Software Engineering Director (R&D Operations)

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology. Position Summary We are seeking a highly motivated Development Lead to join our Apex team. The successful candidate will lead software development for Apex in China, provide hands-on technical and operational direction across architecture, design, implementation, build and test automation, CI/CD, defect resolution, and release readiness, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver secure, reliable, and high-quality software releases that support business objectives. Key Responsibilities • Lead and execute R&D initiatives. • Collaborate with various internal and external teams to deliver multiple product releases per year. • Develop and maintain build systems, code coverage, regression testing, and development environments. • Organize daily scrum meetings to ensure continuous integration and continuous delivery. • Participate in Sprint planning and Sprint/Release retrospective meetings and provide feedback for planning/improvements. • Troubleshoot and resolve technical or operational issues. • Drive process improvements and best practices. • Participate in weekly technical discussions and provide feasibility analysis. • Mentor junior team members and contribute to team growth. Required Qualifications Education • Masters in software/computer science/mechanical engineering or related engineering domains Experience • 25+ years of experience in the Software Industry with experience in managing CAE R&D • Experience leading large-scale application development • Experience delivering predictable releases while managing scope, quality, resources, and dependencies. • Proven leadership and demonstrated ability for team development • Strong technical background with proficiency in C++, Python, Windows, Linux, and Test automation • Proven experience with risk management, agile methodologies, and coordinating across various product groups such as UX, QA, IT, and Support. • Has a strong understanding of the CAE domain and worked in MSC, Ansys, Ansa or related companies. • Hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or similar platforms to improve developer productivity, code quality, test generation, documentation, and engineering workflows. Technical Leadership Skills • Ability to provide technical direction across architecture, design, implementation, testing, and release execution. • Strong capability to evaluate technical trade-offs, guide design reviews, and make sound engineering decisions aligned with product strategy. • Experience leading geographically distributed engineering teams and coordinating execution across product, QA, IT, support, and release management functions. • Ability to mentor senior engineers, develop technical leads, and build a culture of engineering ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement. • Proven ability to identify technical risks early, define mitigation plans, and ensure predictable delivery of complex software programs. • Strong understanding of software quality practices, including automation, code coverage, regression strategy, build stability, and release readiness. • Ability to communicate complex technical topics clearly to executive stakeholders, product teams, and engineering contributors. Soft Skills • Strong people leadership skills with the ability to mentor engineers, set expectations, provide feedback, and build a high-performing delivery-focused team. • Excellent communication skills for working with engineering teams, product stakeholders, QA, program management, and senior leadership. • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make practical decisions under technical and schedule constraints. • Ability to drive accountability, remove execution blockers, and maintain focus on predictable, high-quality delivery. • Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence across teams and build alignment around technical priorities and delivery commitments.N/A We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t.