity viability
• Contribute to go/no-go decisions by synthesizing insights across clinical, technical, and user dimensions
• Engage with key opinion leaders and external stakeholders to inform opportunity assessment and validate insights

Requirements

• Typically 8+ years of experience in medical device development, clinical engineering, or early-stage innovation
• Demonstrated ability to identify and frame complex problems in ambiguous environments
• Proven experience translating insights into structured hypotheses, development plans, or experimental approaches
• Experience working closely with clinicians and understanding clinical workflows and procedural environments
• Ability to co-own problem spaces and drive structured problem-solving in early-stage, high-ambiguity settings
• Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills, with the ability to synthesize diverse inputs into clear direction and recommendations
• Experience leading or contributing to clinical de-risking activities, including preclinical or early feasibility evaluations
• Ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, clinical, and business teams to drive aligned development outcomes
• Experience with clinical labs, cadaveric or animal models, and early-stage evaluations
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to concisely convey complex ideas clearly across clinical and technical audiences
• Experience in early-stage innovation, incubators, or R&D concept development preferred
• Exposure to Biodesign or needs-based innovation methodologies preferred

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field required
• Advanced degree (M.S., Ph.D., or equivalent) preferred

Working Conditions

• Must be available to work full-time onsite in Sunnyvale, CA
• Will require travel to clinical sites, customer locations, or conferences (up to 25%)
• May involve standing or walking for extended periods during clinical observations or procedures
• Must be able to lift up to 20 lbs occasionally (e.g., for transporting prototypes or equipment)
• Ability to meet hospital credentialing and compliance requirements for clinical site access (e.g., vaccination)

Pay

Base Salary Range Region 1: $186,100 - $267,900

Base Salary Range Region 2: $158,200 - $227,700

Schedule

• Day shift

Workplace Type

Onsite - This job is fully onsite.