About the job
The Senior Project Manager for Applied Research is pivotal in steering early-stage research and technological development projects at Intuitive Surgical. This role is tailored for individuals who will lead and nurture projects characterized by fluid objectives and undefined parameters while ensuring alignment with specific business and patient value. The Senior Project Manager will work in close collaboration with engineers and scientists, fostering a culture of innovation and exploration aimed at producing foundational insights and prototypes that advance our existing surgical robotics platforms while also spearheading the development of novel technologies and applications.
The ideal candidate will provide strategic guidance by converting high-level research goals into operational plans and development timelines, prioritizing initiatives, and aligning resources with the ever-evolving needs of the team. This role requires a hands-on approach to project management, effective problem-solving capabilities, and coordination of multidisciplinary teams to ensure that research endeavors progress smoothly, adapt to new findings, and yield valuable results applicable across a wide range of surgical robotics solutions. Additionally, the Senior Project Manager will deliver training and support in research-focused project management and tools to the Research Engineering team.
Core Responsibilities
- Direct the planning, initiation, and management of applied research projects, ensuring alignment with overarching technology development objectives and adapting to evolving milestones.
- Create and implement adaptable project plans that reflect the exploratory nature of early research, integrating timelines, resource distribution, and tracking for emerging technology initiatives.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, scientific research, clinical affairs, regulatory, and operations, to facilitate the smooth incorporation of research findings into the surgical robotics ecosystem.
- Team up with engineers and scientists to outline experimental methodologies, establish project requirements, and provide technical assistance for proof-of-concept studies, prototype development, and feasibility evaluations.
- Oversee documentation and knowledge transfer processes to ensure that research outputs are meticulously documented, reproducible, and prepared for transition to downstream development or appropriate regulatory pathways.
- Manage logistics for prototype development and testing, ensuring material availability, inventory tracking, and timely delivery of components to project teams.
- Execute procedures for project closeout, including material reconciliation, documentation of lessons learned, and appropriate disposition of prototypes.
