Change people’s lives and love what you do! Cochlear develops world-leading medical devices that help people hear. As a top 100 medical device company and market-leader in implantable hearing devices, more people choose a Cochlear-branded cochlear implant system than any other. Our employees tell us that the number one reason they enjoy working for Cochlear is the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives.
Senior DevOps Engineer – Desktop Platforms & Release Engineering
📍 Location: Mechelen, Belgium
🧭 Function: R&D – Clinical & Research Platforms
👥 Role Type: Senior Individual Contributor
🌍 Scope: Global, multi-site
About Cochlear
At Cochlear, we create technology that helps people hear and be heard. Our implantable hearing solutions are used by millions of people worldwide, restoring access to sound, speech, and connection.
Behind every implant is a suite of mission-critical clinical software used daily by audiologists across the globe. These desktop applications program devices, diagnose behaviour, ensure safety, and optimise outcomes for patients of all ages. When this software works well, lives change. When it doesn’t, the consequences are real.
About the Role
We are looking for a Senior DevOps Engineer – Desktop Platforms & Release Engineering to own and shape how Cochlear builds, tests, releases, and governs its clinical desktop software.
This is not a cloud-native SaaS role. You will work on regulated, installed Windows software that must operate reliably in constrained, security-restricted, and sometimes disconnected clinical environments.
This role carries scope and accountability equivalent to a Principal-level individual contributor. This means owning standards, making final technical decisions, and having the authority to enforce or block non-compliant pipelines and release practices.
You will act as the single technical authority for CI/CD, build systems, and release engineering across desktop applications, platforms, libraries, drivers, and hardware-dependent components. You will influence many teams globally, without direct reports.
What You’ll Do
Own and govern CI/CD, build systems, and release engineering across Cochlear’s Desktop Software ecosystem
Define, standardise, and enforce reproducible, containerised Windows build environments and dependency management
Design and operate scalable CI/CD pipelines that integrate physical hardware, drivers, and firmware
Consolidate fragmented or bespoke pipelines into a unified, compliant, and auditable platform
Own release engineering end-to-end, including versioning, signing, packaging, validation, and promotion
Ensure full traceability from commit to clinical distribution, including SBOMs and secure supply-chain practices
Act as the escalation and decision authority for CI/CD, release, and hardware-automation issues
Partner closely with Architecture, Quality, Regulatory, Cybersecurity, and delivery teams
What We’re Looking For
Proven end-to-end ownership of CI/CD and release platforms across multiple teams or products, including standards definition and enforcement
Deep expertise in Windows build ecosystems (.NET, MSBuild, CMake, MSVC, Qt)
Demonstrated experience with reproducible, containerised Windows build environments
Experience delivering desktop or installed software in constrained or regulated environments
Hands-on experience integrating hardware into CI (USB, BLE, drivers, firmware interaction)
Ability to influence, set standards, and make decisions without formal authority
Clear communicator with strong technical judgment and an ownership mindset
Experience in regulated industries such as medical devices, automotive, or aerospace is a strong advantage.
Key Requirements
Minimum
BSc or MSc in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience
5+ years in DevOps, Platform Engineering, or Build/Release Engineering for complex systems
Proven ownership of CI/CD and release platforms spanning multiple teams or products
Strong expertise in Windows build ecosystems (.NET, MSBuild, CMake, Qt, MSVC)
Experience designing reproducible, containerised Windows build environments
Proven experience operating DevOps and CI/CD platforms for desktop or installed software products, not exclusively cloud-native or SaaS systems
Practical experience with hardware-dependent CI (USB/BLE, drivers, firmware interaction)
Strong understanding of networking constraints impacting CI/CD and distributed systems
Strong communication skills in English, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders
Why Join Cochlear
Operate as a recognised DevOps and Release Engineering authority with Principal-level scope
Own one of the most critical engineering platforms in Cochlear’s clinical ecosystem
Shape how desktop clinical software is built and released for the next decade
Deliver direct, measurable impact on clinical safety, regulatory confidence, and patient outcomes
Work with talented engineers across Europe and Australia on meaningful, high-stakes problems
What we offer
An attractive remuneration package and flexible extra-legal benefits
An extensive onboarding and training program
An enjoyable work environment with attention to life-work balance and homeworking
A stimulating environment with growth opportunities and opportunity to meet multi-disciplinary colleagues across the globe
This is your chance to be part of a premier organization with a great culture, working in a dynamic, growing and rapidly evolving environment to deliver outstanding results that benefit our customers every day. Be part of something purposeful and APPLY now by clicking on the link below and see your career grow!
Cochlear Summary
Cochlear’s mission is to help people hear and be heard. Around the world, more people chose a Cochlear-branded hearing implant system than any other. Our employees tell us that the number one reason they enjoy working for Cochlear is the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives. Learn and grow with us as we tackle the most complex challenges in helping people to Hear Now. And Always. Cochlear is the global market leader in implantable hearing solutions including cochlear implant systems (CI) and bone anchored hearing aids (Baha™).
Equal opportunities
Cochlear is committed to providing equal opportunities to avoid unlawful discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, religion/belief or age. In line with our corporate ethics and statutory obligations we strive to ensure that the work environment is free of harassment and bullying and that everyone is treated with dignity and respect - this is an important aspect of ensuring equal opportunities in employment.
Top Skills
What We Do
Hear now. And always
As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, at Cochlear (ASX: COH) we are committed to our mission to help people hear and be heard. Our story started more than four decades ago when Professor Graeme Clark pioneered the world's first multi-channel cochlear implant and created an entirely new treatment for hearing loss.
Since our formation in 1981, we continue Professor Clark’s work to help people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience a life full of hearing.
We have provided more than 650,000 implantable devices. Each recipient helps form a global community of millions, through families, friends, colleagues, teachers and more. And they’re not just connected to their own community — each shares a link with each other and to Professor Clark’s childhood desire to help people hear.
We aim to give people the best lifelong hearing experience and access to innovative future technologies. We understand the privilege of connecting people to a life lived with hearing. And we listen, respond and move with the times – to continue to bring hearing within reach of all those who need it.
That's how we live our mission every day. Our global workforce of more than 4,000 people shares a collective determination to give more people the opportunity to enjoy a life of hearing.
Cochlear’s global headquarters are on the campus of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia with regional headquarters in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Through our offices in over 180 countries we help people of all ages to hear.
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