Director of Software Engineering

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Please note that the Director of Software Engineering role is a Boston-based onsite position. We offer flexible Fridays that allow you to work from home if needed.

Emulate is actively seeking a visionary and accomplished Director of Software Engineering to lead our growing team of software engineers in delivering high-quality, scalable solutions for our Organ‑Chip platform. In this role, you will set the strategic direction for software development across robotic systems, data infrastructure, and embedded platforms. You will inspire and guide teams, foster cross‑functional collaboration, and uphold best‑in‑class software practices to support Emulate’s mission of revolutionizing human biology and health through innovation.

Your leadership will directly impact our scientific and commercial success, helping advance the future of medicine—recognized by National Geographic as ‘The Future of Medicine’!

Why Emulate?

As an Emulate, you will be part of a team who cares deeply about our mission to power a human‑centric approach to biological innovation. Our culture is designed to help you succeed by promoting a collaborative approach to our work, providing opportunities for growth and development, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that is conducive for all to thrive.

Emulate’s Core Values encompass being CURIOUS, RELENTLESS, ACCOUNTABLE, HUMAN, and ONE. Here’s what that would mean for you as the Director of Software Engineering:

You are CURIOUS and will:

• Promote a culture of technical curiosity and innovation across software engineering teams.

• Encourage exploration of new technologies, frameworks, and architectures that enhance Emulate’s robotics, instrumentation, and data platforms.

• Stay ahead of emerging trends in software engineering, robotics integration, AI, and biomedical tooling.

• Foster an environment where engineers feel empowered to experiment, learn, and improve continuously.

You are RELENTLESS and will:

• Drive engineering excellence with a strong emphasis on performance, scalability, and maintainability.

• Champion continuous improvement of development practices, tools, testing frameworks, and infrastructure.

• Identify and remove bottlenecks that hinder engineering productivity and velocity.

• Set and uphold high standards for quality, security, and delivery across software initiatives.

You are ACCOUNTABLE and will:

• Lead and grow a high‑performing team of software engineers, managers, and technical leads.

• Own and execute on a strategic roadmap aligned with Emulate’s product, R&D, and operational goals.

• Ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget with clear KPIs and success metrics.

• Oversee technical hiring, team development, performance management, and organizational design.

• Collaborate with hardware, biology, product, and operations leaders to align software execution with cross‑functional priorities.

You are HUMAN and will:

• Inspire and mentor teams through clear communication, empathy, and a focus on professional development.

• Foster a diverse and inclusive engineering culture.

• Provide coaching, feedback, and career growth opportunities tailored to individual team members.

You are ONE and will:

• Lead cross‑functional collaboration across hardware, software, test, and product teams.

• Facilitate transparency and alignment between leadership, engineering, and stakeholders through effective planning and reporting.

• Encourage shared ownership and collaboration across projects and disciplines.

• Embody the values of teamwork, purpose, and unity as a representative of Emulate’s leadership.

Desired

Skills & Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering with at least 4+ years in a senior leadership role.

• Demonstrated success building and leading engineering teams in high‑growth, complex technical environments.

• Experience with full‑stack development, embedded systems, and robotic software is a strong plus.

• Solid understanding of modern software practices including CI/CD, test automation, Dev Ops, and cloud infrastructure.

• Experience working in regulated, hardware‑adjacent, or life sciences domains…