Lab Associate 1

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:

The Training Lab Associate supports the daily operations of the training laboratory by coordinating supply orders, maintaining inventory, and ensuring laboratory readiness. This position is responsible for cleaning, decontaminating, and sterilizing medical instruments; organizing operating rooms and laboratory bays; and completing laboratory cleaning and turnover between training sessions while maintaining compliance with established safety and quality standards. The Training Lab Associate supports the needs of Program Education and Professional Services and other cross-functional teams by preparing training materials, coordinating laboratory logistics, and providing operational support to ensure the successful delivery of educational programs and hands-on training activities.

Essential Job Duties:

Administrative

• • Assist in managing Intuitive Surgical Robotic Platforms and supplemental equipment to support training, educational programs, and special events.
  • Maintain inventory of Intuitive Surgical instruments, equipment, accessories, and laboratory supplies to ensure operational readiness.
  • Maintain accurate laboratory records, documentation, and filing systems in accordance with departmental procedures.
  • Coordinate the preparation and shipment of instruments, accessories, tissue models, and other training materials to internal and external training facilities.
  • Execute system movements, bay assignments and other pretraining lab logistics in support of Lab Operations leadership.
  • Prepare, maintain, and properly handle cadaveric specimens and other tissue models in compliance with applicable safety and quality standards.
  • Maintain specimen inventory and usage logs and respond to inquiries regarding laboratory operations and standard procedures.
  • Support general laboratory administration, including inventory reconciliation, documentation, and process improvements.

Technical

• • Perform daily cleaning, decontamination, inspection, and sterilization of surgical instruments and laboratory equipment following established protocols.
  • Assemble and prepare instrument trays and training materials prior to scheduled education and training sessions.
  • Organize, maintain decontamination and sterilization work areas to ensure efficiency and compliance.
  • Troubleshoot and perform basic operational support for laboratory equipment, including Intuitive Surgical Robotic platforms, video equipment, electrosurgical units, and other training devices, escalating issues as appropriate.
  • Set up, configure, and verify Intuitive Surgical Robotic platforms and associated equipment to ensure readiness for all training activities.
  • Perform routine equipment inspections
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to coordinate laboratory logistics, equipment availability, inventory management, and operational support, ensuring exceptional experience for internal and external customers.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience:

• • Laboratory technician, Sterile reprocessing technician, veterinary technician or equivalent
  • 3-5 years’ experience in an animal research lab or comparable work environment
  • Familiarity with sterile protocol/OR attire
  • Background preferences:
  • Familiarity with national/state regulatory criteria for animal care in lab facilities (IACUC, USDA, OLAW)
  • Familiarity with surgical procedures and surgical training models
  • Familiarity with Intuitive Surgical Robotic Platforms and accessories
  • Good knowledge of surgical/laboratory terminology, equipment, materials and procedures, as well as the fundamental laboratory methods relating to surgery  
  • Good knowledge of common applications (MS Office, Outlook etc.)
  • Maintains an excellent attendance record

Required Education and Training:

High school diploma, AS preferred

Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily in a laboratory and office environment with frequent exposure to animal tissues & cadaveric tissues. The position requires adherence to established laboratory safety protocols, biosafety procedures, and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including scrubs, gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection. Responsibilities include prolonged standing and walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, and lifting materials and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds. This role may require moving laboratory equipment, prepare training spaces, and support multiple concurrent training sessions in a fast-paced environment.

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.

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 base compensation ranges are listed.