Senior Director, Software Engineering

Thermo Fisher Scientific is a leader in clinical research, leveraging digital innovation, data science, and AI to enhance the delivery of life-changing therapies. The Senior Director of Software Engineering will lead a global engineering team to deliver secure and reliable digital products, define engineering strategy, and foster a culture of high performance and innovation.

Responsibilities:

• Define and implement strategic technical direction and engineering best practices
• Foster a culture of quality, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement within the engineering teams
• Oversee the architecture and technical decisions, ensuring solutions are scalable, secure, and align with the organization’s long-term vision
• Stay abreast of AI and machine learning technologies to optimize engineering workflows, enhance developer productivity and streamline development processes
• Recruit, mentor, and retain high-performing engineering talent
• Drive career development, set clear performance objectives, and establish a supportive environment for professional growth
• Manage growth and expansion of engineering capabilities in strategic global locations
• Provide coaching, leadership, and technical guidance to engineering teams and managers
• Lead the adoption and execution of modern software development methodologies (e.g., Agile, CI/CD, DevOps, Cloud-native practices)
• Establish robust QA practices, including automation and testing strategies, to ensure delivery of reliable and high-quality software products
• Ensure adherence to industry standards, compliance regulations, security best practices, and performance benchmarks
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to ensure alignment on product goals, timelines, and deliverables
• Clearly communicate engineering strategies, plans, and progress to executives, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams
• Act as a trusted advisor on technical matters to senior leadership and peers across the organization
• Manage budgets, resource planning, and vendor relationships related to engineering activities
• Implement metrics-driven management, defining clear KPIs to measure team performance, product delivery success, and operational effectiveness
• Proactively manage risks and challenges, driving prompt resolution to maintain timelines and quality

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in healthcare, life sciences, computer science, business, or related field preferred
• Progressive engineering leadership experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job (comparable to 12+ years' experience)
• 5+ years in leadership roles managing software engineering teams
• In some cases, an equivalency, consisting of appropriate education, training, and/or directly related experience will be considered sufficient for an individual to meet the requirements of the role
• Able to communicate, receive, and understand information and ideas with diverse groups of people in a comprehensible and reasonable manner
• Able to work upright and stationary for typical working hours
• Ability to use and learn standard office equipment and technology with proficiency
• Able to perform successfully under pressure while prioritizing and handling multiple projects or activities
• May require as-needed travel (0-25%)
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship
• Must be able to pass a comprehensive background check, which includes a drug screening
• Experience leading engineering teams in a product-driven, customer-centric environment
• Background in healthcare, clinical research, life sciences, or related regulated industries (desirable but not required)
• Proven success in establishing new functions or scaling early-stage engineering teams within large, complex organizations