Director of Product Engineering

Head of Product Engineering – Pathogen Programme (Oxford, UK)

A leading research institute is building a cutting-edge SaaS platform in genomic sequencing to transform pathogen diagnostics and global epidemic response. Their Pathogen Programme aims to revolutionise how infectious diseases are detected and treated by leveraging whole-genome sequencing (WGS), metagenomics, and pathogen-specific analytics. The mission: an "Always On" system capable of early epidemic detection, antimicrobial resistance profiling, and next-generation diagnostic products for worldwide deployment.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Head of Product Engineering to drive the engineering strategy and execution for this mission-critical platform. This is a leadership role blending deep technical expertise with product-minded delivery in regulated environments (moving towards Software as a Medical Device – SaMD).

You will oversee the design, architecture, and delivery of a highly scalable, secure, and compliant cloud-native platform that empowers researchers, clinicians, and bioinformaticians. You’ll influence product direction, engineering culture, and regulatory readiness.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute engineering strategy aligned with product and organisational goals
• Lead architecture and technical delivery of a secure, cloud-native SaaS platform
• Partner with Product, UX, and scientific teams to translate genomic needs into scalable software features
• Oversee full engineering lifecycle – infra, DevOps, QA, observability, and application layer
• Build and mentor a high-performing engineering team, setting standards and best practices
• Maintain regulatory alignment and readiness for healthcare/genomics SaaS products
• Drive innovation by integrating emerging technologies into platform evolution

What You Bring

• Proven software engineering leadership, including strategy, hiring, delivery, and technical oversight
• Deep experience building and scaling SaaS platforms (cloud-native, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD, observability)
• Expertise in modern stacks (Python, TypeScript/Node.js, React) and major clouds (AWS, GCP, Azure, Oracle)
• Knowledge of security and privacy frameworks: RBAC, encryption, secure API design, identity/auth protocols (OAuth2, OpenID)
• Track record delivering in regulated or healthcare-adjacent domains

Desirable:

• Experience with genomic data, bioinformatics tools, or medical device software
• Familiarity with SaMD regulatory frameworks (FDA, EU MDR)
• Exposure to health data standards (FHIR, HL7, OMOP) and privacy regulations (GDPR, HIPAA)
• Experience leading penetration tests, audits, and compliance planning

Terms & Location

• Oxford-based (must be eligible to work in the UK) with hybrid flexibility
• Willingness to travel as needed; some cross-time-zone work due to global remit
• Full-time permanent role