Sr Director, Translational Research Scientist - MD/PhD

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 Psoition:

We are seeking a highly driven and experienced Translational Research Scientist to lead efforts to understand the fundamental mechanism(s) of action associated with medical interventions on patients and disease states. The ideal candidate will generate translational data which will provide a deeper understanding of the biologic effects of medical interventions to accelerate medical device development including patient selection and device design.

Focusing on a portfolio of Class II and III medical devices in the pulmonary space—including next-generation pre-label products—this leader will focus on translating biological and engineering insights into device design, regulatory submissions, and clinical studies. The role will closely collaborate with engineering, clinical, regulatory, and manufacturing teams to de-risk devices and accelerate product development.

Core AccountabilitiesResponsibilities

Design and Execute Translational Study Plans

• These may include in vitro, ex vivo, and/or in vivo studies to evaluate mechanism of action, performance, and safety of medical devices

• Develop and validate experimental models, assays, and protocols that characterize clinical outcomes and support regulatory filings

• Analyze and interpret study data then synthesize findings into study reports focusing on implications for medical device development and clinical study design.

• Manage data integrity and study documentation per requirements including GLP (Good Laboratory Practice)/GCP (Good Clinical Practice) best practices for research.

Investigator & Site Engagement

• Relationship Building: Identify subject matter expert collaborators. Build and sustain strongdeep, trusted relationships with collaborating investigators, labs and study sites.

• Site Awareness: Maintain awareness of study progress with collaborating labs.

• Communication: Establish and maintain open lines of communication with principal investigators and collaborating scientists.

• Subject Matter Representation: Serve as a trusted collaborator to investigators and site teams, capable of discussing the underlying science and potential implications for medical device design as well as clinical implications..

• Exploratory Research: Facilitate exploratory research by identifying opportunities for sub‑studies, brainstorming novel investigation areas, and assisting with publication efforts.

Clinical & Technical Expertise

• Act as the internal expert on the clinical application, technical performance, and limitations of treatment platforms.

• Translate clinical experience into insights related to safety, efficacy, usability, and procedural outcomes.

• Identify and characterize patient subgroups most likely to benefit, including anatomical, physiological, and disease-specific factors.

Product & Engineering Learnings

• Convert clinical findings into actionable inputs for product development and design evolution.

• Influence product roadmap and development priorities based on real-world clinical use.

• Support validation of safety and efficacy for products not yet on label across multiple trials.

Commercial Collaboration & Field Harmony

• Serve as a key communication bridge with Commercial teams to ensure alignment across shared clinical and commercial pulmonary sites.

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