Director, Application Engineering (Remote)

START Research; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) retirement savings plan with @@

Performance bonus

Generous paid time off

Comprehensive medical coverage

Life and disability insurance

EAP for employees and families

Flexible FSA/HSA plans

Job summary

START Research is seeking a Director of Application Engineering to lead the design, development, deployment, and support of internal software for clinical research operations. The role is fully remote and oversees SDLC governance, AI-assisted development, and cross-functional collaboration with Systems Engineering and Compliance.

The position emphasizes hands-on leadership, ongoing production readiness, and ensuring security and regulatory compliance across the portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 8+ years of progressive software engineering experience, including 3+ years leading engineering teams.
• Hands-on software development experience with web apps, APIs, and data services.
• Experience establishing or improving SDLC practices, including code review, testing, CI/CD, and change control.
• Experience applying AI-assisted development tools within a software engineering environment.
• Knowledge of cloud architecture and infrastructure-as-code principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, deployment, and support of internally developed software solutions for clinical research operations.
• Transform requirements and prototypes into secure, scalable production systems.
• Hands-on technical leadership with design reviews and code reviews.
• Own release management, deployment processes, and production readiness.
• Ensure systems are reliable, secure, and compliant with governance needs.

Skills

Technical leadership

SDLC governance

AI-assisted development

Cloud architecture

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Azure

CI/CD tooling

Job description

The START Center for Cancer Research (“START”) is the world’s largestearly phasesite network, fully dedicated tooncologyclinical research.Throughout ourhistory, START has provided hope to cancer patients inglobalcommunity practices by offering\"Hope Through Access”tocutting edgetrials throughout the UnitedStatesand Europe.

Position Summary

The Director, Application Engineering leads the design, development, deployment, and ongoing support of internally developed software solutions that enable START's clinical research operations. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for transforming validated prototypes into secure, scalable production systems, establishing software development standards, and leading a growing engineering team. The Director owns application delivery, SDLC governance, AI-assisted development practices, and cross-functional collaboration with Systems Engineering, Enterprise Architecture, Quality, and Compliance

This is a remote role. The salary range for this role is$180,000 - $200,000. However, base pay may vary depending on multiple individualized factors including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Work Hours:M-F, 8am-5pm

Location: Remote

Essential Responsibilities

Software Delivery & Engineering Execution

• Lead the design, development, deployment, and support of internally developed software solutions that enable clinical research operations.


• Transform approved requirements, prototypes, and business concepts into secure, scalable, and maintainable production systems.


• Maintain active involvement in software design, development, architecture reviews, and code reviews, serving as a hands-on technical leader.


• Own application release management, deployment processes, and production readiness across the software portfolio.


• Ensure systems are reliable, supportable, and aligned with business, security, and compliance requirements.

Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) & Engineering Governance

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve software development standards, methodologies, and lifecycle processes.


• Establish and maintain engineering practices for code quality, testing, CI/CD, version control, change management, release governance, and documentation.


• Define quality metrics, review processes, and delivery standards that promote consistency, scalability, and operational excellence.


• Ensure appropriate technical documentation, SOPs, and audit-ready evidence are maintained throughout the system lifecycle.

AI-Assisted Development & Innovation

• Lead the adoption and governance of AI-assisted software development practices across the engineering organization.


• Establish standards for the responsible use of AI tools in software development, testing, documentation, and code review.


• Evaluate emerging technologies and development practices to improve engineering productivity, quality, and delivery outcomes.


• Ensure all AI-assisted development activities comply with organizational governance, security, privacy, and data-handling standards.

Architecture, Infrastructure & Technology Partnership

• Collaborate with Systems Engineering and Enterprise Architecture to design scalable, secure, and maintainable application solutions.


• Define infrastructure requirements and infrastructure-as-code standards that support application delivery and operational success.


• Contribute to technology roadmap planning and architectural decisions that align with organizational goals and growth objectives.


• Ensure application architecture, infrastructure design, and development practices support long‑term scalability and maintainability.

Quality, Validation & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure software systems are developed, tested, released, and maintained in accordance with applicable quality, validation, and regulatory requirements.


• Partner with Quality, Compliance, and business stakeholders to support system validation, change control, risk management, and audit readiness activities.


• Maintain appropriate controls, traceability, and documentation to support GxP, SOC 2, and other compliance requirements as applicable.


• Support internal and external audits by providing technical documentation, system evidence, and control validation records.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop software engineers through coaching, technical guidance, performance management, and career development planning.


• Establish a high-performance engineering culture focused on accountability, collaboration, quality, and continuous improvement.


• Partner with business and technology leaders to prioritize initiatives, allocate resources, and manage delivery expectations.


• Develop staffing plans and hiring strategies to support organizational growth and engineering capability needs.


• Manage support ownership, operational readiness, and escalation processes for systems delivered by the engineering team.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.


• 8+ years of progressive software engineering experience, including 3+ years leading engineering teams.


• Demonstrated success delivering, deploying, and supporting enterprise software applications in production environments.


• Hands-on software development experience with strong capabilities across web applications, APIs, and data services.


• Experience establishing or significantly improving software development lifecycle (SDLC) practices, including code review, testing, CI/CD, release management, and change control.


• Experience applying AI-assisted development tools and practices within a software engineering environment.


• Knowledge of cloud architecture and infrastructure-as-code principles, with the ability to partner effectively with infrastructure and platform engineering teams.


• Demonstrated ability to transform prototypes and business requirements into scalable, maintainable production solutions.


• Strong communication and documentation skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts for business and executive stakeholders.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Experience developing software in regulated environments (e.g., GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, GAMP, computer system validation).


• Experience within clinical research, life sciences, healthcare, or CRO organizations.


• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing software engineers.


• Experience scaling engineering teams, processes, or technology platforms within a growing organization.


• Familiarity with Azure, Entra ID, modern CI/CD platforms, and compliance frameworks such as SOC 2.

Best-in-Class Benefits and Perks

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match

• Eligibility for an annual performance bonus, based on role and company results

• Generous paid time off and paid holidays

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverageand optional insuranceoptions

• Company paid life and disability insurance for added financial protection

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing confidential, no‑cost support for you and your family from day one

• Flexible FSA and HSA plans to support your financial wellness

• Commitment to a supportive environment that values balance, wellbeing, and flexibility

• We’recommitted to fostering a collaborative, creative workplace where every team member is encouraged to contribute. At START,you’lljoin a team that values continuous learning, professional growth, shared ideas, and a culture built on inclusivity and innovation.

More About START

START clinical trial sites have conducted more than 1,000 early-phase clinical trials, including dozens of therapies that were approved by the FDA or EMA. STARTrepresentsthe world’s largest roster of early-phase principal investigators across its Network of clinical trial sites.

Ready to be part of a team changing the future of cancer treatment?

Join us in our mission to conquer cancer, one clinical trial at a time. Yourexpertiseand dedication can help us bring hope and healing to patients worldwide.

Learn more at STARTresearch.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer that welcomes and encourages diversity in the workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.