A Conversation With One of Our Inspiring Female Engineers, Sapna Kaiya

Sapna Kaiya, senior manager of the software robotics test, shared what led her to become an engineer and her thoughts on life as an engineer at Vicarious Surgical.

Briefly describe what you do at Vicarious Surgical.

I lead the software engineering test team at Vicarious Surgical. We are part of the R&D and my team works closely with the software development team and is responsible for the verification and validation of our surgical robot software.?

How and why did you choose a career in engineering?

I would like to believe that engineering chose me! Math and science were my favorite subjects in school and I was quite keen to become a doctor. I had applied to a few medical schools in the area but didn’t get into the school of my choice. As I explored other options and did some self-reflection. I recalled the times when one of my favorite activities was taking things apart and rebuilding them again. It made me realize that maybe, just maybe, I had a stronger aptitude for engineering. I decided to switch gears at the very last minute and applied to engineering colleges. I would like to believe that my life has come full circle, as I now work on engineering medical devices!

What inspired you to become an engineer and what continues to inspire you?

I was inspired by my family members, especially my elder brother, who pursued mechanical engineering. I also grew up in Mumbai, a city with a lot of engineering and manufacturing companies and colleges. I have been fortunate enough to have a rewarding career path all through my life that allowed me to work in different roles across various industries solving complex engineering problems. My inspiration has primarily been the work, but most importantly, it's also been the smart, down-to-earth people that I work with, the community that we built to strive for the same goal, and the friends I’ve made along the way.?

What is the most exciting part of your job at Vicarious Surgical and what are you hoping to accomplish?

The working culture of our company is enriching and exciting, as I get to work with some of the smartest folks in the industry, all marching toward a common goal. It has a vibe that is hard to miss! Coming to the product, every aspect of the robot is intriguing to me, starting with the robot controls all the way to the visualization. I’ve joined at a time where I can greatly influence and guide the initial architecture and design, and am hoping to accomplish that by putting the right hooks in place to enable test automation to verify and validate the functionality of the surgical robot, resulting in building a high-quality robotic system.?

What does a typical day look like for you at Vicarious Surgical?

Every day is a little different but a typical day involves attending meetings to learn the details of a project, coordinating with other stakeholders to discuss the strategy, product, and project roadmap, and aligning with management teams to provide them with meaningful information about the quality of the system under test in order to reduce risk, optimize performance, make sure it satisfies the requirements (it does what it was designed to do), and functions properly, among other things.

Is there a fellow woman at Vicarious Surgical that you would like to highlight?

I would like to highlight Nancy Nunes from the architecture team. I have worked with female leaders in different roles but never had the opportunity to work with a female software architect. I think she has the coolest role to play in our organization, allowing us to build modular, scalable, maintainable, and high-quality medical grade software. I wish I could do that!?

What advice do you have for young women looking to pursue a career in engineering??

Engineering is nothing to be scared of – it’s a path that many people have pursued and enjoyed. If you like STEM but are not sure what career to choose, I would suggest considering engineering. There are many different disciplines to choose from; do some self-reflection to see if it feels right for you. The rigor of engineering prepares you in many ways and more importantly gives you a framework to creatively solve any complex problem. With the expansion of the industry, many new roles have been created and there is a constant need for people with different backgrounds and perspectives. Do your research, find your tribe, and don't be afraid to dive in!