E-3 Visa Controls Engineer Jobs
Controls Engineer roles in automation, PLC programming, and industrial systems qualify as E-3 specialty occupations when your bachelor's degree aligns with the technical requirements of the position. Australian engineers in this field have a clear path to U.S. sponsorship with no lottery and no annual cap to worry about.
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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
Systems Analysts (Robotic Algorithms and Control Engineers) at Intuitive Surgical strive to create the safest and highest quality robotic systems for medical applications through rigorous and robust technical analysis. As a member of the Systems Analyst team working on the Ion Endoluminal System, Intuitive's platform for minimally invasive biopsy in the peripheral lung, you will be responsible for the robotic algorithms and controls of the integrated robot/instrument/software system. The successful candidate will have the technical depth to tackle deep analysis problems and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team to drive future designs and improvements into the product.
Essential Job Duties
- Apply control theory to the development and verification of teleoperated motion control of robotic systems.
- Develop, validate, and iterate on dynamic models through targeted experimentation.
- Design experimentation that untangles complex dependencies and drives understanding of key relationships.
- Bring-up distributed electro-mechanical systems via software integration and debugging.
- Design software algorithms to support system and instrument development, including collaboration with the design team to iterate through prototypes, analyze performance, and assess feasibility.
- Develop test infrastructure to verify and validate that algorithms perform as intended.
- Collaborate with the manufacturing team to develop automated fixtures for calibrating, testing, and aiding the assembly of capital systems and instruments.
- Design software tools and infrastructure that enable analysis and development of new algorithms.
- Document and pursue intellectual property.
- Use breadth of technical knowledge to oversee with a top-level view of the entire project. Using this perspective, act as an interface between technical specialties; Take ownership of issues that cross disciplinary boundaries and use your broad skillset to ensure the success of the project.
Qualifications
Required Skills and Experience
- Knowledge of classical and modern servo control systems.
- Knowledge of serial-arm robot kinematics and motion control strategies.
- Knowledge of dynamic modeling.
- C/C++ and Matlab programming skills. Knowledge of Python is a plus.
- Sound engineering judgment and technical skills in problem solving – both software and hardware.
- Experience in hardware and software integration of complex electromechanical systems.
- Demonstrate intuitive understanding of mechanical phenomena with ability to do rigorous modeling and analysis.
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
- Ability to collaborate across disciplines and work independently when necessary.
Required Education and Training
- PhD (preferred) in Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or Robotics. MS with 2+ years of relevant experience may also be considered.
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.
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.

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
Systems Analysts (Robotic Algorithms and Control Engineers) at Intuitive Surgical strive to create the safest and highest quality robotic systems for medical applications through rigorous and robust technical analysis. As a member of the Systems Analyst team working on the Ion Endoluminal System, Intuitive's platform for minimally invasive biopsy in the peripheral lung, you will be responsible for the robotic algorithms and controls of the integrated robot/instrument/software system. The successful candidate will have the technical depth to tackle deep analysis problems and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team to drive future designs and improvements into the product.
Essential Job Duties
- Apply control theory to the development and verification of teleoperated motion control of robotic systems.
- Develop, validate, and iterate on dynamic models through targeted experimentation.
- Design experimentation that untangles complex dependencies and drives understanding of key relationships.
- Bring-up distributed electro-mechanical systems via software integration and debugging.
- Design software algorithms to support system and instrument development, including collaboration with the design team to iterate through prototypes, analyze performance, and assess feasibility.
- Develop test infrastructure to verify and validate that algorithms perform as intended.
- Collaborate with the manufacturing team to develop automated fixtures for calibrating, testing, and aiding the assembly of capital systems and instruments.
- Design software tools and infrastructure that enable analysis and development of new algorithms.
- Document and pursue intellectual property.
- Use breadth of technical knowledge to oversee with a top-level view of the entire project. Using this perspective, act as an interface between technical specialties; Take ownership of issues that cross disciplinary boundaries and use your broad skillset to ensure the success of the project.
Qualifications
Required Skills and Experience
- Knowledge of classical and modern servo control systems.
- Knowledge of serial-arm robot kinematics and motion control strategies.
- Knowledge of dynamic modeling.
- C/C++ and Matlab programming skills. Knowledge of Python is a plus.
- Sound engineering judgment and technical skills in problem solving – both software and hardware.
- Experience in hardware and software integration of complex electromechanical systems.
- Demonstrate intuitive understanding of mechanical phenomena with ability to do rigorous modeling and analysis.
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
- Ability to collaborate across disciplines and work independently when necessary.
Required Education and Training
- PhD (preferred) in Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or Robotics. MS with 2+ years of relevant experience may also be considered.
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.
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.
See all 808+ Controls Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Controls Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding E-3 Visa Sponsorship as a Controls Engineer
Align your degree to the role
Controls Engineer positions require a degree in electrical engineering, mechatronics, or a closely related field. A general engineering degree paired with unrelated experience can trigger specialty occupation questions during E-3 adjudication, so document the direct connection clearly on your resume.
Target manufacturers with automation investment
Industrial manufacturers expanding their automation footprint, particularly in automotive, food processing, and semiconductor sectors, file LCAs regularly for Controls Engineers. Search DOL's FLAG portal by job title and state to identify employers with recent E-3 or H-1B LCA filing activity in your target region.
Get your credentials assessed before applying
Australian three-year bachelor's degrees in engineering are generally accepted as equivalent to U.S. four-year degrees for E-3 purposes, but a formal credential evaluation from a NACES-recognized body removes any ambiguity and strengthens your application when employers ask USCIS to confirm specialty occupation.
Clarify the LCA requirement with your employer
Many U.S. hiring managers haven't sponsored an E-3 before and confuse it with the H-1B. Explain upfront that your employer files a Labor Condition Application with the DOL rather than a petition with USCIS, and that there's no lottery, which removes the most common objection to sponsoring Australian candidates.
Use Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service for the paperwork
Once you have an offer, use Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service to handle your LCA and visa paperwork end-to-end. Controls Engineer roles often involve multi-site or contractor arrangements that add complexity to the LCA, and having an expert manage the filing reduces errors that delay your consulate appointment.
Prepare for specialty occupation questions at your interview
Consular officers occasionally ask Controls Engineers to explain how their specific degree field connects to PLC programming or SCADA systems. Bring your offer letter, a detailed job description referencing the bachelor's degree requirement, and your transcripts to the interview to answer these questions directly.
Controls Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Controls Engineer JobsControls Engineer E-3 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find Controls Engineer jobs with E-3 visa sponsorship?
Migrate Mate lists Controls Engineer roles where employers are open to E-3 sponsorship, so you're not cold-applying and hoping the hiring manager knows what the E-3 is. Filtering by visa type saves time compared to screening general job postings. You can also use DOL's FLAG portal to verify which employers have filed LCAs for Controls Engineer positions in your target state.
How much does it cost to get an E-3 visa?
Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service covers the entire process for $499, including the Labor Condition Application, visa document preparation, and consulate appointment guidance. Traditional immigration lawyers charge $2,000–$5,000+ for the same work. The E-3 has less paperwork than most work visas, so paying thousands for legal help is usually unnecessary.
Does a Controls Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for the E-3?
Controls Engineer positions generally qualify when the role requires a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechatronics, or a related technical field and the job duties involve designing, programming, or maintaining automated control systems. The degree must be a normal requirement for the specific position, not just a preferred qualification. If the job description says 'degree preferred,' ask the employer to revise it to 'required' before filing the LCA.
How does the E-3 compare to the H-1B for Controls Engineers?
The E-3 is available only to Australian citizens and has a 10,500 annual allocation that has never been fully used, so there's no lottery and no waiting for a cap slot. The H-1B is open to all nationalities but requires winning a randomized lottery with roughly a 25% selection rate. For a Controls Engineer with Australian citizenship, the E-3 is a direct path to a consulate appointment within weeks of receiving an offer, while the H-1B can mean waiting a year or more before you can start.
Can I switch Controls Engineer employers while on an E-3?
Yes, but you need to start the E-3 process fresh with the new employer before you stop working for the current one. Your employer must file a new LCA with the DOL and you'll need to either apply for a new E-3 visa at an Australian consulate or change status from within the U.S. There's no portability rule like the H-1B's AC21 provision, so timing the transition carefully matters.
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