Supplier Process Engineer at Intuitive Surgical

Primary Function of Position

The mission of Supplier Engineering is to build and maintain a world-class supplier network that ensures continuity of supply, scalability to meet demand, cost efficiency, and proactive risk mitigation. Supplier Engineers support the entire product lifecycle by executing strategic initiatives to optimize commodities, sub-commodities, and individual suppliers. This includes driving improvements in quality, cost, capacity, and risk, managing sub-supplier relationships, and supporting new product launches.

This Mexicali-based role focuses on sustaining activities for Instruments & Accessories and reports directly to the Supplier Engineering Manager. The position supports ongoing production and works closely with external suppliers, internal purchasing, manufacturing, and quality teams to improve supplier performance and resolve issues at the Mexicali plant.

Essential Job Duties

• Lead resolution of supplier-related issues from initial symptoms through root cause analysis and corrective action, including thorough CAPA/SCAR documentation.
• Drive supplier investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurrence.
• Evaluate supplier actions and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Initiate and manage changes to specifications and drawings through the engineering change order process.
• Manage supplier changes including process optimization, facility updates, equipment qualification, and line validations.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to define deliverables and timelines.
• Complete qualification deliverables such as Supplier pFMEA, FAIR, IQ/OQ/PQ validations, inspection reports, Gage R&R, and process capability analysis.
• Lead cross-functional teams to resolve complex process challenges.
• Provide technical support for failure analysis of production components, assemblies, and field returns.
• Prioritize and manage multiple concurrent projects effectively.
• Communicate project status clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
• Execute cost reduction, capacity improvement, and risk mitigation initiatives with suppliers.
• Monitor and drive achievement of key metrics in quality, cost, and responsiveness.
• Develop suppliers to excel in KPIs, including quality ownership, capacity, and sub-tier management.
• Provide effective and timely supply base health information and recommendations to management by creating and delivering data-driven supply base information to any level of management at Intuitive with little or no guidance.
• Influence and guide Engineering in choosing suppliers by determining selection criteria for preferred suppliers and leading the team effort to evaluate preferred suppliers.
• Collaborate with Design/Eng, Operations & Suppliers to implement new technologies and tooling optimization to improve our efficiency and scale.
• Lead supplier improvement initiatives using best practices in project management, Six Sigma, Lean, SPC, and negotiation to meet Intuitive’s standards for excellence. Lead these efforts without managerial guidance at several suppliers simultaneously.

Required Skills and Experience

• Engineering and manufacturing experience with plastic injection molding, metal injection molding (MIM), or machined metal components.
• Background in Supplier Quality, Supplier Development, or related fields preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentations.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership abilities.
• Proven project management capabilities.
• Skilled in stakeholder alignment and conflict resolution.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills along with good judgment.
• Ability to assess and challenge supplier capabilities across technical, quality, and business capabilities.
• Experience in high-volume medical device manufacturing is a plus.
• Proficient in interpreting mechanical drawings (GD&T) and conveying technical information.
• Ability to travel to suppliers on an as-needed basis – domestic and international.
• Broad understanding of manufacturing processes and key input variables for quality, cost, and capacity.

Required Education and Training

• BS degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5 years of experience of working experience as process engineer
• Knowledge of Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing techniques, certification preferred.
• Knowledge of 21 CFR part 820 and ISO 13485 is a plus.
• Proficient in MS Office and ERP Information Systems, preferably SAP.

Working Conditions

• Ability to travel to suppliers on an as-needed basis – domestic and international (tourist visa and passport required)

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Supplier development experience is a plus.
• CAD experience with 3D modeling tools is a plus.
• Experience with statistical analysis software such as Minitab is a plus.
• Experience in a high-volume medical device company is a plus.

Intuitive es un empleador que brinda igualdad de oportunidades de empleo. Proporcionamos igualdad de oportunidades de empleo a todos los solicitantes y empleados cualificados, y prohibimos cualquier tipo de discriminación y acoso, independientemente de su raza, sexo, condición de embarazo, orientación sexual, identidad de género, origen nacional, color, edad, religión, condición de veterano protegido o de discapacidad, información genética o cualquier otra condición protegida por las leyes federales, estatales o locales aplicables.

Aviso sobre los Controles de Exportación de EE. UU.:

De acuerdo con las Regulaciones de Administración de Exportaciones de EE. UU. (15 CFR §743.13(b)), algunos puestos en Intuitive Surgical pueden estar sujetos a controles de exportación de EE. UU. para candidatos que sean nacionales de países actualmente bajo embargo o sanciones.

Cierta información que usted proporcione como parte de la solicitud será utilizada para determinar si Intuitive Surgical necesitará (i) obtener una licencia de exportación del gobierno de EE. UU. en su nombre (nota: el proceso de obtención de la licencia puede tardar entre 3 y más de 6 meses) o (ii) implementar un Plan de Control de Tecnología (“TCP”, por sus siglas en inglés) (nota: normalmente este paso agrega 2 semanas al proceso de contratación).
Para cualquier puesto en Intuitive sujeto a controles de exportación, las ofertas finales están condicionadas a la obtención de una licencia de exportación aprobada y/o a la ejecución de un TCP antes de la fecha de inicio del empleado potencial, la cual puede o no ser flexible, y dentro de un plazo que no obstaculice de manera irrazonable la necesidad de contratación. Si aplica, los candidatos serán notificados e instruidos sobre cualquier requisito relacionado con estos fines.

Este puesto puede cubrirse con un nivel de puesto diferente al indicado aquí, según las necesidades del negocio y/o la experiencia, los conocimientos y las habilidades del candidato o la candidata seleccionado. La compensación se basará principalmente en el nivel del puesto en el que se cubra el rol y en las cualificaciones del candidato o la candidata, de conformidad con la legislación aplicable.

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.