Head of Product Engineering

The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford is committed to addressing humanity's most pressing challenges by reimagining how science and technology transform into solutions that make a global impact. With a focus on innovation across high-stakes areas including health and medical science, food security, sustainable agriculture, climate change, clean energy, and government innovation in an AI-driven era, EIT Oxford integrates pioneering research with practical implementation to deliver high-impact, sustainable results.

At the core of EIT Oxford's vision is a significant investment in a world-class research and development facility at the Oxford Science Park, set to open in 2027. This 300,000-square-foot campus will feature cutting-edge research laboratories, an oncology and preventative care clinic, and collaborative educational spaces. These resources will bolster EIT Oxford's partnership with the University of Oxford, creating an environment where groundbreaking research transitions seamlessly into real-world applications. The new facility will also serve as the home for Ellison Scholars, advancing EIT Oxford's mission to generate societal benefit through science.

Within this ecosystem, the Pathogen Mission exemplifies EIT's dedication to transformative science. It seeks to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases by leveraging Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)-based metagenomic and pathogen-specific analytical tools. This initiative is building a global, "Always On" pathogen metagenomics system designed to enhance diagnostics, provide early epidemic warnings, and guide treatment through antimicrobial resistance profiling. Enabled by Oracle Inc.'s cloud-computing scale and security, the Pathogen Mission is advancing toward certified diagnostic products for deployment in laboratories, hospitals, and public health organizations worldwide.

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Head of Product Engineering to lead the engineering strategy and execution for our cutting-edge SaaS platform in genomic sequencing. This role combines deep software engineering leadership with a strong understanding of regulated environments, particularly as we evolve towards Software as a Medical Device (SaMD).

You will oversee the design, architecture, and delivery of a highly scalable, secure, and compliant cloud-based solution that empowers researchers, clinicians, and bioinformaticians. This is a mission-critical leadership position that will influence product direction, engineering culture, and regulatory readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

Define and deliver engineering strategy aligned with product and organizational goals
Set and uphold engineering standards, best practices, and governance
Champion innovation by integrating emerging technologies

Technical Leadership & Architecture

Lead the architecture of a scalable, secure, cloud-native SaaS platform
Oversee full-stack engineering strategy from infrastructure to application
Coach teams, set clear goals, and foster a culture of accountability and innovation

Product Development & Delivery

Collaborate with Product and UX to translate genomic needs into scalable features
Navigate a dynamic environment, balancing short-term priorities with long-term vision
Manage trade-offs between scope, quality, and timelines

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Align engineering, design, and product teams on shared goals
Communicate effectively with stakeholders to gather input and share progress
Ensure timely, high-quality feature delivery

Technical Oversight

Maintain high standards in architecture, coding, and testing
Partner with Tech Leads to solve complex challenges and drive innovation
Stay current with industry trends to guide technical evolution

Team Development & Recruitment

Build a balanced, high-performing team by identifying and filling talent gaps
Support growth through training, mentoring, and development opportunities
Promote an inclusive, collaborative, and supportive work culture

Requirements

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

Deep software engineering experience, including in leadership roles with responsibility for engineering strategy, hiring, delivery, and quality
Demonstrated ability to lead end-to-end development of complex, cloud-native SaaS platforms at scale — including architecture, infrastructure, DevOps, QA, and observability
Proven track record in building and scaling SaaS applications in regulated or healthcare-adjacent domains
Deep expertise in modern tech stacks (e.g., Python, Typescript, Node.js, React), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle), Kubernetes and IaC with Terraform
Strong grasp of data privacy and security frameworks, including role-based access control (RBAC), encryption at rest and in transit, secure API design, and identity/auth protocols (e.g., OAuth2, OpenID)
Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, capable of influencing stakeholders, external partners, and non-technical contributors
Understanding of the software development lifecycle in the context of medical or genomic products.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

Experience with genomic data pipelines, bioinformatics tools, or medical device software
Familiarity with regulatory frameworks such as SaMD (FDA, EU MDR, etc.)
Exposure to health data standards (FHIR, HL7, OMOP) and privacy regulations (HIPAA, GDPR)
Hands-on experience coordinating or undergoing penetration tests, including third-party audits and remediation planning for sensitive healthcare or genomics platforms

Benefits

We offer the following salary and benefits:

Salary: Dependent on experience
Enhanced holiday pay
Pension
Life Assurance
Income Protection
Private Medical Insurance
Hospital Cash Plan
Therapy Services
Perk Box
Electric Car Scheme

Why work for EIT:

At the Ellison Institute, we believe a collaborative, inclusive team is key to our success. We are building a supportive environment where creative risks are encouraged, and everyone feels heard. Valuing emotional intelligence, empathy, respect, and resilience, we encourage people to be curious and to have a shared commitment to excellence. Join us and make an impact!

Terms of Appointment:

You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary.

You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford and can commit to being fully office based at our Oxford office.

During peak periods, some longer hours may be required and some working across multiple time zones due to the global nature of the programme.

Please submit a cover letter outlining your interests in the role and how you fit the role requirements.
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