Senior Manager - R&D Software and Firmware Engineering

<p style="text-align:left"><b>Work Schedule</b></p>Standard (Mon-Fri)<p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:left"><b>Environmental Conditions</b></p>Office<p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:left"><b><u>Job Description</u></b></p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p>Thermo Fisher Scientific&#39;s Ion Chromatography and Sample Preparation (ICSP) team is seeking a Manager or Senior Manager of R&amp;D Software and Firmware Engineering to lead a newly established, multidisciplinary team focused on embedded software and firmware for next-generation ion chromatography laboratory instruments.</p><p></p><p><b>This role is part of a strategic NPI (New Product Introduction) initiative focused on developing a new generation platform for chromatographic instruments.</b> This is not about maintaining or incrementally improving existing solutions, but a complete redesign of a system currently built on approximately 15-year-old electronics.</p><p></p><p>The goal is to create a modern, scalable platform by leveraging new technologies to significantly improve performance, functionality, and overall system architecture. The work involves developing electronics and software for high-precision analytical instruments, combining advanced hardware, reliability, and complex system integration.</p><p></p><p>This is a <b>multi-year program</b>, offering long-term stability and the opportunity to contribute across multiple phases of development—from early architecture through to commercialization.</p><p></p><h2><span><b>What will you do?</b></span></h2><p></p><p>You will build and lead a multidisciplinary R&amp;D engineering team of approximately <b>12 engineers</b> (firmware, embedded software, DevOps, and test), establishing a strong foundation for scalable and high-quality product development.</p><p></p><h3><u><span><b>Team Leadership &amp; Development</b></span></u></h3><ul><li>Hire, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing engineering team, fostering a culture of ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement</li><li>Drive performance management, career development, and succession planning</li></ul><p></p><h3><u><span><b>Engineering Excellence &amp; SDLC</b></span></u></h3><ul><li>Define and implement a scalable, modern <b>software development lifecycle (SDLC)</b> including architecture governance, coding standards, automated testing, CI/CD, traceability, and release management</li><li>Establish and track key quality metrics and drive continuous improvement</li></ul><p></p><h3><u><span><b>Product Development &amp; Delivery</b></span></u></h3><ul><li>Lead development of embedded software, firmware, and supporting systems for next-generation ion chromatography instruments</li><li>Oversee delivery across exploratory, new product development, and sustaining engineering initiatives aligned with business priorities</li></ul><p></p><h3><u><span><b>Cross-Functional &amp; Global Collaboration</b></span></u></h3><ul><li>Partner with system architects, product management, hardware engineering, manufacturing, and global R&amp;D teams to ensure seamless integration and delivery</li><li>Coordinate work across distributed teams to ensure alignment, transparency, and predictable execution</li></ul><p></p><h3><u><span><b>Compliance, Security &amp; DevOps Strategy</b></span></u></h3><ul><li>Ensure compliance with regulatory and cybersecurity requirements, embedding <b>secure development practices and traceability by design</b></li><li>Own DevOps and toolchain strategy, aligning with divisional and corporate standards</li></ul><p></p><h3><u><span><b>Innovation &amp; Productivity</b></span></u></h3><ul><li>Drive adoption of modern engineering tools, including <b>AI-assisted development</b>, to improve speed, quality, and knowledge sharing</li><li>Balance innovation, technical debt, and sustaining activities through effective roadmap and resource planning</li></ul><p></p><h2><span><b>Qualifications &amp; Skills</b></span></h2><ul><li>Degree in Computer Science or a related field (or equivalent experience); MS preferred</li><li>Proven experience <b>leading and scaling R&amp;D engineering teams</b>, including hiring and performance management</li><li>Experience delivering <b>complex embedded or instrumentation systems</b> from concept through commercialization</li><li>Strong background in <b>embedded Linux, firmware, and/or distributed systems</b> (C, C&#43;&#43;, C#, .NET)</li><li>Experience with <b>device control, data acquisition</b>, and communication protocols (TCP/IP, USB, I2C, SPI, RS232)</li><li>Solid understanding of <b>CI/CD, automated testing, and DevOps</b> in embedded environments</li><li>Hands-on experience with modern <b>development toolchains and lifecycle systems</b> (e.g., Git, Azure DevOps, Jira, Jenkins, Yocto, GCC, containers, Jama, DOORS, Polarion)</li><li>Experience in <b>regulated or quality-driven environments</b>, including <b>secure development and product cybersecurity practices</b></li><li>Experience in <b>industrial, scientific, medical, or safety-critical systems</b> strongly preferred</li><li>Strong <b>communication and stakeholder management skills</b>, with the ability to operate across distributed teams</li><li>Analytical, data-driven mindset with strong <b>problem-solving and decision-making skills</b></li><li>Interest in leveraging <b>AI-assisted development tools</b> to improve engineering productivity and quality</li></ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>