Director Software Engineering

Candela; Stockholms kommun; On-site; SEK 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Candela is seeking a Software Engineering Director to lead their software organization, responsible for embedded systems and user interfaces across their innovative electric vessels.

This full-time position is based in Frihamnen, Sweden, reporting to the VP of R&D. You will manage team development, technical quality, and maintain a focus on safety and regulatory compliance while ensuring operational effectiveness and product alignment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading software teams in companies building physical products.
• Track record of delivering systems from concept through production.
• Experience with embedded systems, control systems, or real‑time software.

Responsibilities

• Lead the software organization with a focus on execution and quality.
• Drive development from concepts through production deployment.
• Set direction for software architecture across multiple systems.
• Build development practices covering testing and observability.
• Work with Mechanical and Electrical teams to align software and products.

Skills

Leadership in product environments

Strong understanding of software architecture

User-facing systems (UI/UX)

Embedded systems knowledge

Familiarity with CI/CD

Cybersecurity principles

Job description

Overview

Want to shape the future of waterborne transport and join a world‑class team? Candela is the global leader in electric hydrofoil vessels. Since 2014, we’ve gone from building our first premium electric speedboat in a small Stockholm workshop to delivering game‑changing vessels around the globe. The Candela P‑12 is our latest innovation – the world’s first electric hydrofoil ferry that not only operates in Stockholm but is attracting orders worldwide.

Our boats fly thanks to computer‑guided underwater wings under the hull made from lightweight carbon fiber. The wings lift the vessel above the water, cutting energy use by up to 80% while providing zero emissions and a much better passenger experience than traditional diesel vessels.

Our mission is clear: to speed up the transition to fossil‑fuel‑free lakes and oceans. You can join this amazing team now!

Role

As the Software Engineering Director, you will lead the software organization and be responsible for how we build, structure, and operate software across all vessel platforms. The scope spans embedded systems, control software, onboard applications, user interfaces, telemetry, cybersecurity, and connected services. You will also shape the tooling and infrastructure that supports development and operations. The role sits close to hardware, testing, and production, dealing with system‑level challenges that involve trade‑offs between performance, robustness, and development speed under real constraints.

Responsibilities

• Lead the software organization with a focus on execution, technical quality, and reliability in real‑world use
• Drive development from early concepts through production deployment and ongoing lifecycle support
• Set direction for software architecture across embedded, control, and connected systems—and ensure it holds up in practice
• Build and maintain development practices covering testing, CI/CD, release, diagnostics, and observability
• Work closely with Mechanical, Electrical, Test, Production, and Service to ensure the software aligns with product and operational reality
• Support development of safety‑critical and regulatory‑compliant systems used in marine environments
• Establish ways of working that scale with team growth and increasing system complexity
• Identify technical and organizational risks early and act on them
• Lead recruitment, team development, and performance management within the software organization
• Contribute hands‑on where needed in architecture discussions, prioritization, and key technical decisions

Qualifications

Leadership in product environments

• Experience leading software teams in companies building physical products (not only pure software)
• Track record of delivering systems from concept through production and operation

Technical depth where it matters

• Strong understanding of software architecture and system integration
• Experience working with user‑facing systems (UI/UX) as part of larger integrated platforms
• Experience with embedded systems, control systems, or real‑time software
• Familiarity with modern development practices (CI/CD, automated testing, cloud infrastructure)
• Good understanding of cybersecurity principles in connected and distributed systems
• Practical experience using AI‑assisted development and code‑generation tools, and an understanding of how they impact engineering velocity, quality, and system design

Operating in real‑world conditions

• Ability to balance development speed, robustness, and long‑term maintainability
• Comfortable working close to hardware, testing, and production environments
• Experience with safety‑critical and/or regulatory‑driven development is a strong plus

Employment Details

• Form of employment: Full‑time with initial 6‑month probation period
• Start date: ASAP
• Location/base: Frihamnen
• Reporting to: VP R&D