We seek a highly motivated and experienced Director of Software Engineering to lead our dynamic software engineering team within our Genomics Center. This role will involve overseeing a team of 15 talented engineers and collaborating with researchers to develop cutting-edge software solutions that drive genomic research and data analysis. NYGC software engineers work directly with scientists to build and maintain applications that organize, process, and visualize the more than 24 terabytes of sequencing data our researchers produce daily. This position will report to the Chief Information Officer. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in software development, a passion for genomics, and experience in managing diverse teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

●      Architect and execute a comprehensive strategy for modernizing or replacing legacy applications.

●      Drive the design and implementation of scalable software systems for genomic data processing and analysis utilizing agile methodologies to enhance adaptability.

●      Prioritize technical debt resolution while ensuring delivery of ongoing business needs.

●      Champion best practices and technical excellence in software development, including code reviews, testing, and documentation.

●      Provide hands-on technical expertise, guiding the team in implementing scalable, future-proof solutions.

●      Establish and maintain rigorous testing and quality assurance processes to ensure the reliability and performance of software applications.

Team Leadership

●      Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of software engineers, fostering a culture of agile practices, innovation, and collaboration.

●      Oversee recruitment, performance management, and professional development of team members.

●      Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with software engineers to mentor, ensure task completion, and address concerns.

●      Remove obstacles and continuously enhance team quality and productivity.

●      Assess resource levels across teams, ensuring adequate skills and experience are available to meet current and anticipated workloads.

●      Inspire team cohesion and ensure buy-in to the Center’s vision.

●      Promote an environment of continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and teamwork.

Collaboration

• Collaborate with internal team leads to address ongoing software needs and set software priorities in alignment with business goals.

●      Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate software with laboratory processes and other data platforms.

Strategic Planning

●      Develop and execute a strategic vision for software engineering within the Genomics Center, aligning with organizational goals.

●      Stay current with genomics and computational biology advancements, assessing their implications for software development.

●      Communicate effectively with stakeholders to materialize the vision and strategy for the systems roadmap.

●      Communicate progress and challenges to senior leadership and stakeholders, advocating for the software engineering team's needs and contributions.

Operations

●      Ensure operational goals are timely while prioritizing technical debt and larger strategic initiatives.

●      Develop and maintain processes to support stable and dependable growth, meeting the increasing business demands.

●      Coordinate process improvements focused on efficiency and cost-effectiveness, addressing areas such as data organization and vendor management.

●      Escalate blockers to management, providing summaries and proposed workarounds to maintain business continuity.

●      Set daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly engineering priorities to balance long-term development goals with immediate client needs.

Project Management

●      Oversee project timelines, resource allocation, and budgets to ensure successful delivery of software projects.

●      Lead the team with an agile mindset, emphasizing adaptability, innovation, and efficient workflows.

●      Serve as Product Manager, translating customer requests and business directives into actionable User Stories and Acceptance Criteria.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change.

Position Requirements

●      Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field, or equivalent experience required; an advanced degree is a plus.

●      Experience: A minimum of 15 years of proven software engineering experience, including expertise in mission-critical and 24/7 applications.

●      Technical Proficiency: Experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, GCP), genomics pipelines (WDL, Nextflow, Cromwell), basic database architecture, and big data technologies.

●      Project Management: Ability to drive multiple critical initiatives at both strategic and tactical levels across the portfolio.

●      Leadership: Strong track record of managing technical teams, with a demonstrated ability to lead the design and development of large-scale software systems.

●      Communication: Excellent communication skills are essential, along with the ability to engage directly with customers to understand their needs and translate them into actionable software requirements.

●      Decision-Making: Capable of making informed decisions with incomplete information and delivering results promptly.

●      Team Building: Exceptional facilitation and team-building skills that foster collaboration and innovation.

●      Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.

●      Genomics Knowledge: Familiarity with genomic data analysis, bioinformatics tools, and relevant databases is advantageous, but not mandatory.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NYGC we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Competencies

●      Technical and Professional Skills: Consistently demonstrates skills and knowledge relevant for current role; strives to expand the depth and breadth of technical and professional skills; works with a high level of integrity; exhibits focus and discipline; appropriately prioritizes, manages expectations and delivers on commitments.

●      Collaborative & Communicative: Models collaboration and teamwork; brings out the best in others; effectively works with all levels, internally and externally; respects and embraces diversity of perspective; communicates clearly and listens carefully; uses good judgment as to what to communicate and when to do so.

●      Adaptable & Innovative: Adaptable and embraces change; develops new insights and pursues improvements and efficiency; fosters exchange of new ideas and willing to challenge the status quo; takes initiative and is solution-oriented; engages in work with passion and curiosity.

●      Leader and Manager: Attracts, develops and retains diverse talent to achieve outstanding results; encourages professional development, coaches and regularly communicates expectations and feedback; aligns and inspires efforts toward our mission; translates organizational vision into action; responsibly utilizes NYGC’s human and financial resources to ensure organizational and financial health; uses good judgment when making decisions; pushes boundaries and generates new ideas.

Work Flexibility

NYGC has established a flexible work policy to give employees and other staff more ability to balance their work, personal commitments, and commuting challenges. The incumbent in this position is eligible for a flexible work schedule or hybrid remote work arrangement with supervisory approval. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

Salary & Benefits

The pay range for this position is $250,000-265,000 per year; the base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. For candidates with significant directly applicable experience, we would consider a Senior Director role with a salary of $280,000-300,000 per year.

In addition, NYGC offers a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits as well as generous time off. This includes Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Holidays, Sick, and Other Leave, including a paid winter break; a 401(k) match; Life Insurance; Flexible Spending Accounts; employee Tuition Reimbursement; flexible schedules and telework options for some positions; an Employee Assistance Program; and much more.

About the New York Genome Center

The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is an independent, nonprofit, academic research organization dedicated to advancing genomic research. NYGC scientists and staff are furthering new approaches to diagnosing and treating neurological diseases and cancer through their unique capabilities in whole genome sequencing, RNA sequencing, state-of-the art analytics, and the development of genomic tools. NYGC concentrates specifically on disease-based research in the following areas: neuropsychiatric disease (autism, schizophrenia, bipolar); neurodegenerative disease (ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s), and cancer.

Located in Lower Manhattan, the New York Genome Center was founded by and remains closely affiliated with the leading academic medical centers and research universities in the New York region, engaging in research projects with and for these institutions. Essential to our collaborative work is an outstanding faculty, whose members typically hold a joint appointment at NYGC and a partner university. They support our scientific mission by conducting independent research in areas of mutual interest to us and the wider scientific community.

Equal Opportunity

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to NYGC’s core mission. We strive to create a workplace environment that is welcoming and fair to all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, or religion. We believe that when people of various backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives work together in an inclusive and equitable environment we gain new and valuable perspectives that otherwise would have been missed. Valuing and supporting all NYGC employees as individuals while helping them realize their full potential is critical to promoting greater collaboration, innovation, and discovery – fostering a sense of belonging for our greatest strength, our people. We recognize that there is still work to be done that will require sustained commitment from the entire organization.

The New York Genome Center is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic predisposition or carrier status, protected veteran or military status, domestic violence victim status, partnership status, caregiver status, alienage or citizenship status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. NYGC takes affirmative action in support of its policy to hire and advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

FLSA Status – Exempt

This position is eligible for visa sponsorship and relocation assistance.