Director, Software Engineering (Mount Waverley)

At Leica Biosystems, we are not just shaping the future of cancer diagnostics, we are transforming lives. Our mission of “Advancing Cancer Diagnostics, Improving Lives” is the driving force behind everything we do. As a global leader with the most comprehensive portfolio spanning from biopsy to diagnosis, we empower clinicians with innovative, reliable solutions so they can give patients timely, accurate answers when they need them most.

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The Director, Software Engineering, is  accountable for the strategy, capability and delivery performance of the ASI software engineering organisation. This role leads software development across applications, firmware, verification, cybersecurity, architecture, DevSecOps and software quality to deliver product roadmaps, strengthen engineering capability and create sustainable business impact.

This position reports to the Director II, Research and Development and is part of the Advanced Staining Instruments Research and Development team located in Mount Waverley, Victoria, Australia and will be an on-site role.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Lead the software engineering organisation to deliver high-quality, secure, reliable and compliant software solutions that meet product, customer and business objectives.
• Define and execute the software engineering strategy in alignment with product roadmaps, R&D priorities, and long-term business goals.
• Drive delivery excellence across new product development, lifecycle engineering and sustaining activities through strong planning, execution and accountability.
• Advance modern software engineering practices, including DevSecOps, AI-enabled productivity, specification-driven development, automation and continuous improvement.
• Provide technical leadership and governance for software architecture, engineering standards, technology direction, and major technical decisions.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing software engineering organisation, building capability through talent development, succession planning and scalable workforce planning.
• Partner cross-functionally across Product Management, Program Management, Systems Engineering, R&D and global Leica Biosystems/Danaher teams to align priorities, risks, resources and delivery performance.

The essential requirements of the job include:

• Bachelor's degree in software engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Electronics Engineering or related discipline.
• At least 10 years of software engineering leadership experience delivering complex products and leading agile or scrum teams in quality-critical environments.
• Experience delivering application software and embedded software, with a strong understanding of hardware dependencies.
• Strong technical foundation across software architecture, modern development practices, software quality, cybersecurity and lifecycle management, with the ability to critically evaluate risks, alternatives, and long-term implications of technical decisions.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary software engineering teams in matrixed organisations, influencing stakeholders and aligning engineering priorities with business objectives.
• Experience driving organisational transformation, engineering capability growth and delivery performance improvements through data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.
• Experience managing software engineering budgets, resource planning, external software partners, and vendor delivery performance, with demonstrated commercial acumen and accountability for delivery outcomes.

Travel, Motor Vehicle Record & Physical/Environment Requirements:

• Some domestic and international travel as required.
• This role will be based at 495 Blackburn Road, Mount Waverley VIC 3149, Australia.

It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in:

• Medical devices, diagnostics, laboratory automation, or other highly regulated application domains.
• Working knowledge of ISO 13485, FDA QSR / 21 CFR Part 820.30, IEC 62304, cybersecurity expectations and relevant software lifecycle standards and documentation requirements.
• Leading DevSecOps transformation, software platform modernisation, AI-enabled software engineering, specification-driven development or test automation initiatives.

Leica Biosystems, a Danaher operating company, offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it’s a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info. 

Join our winning team today. Together, we’ll accelerate the real-life impact of tomorrow’s science and technology. We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life.

For more information, visit www.danaher.com.