Key Responsibilities of Surgical Robotics Systems Engineers

I've been a systems engineer in the past and I'm currently working with fellow systems engineers on a daily basis. Here are the primary responsibilities of systems engineers in a surgical robotics company:

1. Collaborate with surgeons, nurses, and marketing teams to understand the intricacies of the target surgical procedure and user requirements.
2. Attend live surgeries, cadaver labs, training sessions, and review post-surgery recordings.
3. Conduct surveys with surgeons, collect feedback, and compile reports.
4. Translate surgeon and user needs into comprehensive system-level requirements for the entire robotic system.
5. Work closely with hardware, software, and manufacturing engineers to assist in designing a robotic system that aligns with the specified requirements.
6. Develop test protocols, design test fixtures, and support the execution of system and software/hardware component tests to validate that the robot's design meets the requirements.
7. Collaborate with regulatory and quality engineers to ensure compliance with FDA and other regulatory body requirements.
8. Develop and execute simulations, benchtop tests, and cadaver lab studies. Analyze and interpret data to optimize system performance, enhance accuracy and precision, and improve surgical outcomes.
9. Partner with Usability/Human Factor Engineers to design user interfaces, surgical workflows, and robot setup and teardown procedures.
10. Lead risk management efforts by creating Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree analysis diagrams, and assisting software, hardware, and manufacturing engineers in mitigating high and medium-risk items.
11. Generate system-level design documents, traceability matrices, and risk management documents.
12. Collaborate with hardware and software test teams to carry out verification and validation activities.
13. Participate in Non-Conformance (NC) and Corrective Action and Prevention Action (CAPA) meetings and discussions.
14. Assist regulatory and quality teams in preparing the FDA submission package and obtaining FDA clearance.
15. Support manufacturing and design teams during the design transfer phase.

These responsibilities encompass the core tasks of systems engineers in a surgical robotics company.