Staff Supplier Engineer - Castings

Intuitive•Orange, CA

About The Position

Primary Function of Position In this role, you will move surgery forward by putting the highest quality and most innovative products in the hands of our customers to enable better surgical outcomes for patients. The ideal candidate needs to have a vast knowledge in various metal casting processes such as V Process, sand casting and investment casting and will apply their broad and deep hands-on experience in casting (especially Aluminum) to help our suppliers manufacture high quality casting parts meeting our design standards and expectations for da Vinci surgical systems in the Multiport Business Unit. This role is responsible for on-going sustaining and NPI products for all active Systems products with a focus on mechanical casting components and assemblies. This role will provide technical leadership, to a broad cross functional team such as design engineers and suppliers by developing casting design and inspection guidelines, performing DFM and ensuring casting suppliers can continuously produce high quality parts meeting Intuitive’ s standards. The Staff Supplier Engineer must be capable of making sound decisions when faced with time constraints and ambiguous or incomplete information which is typical in a research and development environment. They will interface with suppliers and manufacturing to build high-quality casting parts and productize new designs. Casting Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence Applies deep, hands-on expertise in aluminum and iron/steel casting processes (V-Process, sand casting, tilt-pour, investment casting, die-casting) to deliver robust, production-ready process and parts. Exercises strong engineering fundamentals to evaluate casting feasibility, influence part architecture, and select manufacturing processes that balance performance, quality, and risk. Reviews and guides mold and tooling designs, including gating, risers, solidification behavior, and defect prevention, to enable stable and repeatable production. Strong understanding of various heat treatment processes which influences the mechanical properties of castings and a solid grasp of mechanical property testing systems. Establishes clear casting design, inspection, and acceptance standards that enable consistency across programs and suppliers. Supplier Engineering & Capability Development Assesses supplier capability with rigor and fairness, identifying strengths, gaps, and development opportunities across casting, tooling, inspection, and process control. Drives supplier-owned execution of qualification and validation deliverables (PPQP/PPAP, pFMEA, special process validation, IQ-OQ-PQ, FAI, Cpk, capacity studies). Partners with suppliers to improve process capability, capacity, yield, inspection effectiveness, and long-term reliability. Builds durable supplier relationships grounded in trust, transparency, and shared accountability. Quality Systems & Risk-Based Decision Making Applies ISO-based quality system principles (ISO 9001 / ISO 13485) to supplier processes with a strong focus on prevention rather than detection. Uses risk-based thinking to make timely, disciplined decisions that protect product integrity while enabling program execution. Leads thorough root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions that address systemic issues rather than symptoms. Supports supplier audits with a mindset of learning, improvement, and sustained compliance. Program Execution & Cross-Functional Impact Owns supplier-related deliverables across NPI and sustaining programs, ensuring commitments are met with high quality and clarity. Acts as a technical connector between design, suppliers, machining partners, manufacturing, and quality teams. Communicates status, risks, and trade-offs clearly to stakeholders, enabling informed decisions. Contributes to cost, capacity, and supply continuity improvements without compromising quality or compliance. Behavioral Competencies (Staff Engineer) Act with Integrity and Purpose Makes decisions grounded in what is right for patients, customers, and the company. Holds self and partners to high ethical and quality standards. Demonstrate Ownership Takes full responsibility for outcomes, especially when challenges arise. Drives issues to resolution with persistence and accountability. Exercise Sound Judgment Makes thoughtful, data-informed decisions in ambiguous situations, balancing risk, speed, and long-term impact. Lead Through Expertise Influences others through technical depth, clear reasoning, and consistency. Earns trust by delivering on commitments and sharing knowledge openly. Collaborate with Respect Works across functions and with suppliers in a way that values diverse perspectives, fosters alignment, and strengthens partnerships. Commit to Continuous Learning Actively seeks feedback, reflects on outcomes, and applies learnings to improve designs, processes, and ways of working. Deliver Results with Discipline Sets clear priorities, manages complexity effectively, and follows through with focus and attention to detail.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or a closely related discipline) required.
Deep, hands-on expertise in aluminum and steel casting for high-reliability applications.
Minimum: 7 years of relevant industry experience in casting engineering, supplier development engineering, manufacturing engineering, or process engineering.
Demonstrated ability to influence casting design decisions early to improve manufacturability, robustness, and quality.
Proven success developing and holding suppliers accountable through complex tooling, process capability, and quality challenges.
Strong working knowledge of ISO-based quality systems (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 13485) and their practical application at suppliers.
Experience leading or supporting supplier audits, gap assessments, and corrective action closure.
Ability to apply risk-based judgment and make sound technical decisions in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
Working knowledge of CNC machining, secondary operations, and cosmetic requirements for cast components.
Demonstrated Staff-level impact: mentoring others, setting technical direction, and owning outcomes end-to-end.
Ability to travel to suppliers (domestic and international) as needed: minimum 20%

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering or Materials Science preferred, particularly with emphasis on manufacturing, materials, or mechanical design
Experience with non-destructive testing (e.g., X-ray, MPI) and using results to drive process improvement.
Experience supporting complex electromechanical or precision systems (robotics, aerospace, automotive, or industrial equipment); experience adjacent to platforms developed by Intuitive Surgical a plus, not required.

Responsibilities

Applies deep, hands-on expertise in aluminum and iron/steel casting processes (V-Process, sand casting, tilt-pour, investment casting, die-casting) to deliver robust, production-ready process and parts.
Exercises strong engineering fundamentals to evaluate casting feasibility, influence part architecture, and select manufacturing processes that balance performance, quality, and risk.
Reviews and guides mold and tooling designs, including gating, risers, solidification behavior, and defect prevention, to enable stable and repeatable production.
Establishes clear casting design, inspection, and acceptance standards that enable consistency across programs and suppliers.
Assesses supplier capability with rigor and fairness, identifying strengths, gaps, and development opportunities across casting, tooling, inspection, and process control.
Drives supplier-owned execution of qualification and validation deliverables (PPQP/PPAP, pFMEA, special process validation, IQ-OQ-PQ, FAI, Cpk, capacity studies).
Partners with suppliers to improve process capability, capacity, yield, inspection effectiveness, and long-term reliability.
Builds durable supplier relationships grounded in trust, transparency, and shared accountability.
Applies ISO-based quality system principles (ISO 9001 / ISO 13485) to supplier processes with a strong focus on prevention rather than detection.
Uses risk-based thinking to make timely, disciplined decisions that protect product integrity while enabling program execution.
Leads thorough root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions that address systemic issues rather than symptoms.
Supports supplier audits with a mindset of learning, improvement, and sustained compliance.
Owns supplier-related deliverables across NPI and sustaining programs, ensuring commitments are met with high quality and clarity.
Acts as a technical connector between design, suppliers, machining partners, manufacturing, and quality teams.
Communicates status, risks, and trade-offs clearly to stakeholders, enabling informed decisions.
Contributes to cost, capacity, and supply continuity improvements without compromising quality or compliance.