Artificial Intelligence jobs in United Kingdom

When a five-year-old boy was blinded after a regular eye exam failed to spot a retinal detachment, his father made it his life’s work to help eye care professionals by revolutionising retinal imaging. Optos was founded by Douglas Anderson in 1992 with the goal to make a patient-friendly device to quickly capture the entire retina.

The experience of Douglas Anderson is a thread that runs through the company to this day and has resulted in our products being used in nearly 20,000 locations globally. Optomap® shows up to 82% (200°) of the retina in a single-capture, offering unrivalled clarity and Optos is proud to be recognised as the leader in this field.

We are currently seeking an exceptional VP of Software to lead, scale, and evolve our global Software organisation within R&D, delivering next-generation medical imaging products and services. Reporting to the CTO, you will set and communicate a compelling software technology vision and strategy aligned with Optos’ business objectives. You will bring extensive technical leadership and management experience from software environments—ideally medical devices, instrumentation, or regulated domains. Through innovation, compliance, and operational excellence, you will drive customer impact, commercial results, and foster an inclusive, high-performing team culture.

Working closely with the R&D and wider leadership team, you will be responsible for the delivery, performance, and commercial impact of software solutions across a range of ophthalmic devices and medical software, driving organisational growth and positive customer experience through class-leading technologies.

• Vision & Strategy: Develop, communicate, and execute a forward-looking software technology vision and strategy that supports Optos’ business goals and drives innovation and competitive advantage.
• Regulatory Leadership: Ensure all software development activities comply with international medical device regulations and standards (e.g., IEC 62304, FDA, MDR), including risk management, documentation, and validation.
• Portfolio & Programme Leadership: Provide strategic leadership for the R&D portfolio, overseeing successful delivery and deployment of multiple concurrent development programmes.
• Budget & Resource Management: Own and manage software development budget, resource allocation, and vendor relationships, ensuring optimal efficiency and alignment with strategic priorities.
• Team Development: Scale, organise, and manage the Software team to match strategic and tactical needs; recruit, mentor, and develop talent through structured programs for career growth, training, and professional development.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a primary liaison between the Software organisation and internal/external stakeholders, including Product Management, Service, Operations, and key customers.
• Quality & Customer Experience: Drive product quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction through effective monitoring, analysis, and rapid resolution of product performance issues.
• Culture & Inclusion: Promote a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative team culture, fostering innovation, creativity, and accountability throughout the organisation.
• Metrics & Reporting: Establish, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) related to software delivery, quality, and customer impact, continuously improving processes and outcomes.
• Security & Data Privacy: Champion best practices in software security and data privacy, ensuring robust protection throughout the development lifecycle.
• Innovation & Technology Trends: Maintain and disseminate state-of-the-art technology knowledge; proactively evaluate and adopt emerging technologies (e.g. AI) relevant to medical imaging and software development.
• Agile & Cross-functional Leadership: Lead the adoption and continuous improvement of Agile, Lean, and other modern software development practices; foster cross-functional collaboration and delivery excellence.

• Proven senior management experience in scaling and managing software engineering organisations within complex, instrumentation-based, or regulated environments.
• Demonstrated success in building and deploying high-performance applications at scale.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or education gained through work experience.
• Extensive experience in product development, preferably within a regulated domain (medical devices, instrumentation, etc.).
• Track record of leading and developing high-performing teams, including hiring, mentoring, and career development.
• Experience with Agile methodologies (SAFe, Scrum, Lean, etc.) and cross-functional programme leadership.
• Strong analytical, presentation, and communication skills (verbal, written, listening).
• Demonstrated commitment to quality, process improvement, and innovation.
• Knowledge of software security and data privacy best practices.

At Optos, we offer a highly competitive compensation and benefits package.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, age or protected veteran status.

At Optos, we are looking for the best talent. If you feel you have the necessary skills and experience and want to join a great team, please click on the Apply button!