Director, Research and Development

Ladders; United States; Remote; USD 125,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote leadership role

Cutting-edge AI tools

Professional development

Cloud adoption initiatives

Cross-functional collaboration

Job summary

Ladders seeks a Director, Research and Development for a remote leadership role in the Aerospace & Defense space. You will guide software strategy across eight product lines and 40+ professionals, driving modernization, governance, and AI-enabled development with cloud-based solutions.

You will partner with cross-functional stakeholders to align technology priorities with business goals and deliver greater predictability, quality, and scale across the portfolio, while mentoring engineering

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive software development leadership experience.
• 5+ years leading managers and software development teams in a multi-product organization.
• Experience with software modernization across legacy and modern platforms.
• Proven ability to manage geographically distributed teams and cross-functional organizations.
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and software development lifecycles.
• Hands-on experience with AI development tools and practices.
• Exceptional communication and executive leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the technology strategy for the business unit.
• Lead software development activities across eight product lines and 40+ professionals.
• Advance development teams along the AI-SDLC maturity model.
• Establish engineering standards and governance processes for quality and predictability.
• Partner with cross-functional departments to align development priorities with business needs.
• Develop multi-year product and technology roadmaps for the portfolio.
• Mentor engineering leaders and foster a culture of innovation and accountability.

Skills

Leadership

AI development

Agile methodologies

Cross-functional collaboration

Cloud adoption

Strategic planning

Mentoring

Tools

AI development tools

Software modernization

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Director, Research and Development to join the team of a leader in the Aerospace & Defense space.

This remote leadership role will guide software development strategy across a complex, multi-product environment. You will drive modernization efforts, strengthen engineering governance, and help accelerate the adoption of AI-enabled development practices and cloud-based solutions. The position will partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders to align technology priorities with business goals and deliver greater predictability, quality, and scale across the portfolio.

Location: Remote

Compensation: $125,000 – $135,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the technology strategy for the business unit
• Lead software development activities across eight product lines and 40+ professionals
• Advance development teams along the AI-SDLC maturity model
• Establish engineering standards and governance processes for quality and predictability
• Partner with cross-functional departments to align development priorities with business needs
• Develop multi-year product and technology roadmaps for the portfolio
• Mentor engineering leaders and foster a culture of innovation and accountability

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive software development leadership experience
• 5+ years leading managers and software development teams in a multi-product organization
• Experience with software modernization across legacy and modern platforms
• Proven ability to manage geographically distributed teams and cross-functional organizations
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and software development lifecycles
• Hands-on experience with AI development tools and practices
• Exceptional communication and executive leadership skills

Benefits

• Opportunity to lead modernization efforts in a dynamic environment
• Access to cutting-edge AI development tools and practices
• Engagement in strategic initiatives such as cloud adoption and automation
• Support for professional development and training programs
• Collaboration with cross-functional teams to drive business success

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.