[Remote] Lead Platform Engineer

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Simulations Plus, Inc. is a leading provider in the biopharma sector, offering advanced software and consulting services that enhance drug discovery and development. The Lead Platform Engineer will be responsible for improving systems, tooling, and workflows for software development, focusing on modernizing build environments and managing cloud infrastructure.ResponsibilitiesLead the design and implementation of a monorepo strategy, resolving cross-repository dependency management across a portfolio of scientific C++ librariesOwn CMake build system architecture, ensuring reproducibility, incremental correctness, and performance through platform transitionsEvaluate and evolve C++ package management (vcpkg or equivalent) to fit the target monorepo modelPrototype and benchmark build configurations on target hardware to make data-driven toolchain recommendationsOwn the infrastructure engineering and evolution of an AI-assisted developer IDE, including model gateway architecture, agent integrations, and developer workflow enhancementsEvaluate and integrate AI model platforms (AWS Bedrock, GitHub Copilot, and others) into developer tooling via abstraction layers that allow model substitution without client-side changesDefine and maintain developer environment standards, onboarding automation, and configuration-as-code practicesServe as the primary technical decision-maker for developer platform infrastructure, communicating trade-offs clearly to engineering teams and senior stakeholdersPartner with engineering leads to understand domain-specific build requirements for computationally intensive scientific software and factor them into platform decisionsCoordinate infrastructure rollouts across teams, managing dependencies, sequencing, and risk mitigationDesign and document platform architecture for build systems, developer tooling, and AI model integrationEstablish baselines and success metrics for platform initiatives (build time, cache hit rate, onboarding time)Identify and mitigate technical risks in infrastructure transitions before they affect engineering productivityEvaluate emerging developer productivity tools and make evidence-based adoption recommendationsOwn and administer the organization’s GitHub presence, including repository structure, branch protection, access controls, and org-level policy enforcementDesign and maintain GitHub Actions CI/CD workflows, including reusable workflows, composite actions, and self-hosted runner infrastructure integrated with build cachingManage infrastructure via Terraform, including module library, remote state, and drift detectionEstablish branching strategies, release workflows, and code review policies that scale across teamsInstrument build and tooling pipelines with metrics, logs, and alerts to detect regressions and measure improvementsEnsure platform infrastructure meets security and compliance requirements, including credential and secrets management for cloud and AI servicesMaintain documentation and runbooks for all platform systemsOther Duties as AssignedSkills6+ years of software engineering or platform/infrastructure engineering experience focused on developer productivity or build systemsHands-on experience with build systems, including incremental builds, dependency management, and toolchain configurationExperience modernizing legacy build tooling and replacing distributed compilation systems with modern caching alternatives (sccache, ccache, or similar)Experience with monorepo architecture and the trade-offs versus multi-repo approachesFamiliarity with C++ package management systems such as vcpkg or ConanWorking proficiency in Python and Node.js for build tooling, automation, and platform scriptingExperience managing developer environment infrastructure, including endpoint provisioning, environment configuration, and onboarding automationHands-on GitHub organization administration, including repository management, access control (teams, SSO/SAML), and policy enforcementStrong proficiency with GitHub Actions, including reusable workflows, composite actions, and self-hosted runner managementProduction Terraform experience, including module design, remote state management, and cloud provider integrationWorking knowledge of at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP), particularly compute and storage services used in CI/CDTrack record of leading multi-team infrastructure initiatives with clear ownership and deliveryAbility to articulate technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders and build alignment before large migrationsStrong written communication skills for architecture decision records, technical documentation, and cross-team coordinationExperience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or scientific computing software environmentsFamiliarity with simulation or modeling software that involves computationally intensive C++ codebasesUnderstanding of software development in regulated industries and the quality standards that applyExperience with Bazel, Buck2, or other build systems suited to monorepo incremental buildsFamiliarity with R and its use in scientific computing or data analysis workflowsFamiliarity with LLM observability tooling (e.g., Langfuse, Helicone, Arize, or CloudWatch LLM metrics)Experience with agile development methodologies and working within a structured engineering organizationFamiliarity with inner-source or platform-team models of developer tooling ownershipUnderstanding of security best practices for developer infrastructure, including secrets management and least-privilege access patternsBenefitsFully remote workFlexible schedulesGenerous vacation policyAffordable health coverageStock optionsAnnual bonusCompany OverviewSimulations Plus is a leading provider of modeling and simulation software and consulting services supporting drug discovery, development research, and regulatory submissions. It was founded in 1996, and is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, US, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is https://www.simulations-plus.com.Company H1B SponsorshipSimulations Plus, Inc. has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 1 in 2026, 4 in 2025, 4 in 2024, 5 in 2023, 4 in 2022, 3 in 2021, 4 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.