Global Director, Systems Engineering — In-Office Durham

bdx; Durham (NC); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

BD, a global medical technology company, seeks a senior Systems Engineering leader in Durham, NC to guide and grow a multi-site engineering organization. You will own the systems engineering discipline, define standards, and collaborate across hardware, software, UXD, manufacturing, and quality to deliver robust products.

You will drive lifecycle processes from user needs to verification/validation, manage staffing and succession, and mentor teams across the US and EU.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical, Software, Biomedical Engineering, or related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years engineering experience, including 5+ years direct people leadership.
• Proven experience leading a Systems Engineering function within a complex, multi-site hardware/software product development environment.
• Deep expertise in systems engineering fundamentals for hardware and software, including requirements management, architecture, risk analysis, and verification/validation.
• Strong understanding of design controls, risk management, and quality management systems in regulated industries; medical device experience preferred.
• Experience building and maturing engineering functions with standards, tools, and competency models across geographies.
• Proven ability to develop engineering talent and manage performance across levels.
• Proficient in both waterfall and agile product development processes; DFSS certification is a plus.
• Experience operating in a matrixed organization with cross-functional partners.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills for executive alignment.
• Understanding of outpatient/retail/pharmacy domains is a differentiator.
• Willingness to travel 15–25% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the global Systems Engineering team across geographies.
• Own and mature the Systems Engineering excellence program (standards, tools, templates, workflows).
• Ensure high-quality application of systems engineering from user needs to post-launch.
• Partner with Hardware, Software, UXD, Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory for integrated development.
• Manage resources for staff across portfolios and projects; balance capacity and priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement of the lifecycle within the QMS and risk management practices.
• Champion talent strategy including recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning.
• Represent Systems Engineering on the R&D Leadership Team; contribute to strategic planning and roadmaps.
• Lead MBSE adoption, requirements tooling, and architecture governance.

Skills

Systems Engineering

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Communication

Product Development Lifecycle

Risk Management

Design Controls

MBSE

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering or related field

Tools

MBSE

Job description

BD, a global medical technology company, seeks a senior Systems Engineering leader in Durham, NC to guide and grow a multi-site engineering organization. You will own the systems engineering discipline, define standards, and collaborate across hardware, software, UXD, manufacturing, and quality to deliver robust products.

You will drive lifecycle processes from user needs to verification/validation, manage staffing and succession, and mentor teams across the US and EU.