Senior Embedded Linux Software Engineer — OS & Device Platform

Primary Function of Position

The Senior Embedded Linux / Yocto Software Engineer will join the platform team for a robotic-assisted bronchoscopy navigation and biopsy planning software product reporting to the software development manager. This role owns the Linux operating system and platform-layer software for the procedure planning laptop a medical image-processing system running a custom Yocto-based Linux distribution.

This role owns embedded Linux OS development Yocto/OpenEmbedded layer and recipe maintenance secure boot field software update mechanisms hardware bring-up for new commercial laptop platforms and platform-level debugging. The engineer will work closely with application software security field service systems engineering and hardware teams to maintain and evolve a reliable secure and serviceable medical device platform.

Essential Job Duties

• Own and maintain a custom Yocto/OpenEmbedded-based Linux distribution for a medical device platform including layer authoring BitBake recipes image configuration SDK/toolchain support and OS version upgrades.
• Bring up and qualify new commercial laptop hardware platforms including Linux driver configuration BIOS/firmware settings secure boot enrollment storage/display/peripheral validation and platform compatibility testing.
• Maintain and harden the secure boot chain across multiple hardware platforms including UEFI Secure Boot GRUB2 TPM 2.0 bootloader signing key management and BIOS interactions.
• Sustain and enhance field software update and service upgrade workflows including package validation update orchestration support partition management rollback mechanisms BIOS firmware upgrade flows and error recovery.
• Debug and resolve platform-level issues such as boot failures unexpected reboots TPM lockouts login screen freezes USB/HID issues storage issues display/GPU issues and software update failures.
• Implement and maintain platform-layer services utilities scripts and APIs used by application teams field service manufacturing and system diagnostics.
• Perform OS-level security hardening and vulnerability remediation including CVE fixes user/account hardening permissions kernel/module configuration endpoint security integration and required documentation.
• Produce and maintain engineering design documents software change analysis artifacts test evidence and technical documentation in accordance with medical device quality procedures.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with application software security field service systems engineering hardware manufacturing and quality teams.

Qualifications :

Required Education Skills & Experience

• Bachelors degree with 6 years of industry experience or Masters degree with 4 years of industry experience in Computer Science Computer Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• 4 years of embedded Linux software engineering with direct OS-layer development experience.
• Candidates MUST have hands-on experience building customizing debugging and maintaining Linux-based product platforms.
• Deep expertise in Yocto Project / OpenEmbedded: layer authoring (meta-*) Bitbake recipes image manifests and SDK toolchain configuration.
• Proficiency in Bash shell scripting and at least one system-level language (C or C preferred) for platform daemons service utilities and installer scripts.
• Experience designing and implementing field software update mechanisms: package validation partition management rollback and error recovery.
• Practical knowledge of Linux system security hardening: file permissions user/group privilege controls credential management kernel module configuration and security scanning tools.
• Experience managing hardware lifecycle transitions including end-of-life risk mitigation replacement platform qualification and software compatibility maintenance across hardware generations.
• Hardware bring-up experience on x86 laptop or embedded platforms: driver configuration peripheral debugging (USB HID/trackpad display adapters storage).
• Familiarity with D-Bus IPC systemd service management and Linux log infrastructure
• Proficiency with Git Jira Bitbucket/GitHub and Jenkins (or equivalent CI/CD toolchain).

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Preferred Skills and Experience

• Deep experience with UEFI Secure Boot GRUB2 signing TPM 2.0 PCR policy binding BIOS firmware interaction or secure key-management workflows.
• Experience with OTA field update or service update frameworks for Linux-based medical industrial robotics automotive aerospace or regulated devices.
• Experience with commercial laptop BIOS tools firmware upgrade automation hardware lifecycle management or replacement-platform qualification.
• Experience integrating NVIDIA drivers CUDA components GPU/display stacks or accelerated compute packages into Yocto-based Linux systems.
• Experience with Qt5/Qt-based Linux GUI application environments.
• Experience with D-Bus IPC systemd service design platform daemons diagnostics utilities or hardware abstraction services.
• Knowledge of Linux disk and partition management including boot partitions recovery partitions encryption and block-device troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with Linux networking configuration wireless networking firewall management and endpoint security agents.
• Background in regulated product development medical device software lifecycle IEC 62304 FDA software guidance or equivalent safety/quality processes.

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