Data Scientist

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 Position

This position is part of the evidence strategy and research function supporting da Vinci platforms and applies data science, statistical, and analytical methods to generate scientific evidence about the performance, use, and impact of Intuitive products, technologies, and procedures for the Cardiac Surgery Program. The Data Scientist partners with scientific, medical, clinical, research, data, product, and engineering teams to address evidence gaps with rigorous analytical approaches. The role works with complex surgical, robotic system, product-generated, clinical, financial, and other data sources to support retrospective and prospective research. The Data Scientist contributes across the research lifecycle, from research question development and data feasibility through analysis, interpretation, and scientific dissemination.

Essential Job Duties

This position has responsibility and authority for the following:

• Partner with scientific, medical, clinical, research, product, engineering, and evidence stakeholders to translate evidence needs into clear research questions, study designs, analytical plans, and appropriate data science approaches.
• Design, execute, and interpret analyses using da Vinci system, product, procedural, research, clinical, financial, and other relevant healthcare data.
• Evaluate and apply appropriate statistical and data science methods, including descriptive and inferential statistics, longitudinal analysis, experimental and quasi-experimental methods, causal inference, predictive modeling, and machine learning, based on research questions and available data.
• Conduct data exploration and feasibility assessments to characterize datasets, evaluate data quality and fitness for use, identify potential sources of bias or confounding, and inform research design and evidence-generation opportunities.
• Provide analytical expertise across retrospective and prospective research studies, including development of hypotheses, endpoints, feasibility assessments, statistical analysis plans, derived variables, metrics, and analytical methods.
• Develop reproducible analytical workflows using Python, SQL, and other appropriate tools, and collaborate with data engineering, data management, and technical teams to establish analysis-ready datasets and understand data provenance and limitations.
• Interpret and communicate analytical methods, findings, uncertainty, limitations, and implications to scientific, clinical, technical, business, and external research stakeholders.
• Collaborate with internal and external research professionals, clinicians, and scientists to conduct research projects and dissemination research findings.
• Contribute to scientific evidence-generation and dissemination deliverables, including research reports, abstracts, posters, manuscripts, conference presentations, and collaborations with external investigators and research institutions.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; 3 years of related experience with a Master's degree; a PhD without prior professional experience; or equivalent work experience.
• Related experience applying data science, statistics, biostatistics, biomedical or health informatics, or other quantitative methods to complex research, healthcare, engineering, or product data.
• Strong quantitative foundation and knowledge of statistical methods, including regression, hypothesis testing, uncertainty estimation, bias, confounding, and interpretation of observational data.
• Proficiency in Python and SQL for data manipulation, analysis, visualization, and development of reproducible analytical workflows.
• Experience working with large, complex, longitudinal, and/or high-dimensional datasets and evaluating data quality and limitations.
• Demonstrated judgment in selecting analytical methods and techniques to address research questions and resolve moderate to complex analytical problems.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with ability to communicate complex statistical, technical, and scientific concepts clearly and effectively to audiences with varying levels of technical expertise and to build productive cross-functional relationships.
• Strong scientific and technical writing, organization, and collaboration skills, with the ability to manage multiple analytical projects and priorities with limited day-to-day direction.

Required Education and Training

• Bachelor's degree in Data Science, Statistics, Biostatistics, Computer Science, Biomedical or Health Informatics, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Epidemiology, or a related quantitative discipline, or equivalent work experience.
• Training or demonstrated experience in statistical analysis, data science, research methodology, or related quantitative methods.

Working Conditions

• Ability to work in healthcare and surgical environments, including human or animal laboratories, as needed.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master's degree or PhD in Data Science, Statistics, Biostatistics, Biomedical or Health Informatics, Computer Science, Epidemiology, Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Experience applying data science or statistical methods in healthcare, medical devices, biomedical research, clinical research, or life sciences.
• Experience analyzing surgical, medical-device, robotic-system, clinical, or other real-world healthcare data.
• Experience with observational research, causal inference, longitudinal analysis, experimentation, or quasi-experimental study designs.
• Experience applying machine learning methods to scientific, healthcare, medical-device, or robotic-system data.
• Experience contributing to peer-reviewed publications, scientific abstracts, posters, or conference presentations.
• Experience collaborating with clinicians, surgeons, investigators, academic institutions, or other external research partners.
• Familiarity with human-subjects research, Good Clinical Practice, healthcare data privacy requirements, software engineering practices, APIs, or modern data platforms.

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 employees
who 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 government’s 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 employee’s
start 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 candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.

Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:

Intuitive is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [email protected].

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.