At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a global software engineering team and drive AI adoption in product development.
- Company: Join Nordson Test & Inspection, a leader in metrology equipment and inspection systems.
- Benefits: Flexible work schedule, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.
- Other info: Passionate about inclusion, diversity, and creating a respectful workplace.
- Why this job: Make an impact by innovating in advanced sorting and inspection technologies.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering with leadership experience across global teams.
The predicted salary is between 58349 - 71315 £ per year.
Nordson Test & Inspection, a global leader in world-class metrology equipment and inspection systems, is seeking a highly motivated and talented Director of Software Engineering to join our team in Colchester, United Kingdom. This role will build and lead a high-performing engineering function across teams throughout Europe and Asia.
The successful candidate will combine strong technical leadership, operational excellence, and organizational development capabilities to create a cohesive engineering culture across geographically dispersed teams with diverse histories, skills, and product responsibilities. This leader will balance the delivery of high-priority customer-specific solutions with the execution of strategic product roadmaps, architectural modernization, and long-term business objectives.
A key aspect of the role will be driving the effective adoption of Artificial Intelligence, both within engineering processes to accelerate product development and within Nordson XRT products to enhance customer outcomes, system performance, and operational reliability.
Engineering Leadership & Team Development
- Lead and develop a global software engineering organization across Colchester, Feldkirchen, Bangalore, and remote team members throughout Europe and Asia.
- Foster a unified engineering culture that leverages the strengths, expertise, and heritage of multiple development groups.
- Build organizational capability through coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and talent development.
- Support the continued growth and development of global engineering teams while ensuring effective collaboration across locations.
- Ensure predictable, high-quality delivery of both customer-driven projects and strategic product roadmap initiatives.
- Balance short-term business commitments with long-term platform, architecture, and technology investments.
- Implement effective planning, prioritization, resource allocation, and execution frameworks across multiple concurrent projects.
- Establish clear delivery metrics and operational rhythms to improve visibility, predictability, and performance.
- Partner with Product Management, Program Management, and other business leaders to align engineering activities with commercial priorities.
- Drive the development and adoption of common software architectures, engineering standards, development practices, and shared technology platforms.
- Champion modern software engineering practices including DevOps, CI/CD, automated testing, cloud technologies, and data-driven development.
Artificial Intelligence & Innovation
- Lead the strategic adoption of AI technologies throughout the software development lifecycle to improve productivity, quality, and speed of delivery.
- Identify and implement AI-enabled engineering tools to accelerate design, coding, testing, documentation, and support processes.
- Partner with product and business leaders to integrate AI-driven capabilities into Nordson XRT products.
- Explore opportunities to leverage machine learning, predictive analytics, computer vision, and intelligent automation to improve customer productivity, equipment performance, and operational reliability.
- Establish governance and best practices for the responsible and effective use of AI technologies.
Operational & Financial Management
- Manage engineering budgets, staffing plans, vendor relationships, and external development resources.
- Ensure delivery objectives are achieved while operating within corporate financial and resource constraints.
- Develop business cases and investment proposals supporting technology and capability advancement.
- Provide clear and proactive communication to senior leadership regarding project status, risks, resource needs, and strategic opportunities.
- Serve as a key member of the Engineering leadership team, contributing to divisional strategy and execution.
- Build strong relationships across Engineering, Product Management, Operations, Sales, Service, and Executive Leadership.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related discipline.
- ~10+ years of software engineering experience with progressive leadership responsibility.
- Proven experience leading geographically distributed engineering teams across multiple international locations.
- Demonstrated success delivering both customer-specific software solutions and long-term product platforms.
- Experience managing engineering organizations through periods of growth, integration, and transformation.
- Strong understanding of modern software architecture, software development methodologies, and product lifecycle management.
- Experience establishing common engineering processes, tools, and standards across multiple teams.
- Strong financial, operational, and strategic planning capabilities.
- Experience within industrial automation, machine vision, manufacturing technology, inspection systems, scientific instruments, or related technology sectors.
- Knowledge of AI, machine learning, computer vision, and data analytics technologies.
- Experience scaling engineering organizations in India and managing global offshore development teams.
- Familiarity with regulated or mission-critical product environments where reliability and performance are essential.
- Strong business and financial acumen.
Travel
Regular travel to suppliers and other XRT sites both in the UK and overseas.
We offer a flexible work schedule, a comprehensive benefits package, and opportunities for growth and development. By joining our team today, you will help us bring innovative ideas to life. We actively invest in our teams to help you build your skillsets and advance your career. We are looking for candidates who have a passion for inclusion, diversity and equity, and the ability to contribute to a culture where all employees feel valued, respected, and included.
If you are interested in being a part of a team that is dedicated to providing advanced inspection and testing solutions and creating an inclusive and diverse workplace, please apply online with your CV.
Head of (Software) Engineering (f/m/d) in London employer: Nordson
At Nordson Test & Inspection, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer by fostering a dynamic and collaborative work culture in Colchester, where your contributions as an Electrical Design Engineer will be valued. We offer a flexible work schedule, comprehensive benefits including a healthcare scheme and pension plan, and ample opportunities for professional growth, all while championing diversity and inclusivity within our team.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of (Software) Engineering (f/m/d) in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Nordson or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Nordson.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Nordson.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Nordson that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of (Software) Engineering (f/m/d) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Nordson.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Nordson and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Nordson
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Nordson uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
