Associate Director, R&D Software Engineering

Job description

At Clario, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, we develop regulated technology that helps unlock better evidence and improve patient outcomes worldwide. Our software platforms support clinical trials, diagnostics, and medical decision‑making in highly controlled regulatory environments. As Associate Director, R&D Software Engineering, you will be accountable for the end‑to‑end software development function, including architecture, development, testing, and release management, for products operating within a regulated healthcare context. This role provides leadership across multiple development teams, balancing the sustainment of validated products with the delivery of new initiatives, while ensuring quality, compliance, and scalability are embedded throughout the software lifecycle. You will combine strong technical depth with disciplined execution and people leadership, and you will be comfortable operating in environments where regulatory compliance, documentation, and audit‑readiness are as critical as delivery speed. Partnering closely across Product, Quality, and Operations, you will help ensure Clario’s technology continues to meet global regulatory expectations while enabling innovation. What We Offer Competitive compensation Leadership opportunities within a global healthcare technology organization What You’ll Be Doing Define and execute the technical and management strategy, including budgeting, to sustain existing software products and deliver new product initiatives in collaboration with senior leadership and key stakeholders. Partner with Product Management to translate product requirements into delivery plans within an Agile development framework, establishing clear milestones and ensuring delivery on time and within budget. Monitor progress against plans, document outcomes, and report variances in scope, timeline, cost, or quality. Foster close collaboration between Software Development and Software Quality Engineering to maximize test automation and distribute integration responsibilities throughout the development lifecycle. Own development team capacity planning and manage variations in productivity, quality, unplanned work, and remaining effort against planned velocity. Collaborate with Quality Assurance, Service Delivery, and Product Management to ensure effective communication and documentation for customers, corporate leadership, and validation purposes. Serve as a member of the Engineering senior management team and the broader corporate management team, contributing to the definition of corporate strategy and long‑term goals. Proactively identify technical and delivery risks, develop mitigation strategies, and ensure development metrics are maintained and monitored in corporate systems. Partner with Human Resources to attract, retain, and develop top talent, including interviewing, hiring, onboarding, performance management, coaching, and succession planning. Lead organizational development, change management, leadership development, diversity, and continuous improvement initiatives within the engineering organization. Build and sustain high‑performing teams with a mindset of continuous improvement and adaptability to change. What We Look For Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience. Extensive experience (10+ years) in software development within the medical device industry, or within another highly regulated, global industry (such as life sciences, diagnostics, clinical technology, or regulated SaaS). Demonstrable experience leading software teams delivering products subject to regulatory requirements, including validated development processes, documentation standards, controlled releases, and audit readiness. Proven senior people leadership experience, managing development organizations of 10+ engineers across multiple levels, disciplines, and technologies. Strong understanding of Agile development practices as applied in regulated environments, balancing flexibility with compliance and governance requirements. Deep knowledge of modern software architecture, including multi‑tier systems, multi‑tenant SaaS, performance, reliability, scalability, and data integrity considerations. Solid understanding of data modeling, process modeling, and database design in enterprise and regulated contexts. Experience developing and managing budgets, business cases, and cost‑benefit analyses for complex software portfolios. A consistent track record of managing scope, mitigating delivery and compliance risks, and delivering complex initiatives on time and within budget. At Clario, our purpose is to transform lives by unlocking better evidence. It’s a cause that unites and inspires us. It’s why we come to work—and how we empower our people to make a positive impact every day. Whether you're advancing clinical science, building innovative technology, or supporting our global teams, your work helps bring life‑changing therapies to patients faster.