Director R&D Nav Software

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 164,000 - 283,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine seeks a Director of R&D Software Navigation in Boston to lead a growing software team delivering next-generation surgical navigation systems. You will own architecture, execution, and quality across multiple platforms, ensuring safety, real-time performance, and regulatory alignment.

You will mentor a high-performing full-stack team, drive automated testing, and collaborate with systems, hardware, clinical, and quality partners to meet patient needs and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in CS/EE/CE or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years developing software from concept through commercial release (SaMD experience preferred).
• 7+ years directly managing a software team of more than 10 developers while acting as the main functional manager & technical point of contact.
• Significant hands-on experience in .NET/C#, Python, Java, Front-End technologies (WPF, JS/TS, React), Scripting.
• Significant experience leading concurrent project teams using Agile-Scrum and directing day-to-day work of software developers.

Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle development of software subsystems for surgical navigation platforms, from concept to release and post-market support.
• Collaborate with engineers and architects to define and evolve the software platform and architecture for scalability and safety.
• Establish technical direction and software roadmaps aligned with product strategy and system evolution.
• Ensure software designs comply with system requirements, user needs, hazard mitigations, and regulatory expectations.
• Partner with systems engineering, hardware, clinical, usability, quality, and manufacturing teams to translate user needs into testable software requirements.
• Lead and participate in architecture reviews and design trade-off discussions.

Skills

Software Leadership

People Management

SaMD

Regulatory Compliance

Full-Stack Development

Real-time Systems

Agile/Scrum

Architecture & Design

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/EE/CE

Tools

C#/.NET

Python

Java

WPF/JS-TS/React

Powershell/Bash

Job description

Job Function

R&D Product Development

Job Sub Function

R&D Software/Systems Engineering

Job Category

People Leader

All Job Posting Locations

Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America

Job Description

About Orthopaedics

Fueled by innovation at the intersection of biology and technology, we’re developing the next generation of smarter, less invasive, more personalized treatments.

Are you passionate about improving and expanding the possibilities of Orthopaedics? Ready to join a team that’s reimagining how we heal? Our Orthopaedics teams help keep more than 6 million people moving each year while delivering clinical and economic value to surgeons and healthcare systems. Our teams build solutions for joint reconstruction; trauma and craniomaxillofacial; sports, extremities, and elective foot and ankle; spine; and robotics and digital surgery.

Your unique talents will help patients on their journey to wellness. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/medtech

We are searching for the best talent for Director R&D Software Navigation to be based out of Boston, MA

Purpose

The Director R&D Software Navigation will lead a growing software team responsible for delivering next generation surgical navigation systems. This role is a critical technical and people leadership position within Navigation Systems R&D for 5 platforms, combining deep expertise with strategic ownership of software architecture, execution, and quality.

This role is accountable for leading a team of Software Engineers and is responsible for defining, building, and sustaining robust, scalable, and safety critical software platforms that meet clinical, user, and regulatory requirements. Working closely with systems, hardware, clinical, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory partners, this role ensures that software solutions are architected and executed to meet system level performance, safety, and reliability objectives.

This position requires a functional & technical leader who can operate effectively in a highly regulated, multidisciplinary surgical environment, while mentoring teams, driving innovation, and enabling predictable, high quality delivery.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the full lifecycle development of software subsystems for surgical navigation platforms, from early concept and prototyping through verification, release, and post market support.
• Collaborate with senior engineers and architects to define, own, and evolve the software platform and architecture, ensuring scalability, real time performance, safety, cybersecurity, and long term maintainability.
• Establish technical direction and software roadmaps aligned with product strategy and system evolution.
• Ensure software designs are compliant with system requirements, user needs, intended use, hazard mitigations, and regulatory expectations.
• Partner with systems engineering, hardware, clinical, usability/human factors, quality, and manufacturing teams to translate user needs into clear, testable, traceable software requirements.
• Lead and participate in architecture reviews, design reviews, and cross disciplinary technical trade off discussions.
• Collaborate on the design and implementation of safe, intuitive user interfaces with human factors and clinical teams.
• Support regulatory submissions, audits, inspections, and DHF completeness in partnership with quality and regulatory affairs.
• Support controlled release pipelines aligned with design controls and change management
• Lead adoption of automated unit-testing, integration, and system level testing to improve quality and delivery predictability.
• Champion metrics driven development (build health, test coverage, defect trends) to drive continuous improvement.
• Lead software FMEA activities, define and verify effective risk mitigation strategies, and ensure software safety levels align with system requirements and applicable risk controls.
• Contribute to hazard analysis, risk management, and design controls in accordance with medical device regulations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable medical device software standards (e.g., IEC 62304) and internal quality processes.
• Investigate non conformances, deviations, and test failures; drive root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective actions.
• Support design transfer, manufacturing readiness, and product launch activities.
• Participate in complaint investigations, post market surveillance, and controlled software updates.
• Build, mentor, and retain a high performing full-stack software team.
• Support resource planning, staffing, and schedule estimation.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Identify and communicate business related issues, risks, and opportunities to senior management in a timely and effective manner.
• Interface with regulatory, quality, and manufacturing teams to support audits and inspections.
• Ensure that subordinates follow all Company guidelines related to Health, Safety and Environmental practices and that all resources needed to do so are available and in good condition, if applicable
• Responsible for ensuring personal and Company compliance with all Federal, State, local and Company regulations, policies, and procedures
• Performs other duties assigned as needed
• Identify critical paths during product development, address bottlenecks and risks and facilitate problem solving across R&D teams.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years: Developing software from concept through commercial release (SaMD experience preferred)
• 7+ years: Directly managing a software team of more than 10 developers while acting as the main functional manager & technical point of contact
• Significant, demonstratable hands-on experience in more than one of the following technologies: .NET/C#, Python, Java, Front-End technologies (WPF, JS/TS, React, etc.), Scripting (Powershell, Batch)
• Significant experience leading concurrent project teams of multiple software engineers using Agile-Scrum methodology.
• Proven experience managing and directing the day-to-day work of more than 10 SW developers
• Proven experience as the Lead decision maker of software design based on end-to-end knowledge impacts
• Strong understanding of software and systems engineering principles
• Proven experience authoring technical documentation (preferably in a highly regulated environment)

Preferred

• Performing annual individual performance reviews and developing S.M.A.R.T goals for software developers
• Translating user requirements from Medical professionals into actionable software development tasks
• Writing technical documentation in a regulated medical industry
• AI/ML model implementation in SAMD production systems
• Complex problem solving
• Global release and support of production systems used by external customers

Johnson & Johnson announced plans to separate our Orthopaedics business to establish a standalone Orthopaedics company, operating as DePuy Synthes. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to legal requirements, including consultation with works councils and other employee representative bodies, as may be required, regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and approvals.

Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers_, internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resou_rce

Required Skills

• Creating Purpose
• Developing Others
• Inclusive Leadership
• Innovation
• Leadership
• Operations Management
• Process Improvements
• Requirements Analysis
• Research and Development
• Researching
• SAP Product Lifecycle Management
• Scripting Languages
• Software Acquisitions
• Software Development Management
• Software Engineering Practices
• Software Quality Assurance (SQA)
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
• Tactical Planning
• Technologically Savvy

Preferred Skills

• Creating Purpose
• Developing Others
• Inclusive Leadership
• Innovation
• Leadership
• Operations Management
• Process Improvements
• Requirements Analysis
• Research and Development
• Researching
• SAP Product Lifecycle Management
• Scripting Languages
• Software Acquisitions
• Software Development Management
• Software Engineering Practices
• Software Quality Assurance (SQA)
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
• Tactical Planning
• Technologically Savvy

The anticipated base pay range for this position is

$164,000.00 - $282,900.00

Additional Description for Pay Transparency

Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).

This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive program.

Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off benefits

• Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
• Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period10 days
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year

For additional general information on Company benefits, please go to: - https://www.careers.jnj.com/employee-benefits