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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Software Engneering Lead - **Company:** AstraZeneca - **Location:** La Cuesta, Spain - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Agile Methodology, Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Continuous Integration, Data Visualization, Cursor (Graphical User Interface Elements), Integrated Development Environments, Machine Learning, Node.Js, Scrum Methodology, Software Construction, Software Engineering, Working Model 2D, GitHub Copilot, ReactJS, Large Language Models, Backend, Information Technology, Production Code, React Native, Front End Software Development, GXP, Service Stack - **Published:** August 26, 2026 - **Apply:** https://astrazeneca.eightfold.ai/careers/job/563877691363597?domain=astrazeneca.com ## About the Role Ready to make an impact in your career? If you're passionate, growth-orientated and a true team player, we'll help you succeed. Here are some of the skills and capabilities we look for., Seize ownership and excel with autonomy to enjoy the constant rush of ground-breaking discovery. Your ability to anticipate sudden shifts and adapt swiftly will prove critical as you make your mark in an environment that rewards initiative and resilience., * 8+ years of professional software engineering experience with a proven record of delivering production systems. * 3+ years of experience leading engineering teams while remaining hands-on with software development. Deep expertise in at least one of the following technology stacks: * React / React Native * Node.js * Java * AWS Cloud Services * Strong architectural leadership across frontend, backend, and infrastructure components. * Practical experience using AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot, Claude, Cursor, or similar technologies. * Strong understanding of Agile delivery methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, or SAFe. * Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience., * Experience delivering AI/ML capabilities in production environments, including LLM-powered or agentic AI solutions. * Experience building software for healthcare professionals, clinical researchers, clinical trial operations, or site-facing applications. * Familiarity with regulated software development environments, including GxP and SaMD. * Experience with remote patient monitoring solutions and clinician-facing data visualizations. * Contributions to open-source projects or demonstrated technical thought leadership. * Clinical research industry experience. What This Role Is Not * A people-management role disconnected from software development. * A project management role focused on timelines and coordination. * A superficial AI adoption initiative. We seek someone who has meaningfully integrated AI into their development practices and can lead others to do the same. ## Description Here, the answers aren't always available. So, you'll need to bring a fearless, self-starter mindset to navigate uncharted territories. You'll harness your ceaseless energy to discover and make the necessary connections with colleagues to shape the future and achieve maximum impact., This is not a traditional management role. We are seeking a hands-on engineering leader who actively writes and reviews code, makes architectural decisions, and leads by building alongside their team. You will own the technical direction and delivery of the Clinical Trial Site and Investigator product areas within Unified Trial Solution while leading a multi-squad engineering organization. You will spend a significant portion of your time in the codebase, reviewing pull requests, partnering with engineers on complex challenges, evaluating AI-assisted development workflows, and ensuring scalable architecture. The remainder of your time will be focused on team development, cross-functional collaboration, and technical strategy. We are looking for someone who can serve as the strongest technical voice within their product area and provide clear technical leadership across architecture, delivery, and engineering excellence., Hands-On Technical Leadership (50%+ of Time): * Review pull requests, provide code-level feedback, and enforce engineering quality standards. * Own architectural decisions across APIs, data models, service boundaries, and infrastructure. * Write production-ready code for complex and foundational platform components. * Partner with engineers to solve challenging technical problems while coaching and mentoring. * Drive adoption of AI-assisted development tools, workflows, and best practices. * Define and maintain standards for testing, CI/CD, observability, and deployment practices. * AI-Native Engineering Culture * Integrate AI tools into daily software development workflows. * Evaluate and implement AI capabilities across Clinical Trial Site and Investigator products. * Ensure AI-generated code is reviewed, tested, and held to the same quality standards as human-written code. * Stay current with advancements in AI-assisted development and translate them into practical team improvements. Team Leadership and Development * Lead, mentor, and develop a multi-squad engineering organization. * Build technical leadership capability within squad leads and senior engineers. * Conduct technical interviews and assess candidates' engineering capabilities. * Foster a culture of continuous improvement, psychological safety, and accountability. * Manage performance through clear expectations focused on quality, impact, and delivery. Product and Delivery Leadership: * Partner closely with Product Owners, Product Managers, Design, Clinical Operations, and other stakeholders. * Translate clinical and business needs into scalable technical solutions. * Provide technical insight on prioritization, architecture, risk, and long-term maintainability. * Influence product direction through data, experimentation, clinical understanding, and engineering expertise. * Drive predictable, high-quality delivery against quarterly objectives. * Collaborate across the Unified Trial Solution organization to ensure architectural consistency and platform reuse., Your wellbeing means a lot to us, and we're here to support you through all of life's ups and downs. That's why we offer an unpaid leave policy, annual leave, reduced-hours timetables and a host of benefits, including a retirement plan, long service award, and health and travel insurance. ## Related Videos - [Blueprints for Success: Steering a Global Data & AI Architecture](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1577-blueprints-for-success-steering-a-global-data-ai-architecture) - [Stop using Node.js like in 2020! 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