IT Director

Position: IT Director

Position Type: Full-time, permanent

Department: Information Technology (IT)

Location: Boulder CO, onsite

Experience: 10 years with an Associate or Bachelor degree in Computer Science, or equivalent qualification from a recognised tertiary institution.

Watchmaker Genomics is a global life science company based in Boulder, Colorado with an R&D and Production facility in Cape Town, South Africa. Our team is passionate about innovation and values collaboration, creativity, and scientific rigor.

We believe that the intersection of biology, engineering, and computer science presents exciting opportunities for developing novel technologies that promote research and improve human health. Watchmaker Genomics specializes in the design, development, and production of DNA- and RNA-modifying enzymes that enable high-growth applications in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and personalized medicine.

Position Summary

Watchmaker Genomics is inviting applications for the full-time position of IT Director, an onsite leadership role based in Boulder, Colorado. This position reports directly to the Head of Global IT and operates within a global matrix IT organization, working in close alignment with global infrastructure, business systems, cybersecurity, application, and IT quality / Computer System Validation (CSV) teams.

The IT Director is the senior IT authority for the US site and a trusted strategic extension of the Head of Global IT. The successful candidate will bring a combination of technical depth, operational excellence, strategic business acumen, and executive presence. They will thrive in a fast-paced, regulated environment and will be equally comfortable owning day-to-day operational outcomes, partnering with C-suite stakeholders, contributing to global technology roadmaps, and driving technology-led organizational change.

Skills and Requirements

• IT Leadership & Service Delivery: Serve as the primary IT leader for the site, ensuring high-quality service delivery across end-user computing, infrastructure, applications, and business systems (including ERP and laboratory platforms). Oversee ITSM processes (incident, problem, and change management), provide regular reporting to leadership, monitor performance against SLAs, and drive continuous improvement through operational insights and feedback.
• Strategic Leadership & Enterprise Contribution: Serve as the primary liaison between US operations and global IT functions; actively influence cross-functional decisions; represent IT in internal and external forums; and drive digital and data maturity by identifying technology-led opportunities across the business.
• People & Resource Management: Lead and develop IT teams, including contractors and service providers, while defining roles aligned to organizational growth. Oversee workload, capacity, and performance across resources, foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, and drive change management to support successful technology initiatives.
• Vendor & Third-Party Management: Own IT director-level vendor relationships, ensuring performance meets SLAs and global standards, while partnering with procurement on compliance and optimization, and driving accountability through regular reviews and escalation as needed.
• Infrastructure Oversight: Oversee US site IT infrastructure (networks, servers, storage, and connectivity), guide infrastructure engineering, coordinate upgrades with global teams, and ensure compliance with architecture and security standards.
• Business Systems Architecture & Alignment: Own alignment of business systems (ERP, lab, manufacturing, and data platforms), partner with global IT on architecture decisions, ensure governance compliance for all changes, and serve as the senior IT liaison translating operational needs into scalable solutions.
• AI Enablement & Governance: Drive responsible AI adoption by identifying opportunities, leading pilots, ensuring governance alignment, and promoting AI literacy for informed decision-making.
• Process Redesign & Automation: Drive process optimization and automation across IT and business services, leading US execution and partnering cross-functionally to implement technology-enabled workflow improvements that enhance efficiency and service quality.
• System Availability & Performance: Ensure high availability of critical systems with clear recovery targets, proactively monitor performance and risks, and coordinate maintenance to minimize operational disruption.
• Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Ensure site continuity and disaster recovery align with global standards, and lead incident response and recovery with clear communication.
• Computer System Validation (CSV): Ensure systems comply with CSV and validation frameworks, maintain audit readiness with IT Quality, enforce rigorous change control and documentation, and represent IT in audits and regulatory activities.
• Cybersecurity Maturity & Risk Management: Strengthen cybersecurity at the Director level by partnering with global security, enforcing policies and controls, leading incident response, managing site risk and mitigation, and driving vulnerability, access, and awareness programs.
• Preferred Additional Experience: Familiarity with ISO 13485, NIST, POPIA, GDPR, HIPAA, or equivalent regulatory frameworks, with demonstrated experience building compliance into operational IT governance. Experience with regulatory frameworks, enterprise architecture, and AI/automation in regulated environments, combined with strong strategic, analytical, and executive communication skills, and the integrity, resilience, and adaptability to perform in fast-paced, global settings.

Qualifications and Education

A Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent qualification from a recognized tertiary institution, combined with 10 years of progressive IT leadership experience.

Compensation

The budgeted range for this position starts at $150,000 - $170,000 bonus equity; actual pay will be adjusted based on skills and experience. Employees are eligible for Flexible Time Off, Holidays, employer covers 75% of base medical plan with buy-up options, EAP (employee assistance program), employer paid dental with a buy-up option, employer paid vision, employer paid $25,000 life/AD&D policy, paid parental leave, and a 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% match.

Application Requirements

To apply for the position, please submit the following in a PDF format on watchmakergenomics.com:

• Letter of motivation (upload where it says cover letter)
• Resume or Curriculum vitae, highlighting relevant qualifications and experience

Applications without a Letter of Motivation will not be considered. Local candidates preferred.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled; however, early submission is encouraged as review will begin immediately.

If selected to participate in the interview process, the names and contact information of three professional references who are able to assess your suitability for the position in terms of the specified requirements will be requested.

*** NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE

We are only accepting direct applications for this position. We are not working with external recruiters or agencies at this time. Unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from third-party recruiters will not be considered and will be deemed the property of Watchmaker Genomics.

*** WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

Watchmaker Genomics is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and creating a culturally diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status or any other characteristics as protected by applicable law.

All applicants will be asked if currently eligible to work in the United States of America; and if now or in the future will require visa sponsorship to continue working in the United States.

This position may be subject to pre-employment checks, including driving history check, drug screening and a background check for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities. All pre-employment checks will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.