Open Position – Senior/Staff Robotics Algorithms & Controls Engineer

Horizon Surgical Systems Inc.

Horizon Surgical Systems Inc. is revolutionizing the world of surgical ophthalmology by developing a novel, AI driven, and imaging-guided surgical robotic system. Horizon Surgical Systems Inc. aims to expand access to care, provide superior capabilities to the human surgeon, and enhance patient outcomes. Microsurgery in general and Ophthalmology are subfields of surgery for which the surgical outcomes can be significantly improved by robotic systems to allow superior dexterity, precision, accuracy, and visualization beyond the human surgeon’s own capabilities.

We are seeking highly motivated, and intellectually inquisitive individuals looking to make a positive impact on healthcare via the development of robotic technology. The core values of Horizon Surgical Systems Inc. are:

• Commitment to Excellence: We aim to deliver superior patient outcomes and surgeon experiences
• Passion for Creativity and Innovation: We are driven by new ideas and aim to push the boundaries of what's possible
• Teamwork and Camaraderie: We achieve our best when we collaborate and work together
• Welcoming of Critical Opinion: We are enriched by constructive criticism and support the best ideas
• Personal Accountability: We honor our commitments and take responsibility for our actions

Horizon Surgical Systems Inc. offers:

• An opportunity to build autonomous surgical robotic systems driven by image guidance and AI technology for the future of affordable, high-quality healthcare.
• The opportunity to work alongside clinicians, engineers, and global leaders in cutting-edge AI, imaging, and robotics technology.
• Competitive compensation and an excellent company-paid benefits package.

In your role as an engineer at Horizon Surgical Systems, you will design components and systems (hardware and software) as part of a complete product subjected to FDA regulations. Your design will be subject to safety and efficacy requirements

The level of title will be determined case by case, based on the candidate's qualifications and years of experience: senior engineer, staff engineer, principal engineer or higher.

Required Qualifications and Abilities:

• Educational Background:
• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Control Systems, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Technical Skills:
• Programming Languages: Proficiency in languages like C, C , Python, MATLAB, and specialized frameworks like ROS (Robot Operating System).
• Operating Systems: Proficiency in working with Linux OS.
• Robotics Middleware: Familiarity with ROS, ROS 2, or other robot middleware.
• Control Systems: Profound understanding of classic control (PID control, state-space control) and modern control theories (nonlinear control, model predictive control, adaptive control, etc.). 
• Controllers: Deep understanding of position, velocity, and torque controllers, as well as impedance, admittance, and force controllers.
• Control System Design: Deep understanding of system modeling, stability analysis, and controller design, tuning, and optimization.
• Kinematics and Dynamics: Proficiency in the mathematical modeling of robotic systems, forward and inverse kinematics, and dynamics.
• Real-Time Systems: Knowledge of real-time operating systems (RTOS) and the challenges of real-time programming.
• Experience:
• Ideally 5 years of electro-mechanical and low-level software for robotics products development experience, with 3 years in a regulated product development or medical device manufacturing environment.
• Experience with development of robotic controls software algorithms.
• Experience with design, fine tune, and implementation of motion controllers to achieve targeted performance.
• Experience with characterization and calibration of robotic systems.
• Experience in developing safety-critical systems is a plus.
• Soft Skills:
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication skills to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including mechanical, electrical, and software engineers as well as end-users.
• Other Skills:
• Familiarity with simulation tools (e.g., Gazebo, MATLAB/Simulink).
• Responsibilities:
• Develop software control algorithms for a surgical robotics system.
• Design, develop, and optimize motion controllers for a highly complex system.
• Perform system characterization and identification, as well as kinematic calibration to improve the accuracy and performance of robotic systems.
• Risk analysis and implementation of safety algorithms for robot motion controls.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-tech startup that is poised to revolutionize surgical robotics in ophthalmology.