Senior Linux Platform Engineer

Primary Function of Position

The Senior Linux Platform 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. The engineer is the primary owner of OS bring-up secure boot remote software update infrastructure platform security hardening and hardware bring-up for new laptop models. This is a cross-functional role requiring close collaboration with application software security field service and systems engineering teams with opportunity to stretch into application-layer features and broader platform infrastructure work as product needs evolve.

Essential Job Duties

• Own and maintain the Yocto-based Linux OS for the procedure planning laptop including custom BSP and application layer authoring OS version upgrades across multiple Yocto LTS releases kernel configuration and Bitbake recipe maintenance.
• Maintain validate and harden the full secure boot chain (UEFI Secure Boot GRUB2 TPM 2.0 bootloader key management) across multiple commercial laptop platforms.
• Sustain and enhance remote software upgrade capabilities and on-site service upgrade workflows including software package creation and validation update orchestration support BIOS firmware upgrade maintenance partition management rollback mechanisms and error recovery.
• Manage hardware lifecycle across multiple commercial laptop platforms: conduct bring-up for new models (driver configuration secure boot enrollment BIOS management GPU integration) and lead end-of-life (EOL) transition planning and replacement hardware qualification.
• Perform security vulnerability remediation: identify and fix OS-level CVEs integrate and validate endpoint security tooling implement OS-level account hardening and produce required documentation.
• Produce and maintain engineering design documents software change analysis artifacts and technical documentation per medical device quality procedures.
• Debug and resolve platform-level field issues including unexpected reboots TPM lockouts boot failures login screen freezes and USB-related defects.
• Support software application teams with platform-layer APIs (D-Bus services power monitoring log rotation hardware interface utilities) as needed.

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.
• 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

• Proficiency in Python for build/test automation scripting and tooling in embedded Linux workflows.
• Experience with commercial laptop BIOS tools and BIOS firmware upgrade automation.
• Strong knowledge of Linux secure boot: UEFI Secure Boot GRUB2 configuration and signing TPM 2.0 PCR policy binding and BIOS firmware interaction.
• Familiarity with NVIDIA CUDA integration in Yocto-based Linux (driver packaging CUDA version management multi-GPU laptop bring-up).
• Working knowledge of Linux disk and partition management including partition table schemes block-level encryption and bootloader partition layouts.
• Familiarity with Linux networking stack configuration including wireless networking and firewall management.
• Background in cryptographic key management: PKI signing infrastructure and secure key rotation workflows.
• Experience integrating endpoint security agents (EDR antivirus) in embedded Linux environments.
• Prior experience with OTA update frameworks for Linux-based medical or industrial devices.
• Knowledge of medical device software development lifecycle standards (IEC 62304 FDA software guidance).

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