Agentic AI Developer at Intuitive Surgical in San Francisco, CA

companyDescription 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. jobDescription Primary Function of Position The Agentic AI Developer will join Intuitive’s Agentic AI team, responsible for creating next-generation autonomous AI solutions. This role focuses on designing and implementing agentic AI systems capable of reasoning, planning, and acting to achieve complex goals across cloud environments. The position requires strong software engineering skills and deep understanding of AI agent architectures. Success will be measured by the ability to deliver robust, scalable, and reliable agentic AI solutions that augment human capabilities and drive innovation in healthcare technology. Essential Job Duties Design and develop autonomous AI agents using C# and Python on Azure and other cloud platforms Implement sophisticated context management systems to maintain agent state across multi-turn interactions and complex workflows Build robust memory systems including short-term working memory and long-term knowledge retrieval Create tool integration frameworks allowing agents to interact with external APIs, databases, and services Develop agent orchestration systems for multi-agent collaboration and task delegation Implement prompt engineering strategies and chain-of-thought reasoning patterns Design error handling and fallback mechanisms for agent reliability Build observability and debugging tools for agent behavior analysis Optimize token usage and implement efficient context window management strategies Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define agent capabilities and behaviors qualifications Core Competencies and Skill Requirements Strong proficiency in C# and Python with 3+ years of professional experience Experience with Azure cloud services (Azure Functions, Cognitive Services, Container Instances, Service Bus) Solid understanding of LLM architectures and prompt engineering techniques Experience with vector databases (Pinecone, Weaviate, Azure Cognitive Search) for semantic memory Knowledge of state management patterns and distributed systems Experience with REST APIs and asynchronous programming Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes) Understanding of software design patterns and clean architecture principles Agentic AI Specific Requirements Experience building or working with autonomous agents, chatbots, or conversational AI Understanding of agentic concepts: goal-driven behavior, planning, tool use, and self-reflection Knowledge of context management strategies including sliding windows, summarization, and selective retrieval Familiarity with agent frameworks (LangChain, Agent Framework, or similar) Experience with function calling/tool use patterns in LLMs Understanding of RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) architectures Knowledge of agent safety, alignment, and responsible AI practices Nice to Have Experience with other cloud platforms (AWS, GCP) Knowledge of reinforcement learning or planning algorithms Familiarity with knowledge graphs and ontologies Experience with streaming architectures for real-time agent responses Understanding of multi-modal AI (vision, speech integration) Contributions to open-source AI/ML projects Experience with agent evaluation and testing frameworks Soft Skills Strong problem-solving abilities with creative approaches to complex challenges Excellent communication skills to explain technical concepts to diverse stakeholders Self-directed learner comfortable with rapidly evolving AI landscape Collaborative mindset with experience in agile development Attention to detail, especially regarding edge cases in agent behavior Passion for building AI systems that augment human capabilities Education Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, AI/ML, or related field Advanced degree preferred but not required with relevant experience additionalInformation 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. 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.