Senior Human Factors Research Engineer

The Human Factors Research Engineer (HFRE) is part of the Human Factors (HF) organization that aims to maximize usability and desirability of Intuitive products while minimizing risk through scientific research and usability engineering. HFRE is focused on end-to-end experimental and real-world behavioral research aligned with business demands that (a) de-risk product design strategies for future development (b) translate evidence to define user requirements (c) establish product claims. This role works closely with executive leadership product managers mechanical engineers computer scientists clinical engineers clinical scientists health economists and data scientists.

HFRE conducts research that is focused on the psychology biomechanics and physiology of end users underlying performance associated with robotic teleoperations. Evidence generated from these studies provide strategic insight into what why and how much end users differ in learning and performance across a range of products. This role functions in ambiguous and strategic stages of product development that involve the ability to position and conduct experimental research within a business.

This role demands extensive follow-through to translate communicate ideate prototype and build novel evidence-based strategies tools and concepts that operationalize and inform the intuitiveness of commercialized and future products. This role demands quick changes in direction with capacity to define and implement strategies that have visibility across business units while maintaining focus on tactical details. This role is a unique engineering and scientific opportunity with the expectation that knowledge and skills can be applied to experimental behavioral research that actionably informs product design strategies for future development inform product development and establish product claims with state-of-the-art human-robot interfaces.

Essential Job Duties

Experimental research design execution and enablement

• Propose and position research plans across a range of products and a myriad of internal and/or external stakeholders

• Conduct literature reviews that justify research strategy and study design

• Design studies author protocols train support staff on products and protocols

• Manage ethics reviews

• Guide sampling legal logistical and operational tactics with study preparation

• Conduct experiments end-to-end ranging in scale and complexity

• Manage customer relationships associated with human subjects

• Lead data processing and analysis

• Lead authorship and submissions of abstracts white papers manuscripts

• Translate and convert scientific evidence to a range of internal and external stakeholders into actional recommendations for product design strategies product requirements or product claims

• Identify behavioral markers associated with individual differences underlying customer learning and performance

• Characterize inferential and predictive relationship between individual differences and standard and new product metrics

• Develop and maintain relationships with behavioral scientists as prospective partners to Intuitive either in direct collaboration on sponsored research or indirect collaboration on independently funded research with surgical scientists

Instrumentation and test box development

• Align business goals experimental research objectives and development of experimental requirements and instrumentation

• Define experimental requirements based on evidence from psychological biomechanical and physiological research

• Build and validate experimental conditions within virtual and physical environments

• Develop and validate novel and OTS bioinstrumentation and psychometrics that can be implemented in experiments to reliably measure individual differences related to human performance

Data science

• Data extraction transformation processes analysis and visualization with multiple data sources from biometrics psychometrics and system data logs from lab-based experiments and field-based experiments

• Prototype and iterate on designs develop tests and deliver high-quality software in Python or C required for ML performance modeling

• Develop Snowflake pipeline Databricks pipeline

• Experience in testing BI systems and data analysis processes including ETL processes

• Data testing such as pre-screening raw data vital check on completeness integrity of data field tests on Aggregation Reconciliation tests Report and App testing associated with data collection from lab-based experiments

• Execute end-to-end testing of ETL processes including data extraction transformation loading and reporting to ensure accuracy completeness and data integrity from lab-based and field-based experiments

• Create and analyze requirements and deliver required project documents test strategy testing scope and test cases

• Manage data management governance associated with data sharing internally and externally

• Manage updates on systems configurations for reliable data capture pipeline from lab-based and field-based experiments

• Development and maintenance of data infrastructure required to synchronize capture process and analyze multiple data sources from research and evaluations to inform product design strategies product development and product claims

• Build and validate experimental conditions within virtual and physical environments

• Develop and validate novel and OTS bioinstrumentation and psychometrics that can be implemented in experiments to reliably measure individual differences related to human performance

Qualifications :

Base Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years relevant research and engineering experience in product development industry.

• Minimum 6 years leading human subjects research.

• Ability to process and analyze large quantitative datasets from human subjects and robotic systems.

• Ability to analyze large volumes of data from mixed methods research into usable communications.

• Ability to develop experimental conditions and stimuli in virtual and physical environments.

• Ability to translate findings from studies into product requirements for complex software-controlled electro-mechanical medical device.

• Experience with authoring and reviewing scientific manuscripts.

• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills.

• Ability to work with and across various groups and levels of management within the organization including other engineering groups commercial clinical engineering and regulatory. Excellent collaboration skills.

• Ability to apply user-centered design and human factors engineering principles to product research development and design.

Required Education and Training

• Minimum MS in Mechanical Engineering Computer Science Psychology Biomechanics with emphasis on Human-Computer Interaction Robotics or a related field.

Work Conditions

• Ability to travel internationally as well as domestically (up to 25% quarterly).

• Primarily office-based set schedule working model

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in research on Neuromotor/ Sensorimotor Control and Learning

• Experience in research on Neuroscience a plus

• Experience in Computational Psychology or Data Science a plus.

• Experience in Differential Psychology a plus.

• Experience with bioinstrumentation a plus.

• Experience in medical device or similar regulated industry a plus.

Additional Information :

Due to the nature of our business and the role please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19.  Details can vary by role.

Intuitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race sex pregnancy sexual orientation gender identity national origin color age religion protected veteran or disability status genetic information or any other status protected under federal state or local applicable laws.

Mandatory Notices

U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer:  In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR 743.13(b)) some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employeeswho are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.

Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the governments licensing process can take 3 to 6 months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (TCP) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).  

For any Intuitive role subject to export controls final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employeesstart date which may or may not be flexible and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes. 

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside or plan to reside in Alabama Arkansas Delaware Florida Indiana Iowa Louisiana Maryland Mississippi Missouri Oklahoma Pennsylvania South Carolina or Tennessee.

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on
business need and/or on the selected candidates experience knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidates qualifications consistent with applicable law.

We provide market-competitive compensation packages inclusive of base pay incentives benefits and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role as actual pay will be determined based on several factors including experience skills and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time