Assistant General Counsel

Job Description

Primary Function of Position:

Intuitive Surgical EMEA Legal acts as an enabling function to:

• Actively support the business in pursuit of sustainable goals;
• Stand for a culture of ethics, care, and responsibility; and
• Empower surgeons to serve patients.

The position is based at the European head offices in Aubonne, Switzerland.

Roles and Responsibilities:

The Assistant General Counsel will act as a strategic business partner to the EMEA organization, with a focus on enabling compliant and commercially viable operations across clinical and public sector environments supported by a strong legal operations mindset. Key responsibilities include:

• Advising on ESG related topics (incl. CSRD/CSDDD and supply chain due diligence) and supporting the implementation of sustainability initiatives;
• Supporting evidence generation by establishing robust legal structures and frameworks; and
• Partnering with commercial and tender teams to ensure compliance with public procurement laws and processes. Drive tender litigation if and where needed.

The role provides pragmatic, business-oriented guidance in these areas while advancing the legal operations agenda, including process optimization, standardization, and the use of digital and AI-driven solutions to enhance efficiency and service delivery.

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• Qualified lawyer with 12+ years of post-qualification professional experience. Law firm experience preferred.
• Excellent legal drafting skills in both English and another European language; French, Italian, German or Spanish are a plus.
• Ability to drive pragmatic legal outcomes, working across jurisdictions to ensure global consistency while allowing for local specificities (comparative law thinking acumen).
• Understanding laws, regulations, Industry Codes, and best practices governing the medical device industry in EMEA jurisdictions.
• Understanding laws, regulations and standards governing environmental, social and governance related matters
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and another European language; French, Italian, German or Spanish are a plus.
• Excellent training and presentation skills.
• Genuine team player.
• Flawless and unquestionable integrity, lived up to and clearly communicated as an integral part of your business acumen – with courage, determination, and clarity of purpose.
• Able to handle pressure when needed and to demonstrate resilience when appropriate.
• Able to learn and understand complex, matrixed, and dynamic (changing) global organizations.
• Thriving in deliberately diverse and inclusive international working environments.
• Ability to prioritize accurately and to keep focused in a complex, changing, demanding and fast-paced changing environment.
• Occasional travels (regional and overseas).
• Place of work: European head offices in Aubonne, Switzerland (“Set Schedule” as per Aubonne rules).

Additional Information

Intuitive is an Equal Employment 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.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

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. 

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.