Sr Supplier Engineer, NPI

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 of the Position:

Responsible for ensuring suppliers meet ISI requirements for quality, service, delivery, and cost while driving continuous improvement in manufacturing and business processes. Evaluate and select suppliers, guide Engineering in sourcing decisions, and provide DFM input to support NPI. Lead supplier engagements across quality, cost, capacity, and risk, including hands-on debugging of complex assemblies to true root cause within supplier processes. Ensure alignment with applicable regulatory and electronic compliance requirements throughout design and manufacturing.

Essential Job Duties:

• Debug complex supplier-related issues, including PCBAs, by tracing failures from system-level symptoms to component, process, or test root cause within supplier manufacturing; drive resolution through corrective actions and process improvements
• Apply regulatory and electronic compliance requirements (e.g., safety, EMC, environmental) across supplier selection, design, and manufacturing processes
• Complete part and process qualification deliverables, including Supplier pFMEA, IQ/OQ/PQ, inspection reports, Gage R&R, and process capability analysis
• Drive cost reduction, capacity improvement, and risk mitigation initiatives with suppliers
• Select appropriate manufacturing processes and suppliers based on long-term fit and total cost of ownership
• Manage supplier changes, including process changes, production optimization, facility transfers, new equipment qualification, and line validations
• Initiate and manage engineering changes (ECOs) to update specifications and drawings as needed
• Own and drive supplier variances from issue identification through root cause, corrective action, and CAPA documentation
• Effectively prioritize and manage multiple concurrent projects
• Communicate project status clearly to cross-functional stakeholders
• Build and drive supplier development strategies to improve performance and capability
• Ensure appropriate documentation to support decisions, actions, and traceability
• Develop and track key supplier and team metrics, driving timely execution against targets
• Lead supplier performance improvement using Lean, Six Sigma, SPC, and structured problem-solving methods across multiple suppliers
• Drive supplier investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurrence
• Provide data-driven insights on supply base health and risks to management
• Develop and deliver supplier communications, including performance scorecards
• Partner with Design Engineering and suppliers to support NPI by:
  • Assessing supplier landscapes and readiness for product launch
  • Developing supplier ramp plans based on capacity, quality, and business risk
  • Driving DFM through early supplier engagement to improve manufacturability
  • Influencing supplier selection through structured evaluation and criteria development
• Review and disposition customer complaints, manufacturing variances, and first article inspections using risk-based judgment
• Evaluate effectiveness of supplier corrective actions and identify opportunities for systemic improvement
• Perform other duties as required

Qualifications

Qualifications

Required Skill and Experience

• Minimum 5+ years of experience in engineering and manufacturing of electro-mechanical assemblies, PCBAs, cable harnesses, or metal components
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present to executive leadership
• Strong interpersonal and team collaboration sk