Lead Developer

Job Description

The Department of Neurology has an open opportunity for a Lead Developer to join a new initiative focused on brain health, aging, and resilience.

The Lead Developer will play a critical role in advancing the Department’s mission to improve brain health across the lifespan by leading the design, development, and maintenance of secure, scalable, and research-ready software platforms. This position supports interdisciplinary initiatives focused on brain aging, cognitive resilience, and precision-medicine approaches by building technical infrastructure that enables high-quality data collection, integration, analysis, and translation.

Working at the intersection of neuroscience, aging, population health, and data science, the Lead Developer will partner with faculty, clinicians, and researchers to translate scientific and clinical priorities into robust digital systems that support longitudinal research, biomarker pipelines, digital phenotyping, and personalized risk and resilience modeling. The position emphasizes scalability, accessibility, responsible data stewardship, and alignment with UW and UW Medicine standards for security, privacy, and compliance, ensuring that technology solutions effectively support research innovation and public impact.

The Lead Developer must convert evolving research questions in brain health, aging, resilience, and precision medicine into clear, adaptable technical solutions. This includes supporting diverse and complex data types while ensuring systems remain flexible, maintainable, and scalable over long research timelines. This position will collaborate closely with clinicians, neuroscientists, researchers, analysts, and community-engagement staff and successfully aligning technical development with diverse priorities, workflows, and timelines will require strong communication skills and the ability to translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Software Development & Delivery – 40%

• Serve as a hands-on developer for complex features, core services, and mission-critical components

• Oversee the full software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance

• Ensure code quality, performance, accessibility, and security through rigorous review, testing, and monitoring practices

• Guide implementation of CI/CD pipelines, version control workflows, and automated testing strategies

Technical Leadership & Architecture – 30%

• Lead the architectural design and technical implementation of software platforms supporting research, clinical programs, registries, and community-engaged initiatives

• Define system architecture, data models, APIs, and integration strategies that enable scalable and interoperable solutions

• Establish and maintain technical standards, development best practices, and documentation aligned with UW and UW Medicine guidelines

• Evaluate, select, and implement appropriate technologies, frameworks, and cloud services to meet evolving institutional needs

Data Governance, Security & Compliance – 10%

• Ensure systems adhere to UW, UW Medicine, and regulatory requirements related to data security, privacy, and compliance (e.g., HIPAA, IRB, as applicable)

• Implement best practices for data governance, access controls, auditability, and long-term data stewardship

• Proactively identify and mitigate technical risks, vulnerabilities, and technical debt

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement – 10%

• Work closely with faculty, researchers, clinicians, project managers, and community partners to translate programmatic and research needs into technical requirements

• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders

• Support grant-funded projects by contributing to technical sections of proposals, progress reports, and documentation

Innovation & Continuous Improvement – 5%

• Stay current with emerging technologies, development methodologies, and research-enabling tools

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, scalability, and user experience across UW-supported platforms

• Contribute to long-term technical roadmaps that support sustainable growth of research and community-focused initiatives

Team Leadership & Mentorship – 5%

• Provide technical leadership and professional development support to developers, analysts, and trainees

• Coordinate development efforts across internal teams, collaborators, and external vendors, as needed

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and learning-oriented development culture consistent with UW values

• Support onboarding and training of new team members and student developers, as needed

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Biomedical Informatics, Software Engineering, or a related field and a minimum 5 years of relevant experience

Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Substantial experience in software development, including designing and maintaining complex applications or platforms

• Demonstrated experience providing technical leadership on multi-stakeholder projects

• Proficiency in modern programming languages, frameworks, and database systems

• Experience with cloud-based infrastructure, APIs, and system integrations

• Strong understanding of version control, CI/CD, and agile or iterative development methodologies

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree or advanced training in Computer Science, Data Science, Biomedical Informatics, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience

• Experience supporting research, academic, healthcare, or public sector environments

• Seven or more years of relevant experience, with demonstrated senior-level technical expertise, product management work, and and leadership responsibilities

• Familiarity with artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches, including predictive modeling and precision analytics applied to complex, multi-modal data

• Experience working with data-intensive systems, research registries, or longitudinal analytics platforms

• Ability to collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams spanning research, clinical, and community-engaged domains

• Knowledge of accessibility standards, inclusive design principles, and ethical data use

Working Environment Conditions:

• This is a hybrid employment opportunity combining office-based and remote work.

• Occasional evening or weekend activities may be required.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$139,992.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$157,764.00 annual

Other Compensation:

-

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

Not Applicable

About the UW 

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.  

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Our Commitment 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu. 

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law. 

Salary : $139,992 - $157,764