Director, Software Engineering

Roche•Carlsbad, NM

About The Position

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections, where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters. The Position GenMark Diagnostics is seeking a Director of Software Engineering to lead our combined Software Development, Architecture, and Quality Engineering organization through a strategic phase of platform evolution. Operating with a focus on both short-term execution and long-term architectural vision, you will lead a cross-functional organization of professionals responsible for building and verifying our core diagnostic Instrument and Assay Software. As the Director of Software Engineering, you will foster a unified, high-velocity engineering culture by breaking down traditional silos between Development, Architecture, and Quality Assurance. You will directly manage technical leaders, including a Principal Software Architect and a Lead SDET, to conceive and design flexible, modular system architectures that support a robust multigenerational product platform. You will balance organizational management, project execution, and cross-functional alignment to ensure we deliver high-quality, regulated healthcare software that improves patient outcomes. The Opportunity Engineering Strategy & Architectural Leadership (40%) Partner with your direct report, the Principal Software Architect, to lead instrument and assay software development, including the design, architecture, and implementation of complex software systems that control optical, fluidic, acoustic, electronic, and mechanical interfaces. Conceive of and design flexible modular system architectures that support a robust multigenerational product platform and eliminate technical debt. Drive active change management initiatives across the organization, specifically to unify the technology stack in preparation for future platform evolution. Establish and enforce a robust "Definition of Done" by championing modern CI/CD tooling (Azure DevOps) and static analysis (e.g., SonarQube). Oversee the strategic shift toward comprehensive test automation, ensuring testability and security are built into the architecture from day one. Unified Team Management & Mentorship (35%) Direct the day-to-day operations of the software engineering, architecture, and quality teams, driving recruiting, resource allocation, and career development. Manage and mentor senior technical staff (Principal Architect, Staff Engineers) and team leads (Lead SDET), ensuring alignment between high-level architecture and hands-on execution. Foster a collaborative, unified engineering culture that bridges the gap between developers, architects, and testers. Empower team leads to upskill their staff, specifically supporting the mentorship of manual Quality Engineers as they transition into advanced automation practices. Software Delivery & Cross-Functional Alignment (25%) Collaborate with Product Management, Hardware/Consumables teams, and the Sr. Technical Program Manager to plan, scope, and predictably execute software releases within our FDA-regulated environment. Proactively manage technical risks, cybersecurity considerations, and project dependencies, ensuring that Development and Verification velocities remain perfectly aligned. Select and manage external contract design houses as needed, overseeing their deliverables, milestones, and testing efforts. Act as the primary technical liaison for the software organization, providing transparent progress updates and managing expectations with R&D leadership and executive stakeholders.

Requirements

B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
10+ years of relevant hands-on experience in the design and coding of complex software, preferably with deep expertise in the C#/.NET ecosystem, C++, OOA/OOD, and user interface design.
5+ years of direct people management experience overseeing software developers; experience managing senior technical talent (Principal Engineers/Architects) and combined Dev/QA functions is a strong plus.
Technical Leadership & Architecture: Guides high-level system design while setting coding standards, leading design discussions, and participating in code reviews to ensure scalability and quality requirements are met.
Team Management & Development: Directs the software engineering team by recruiting, setting performance goals, conducting evaluations, and coaching staff to foster professional growth.
Project & Risk Management: Collaborates with stakeholders to define project scope, timelines, and deliverables. Proactively identifies dependencies, develops contingency plans, and mitigates risks during execution.
Process Improvement: Champions agile methodologies, CI/CD pipelines, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance team productivity and efficiency.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Acts as a liaison between software engineering and other departments. Facilitates team alignment, manages stakeholder expectations, and translates complex technical concepts for executive leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience delivering software in a highly regulated industry (FDA 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485, IVD, Medical Device) is highly preferred.
experience managing senior technical talent (Principal Engineers/Architects) and combined Dev/QA functions is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Partner with your direct report, the Principal Software Architect, to lead instrument and assay software development, including the design, architecture, and implementation of complex software systems that control optical, fluidic, acoustic, electronic, and mechanical interfaces.
Conceive of and design flexible modular system architectures that support a robust multigenerational product platform and eliminate technical debt.
Drive active change management initiatives across the organization, specifically to unify the technology stack in preparation for future platform evolution.
Establish and enforce a robust "Definition of Done" by championing modern CI/CD tooling (Azure DevOps) and static analysis (e.g., SonarQube).
Oversee the strategic shift toward comprehensive test automation, ensuring testability and security are built into the architecture from day one.
Direct the day-to-day operations of the software engineering, architecture, and quality teams, driving recruiting, resource allocation, and career development.
Manage and mentor senior technical staff (Principal Architect, Staff Engineers) and team leads (Lead SDET), ensuring alignment between high-level architecture and hands-on execution.
Foster a collaborative, unified engineering culture that bridges the gap between developers, architects, and testers.
Empower team leads to upskill their staff, specifically supporting the mentorship of manual Quality Engineers as they transition into advanced automation practices.
Collaborate with Product Management, Hardware/Consumables teams, and the Sr. Technical Program Manager to plan, scope, and predictably execute software releases within our FDA-regulated environment.
Proactively manage technical risks, cybersecurity considerations, and project dependencies, ensuring that Development and Verification velocities remain perfectly aligned.
Select and manage external contract design houses as needed, overseeing their deliverables, milestones, and testing efforts.
Act as the primary technical liaison for the software organization, providing transparent progress updates and managing expectations with R&D leadership and executive stakeholders.