Role Overview

We are seeking a Lead AI Engineer to architect, build, and deploy custom AI solutions for key clients. You will work closely with client teams to transform complex operational challenges into production-ready systems with rapid, measurable impact.

Why Join Us?

Join a hands-on, product-focused team building AI-native systems from the ground up.

• Elite Founder-Led Team: Work with exited founders and passionate peers in a lean, high-trust culture that values autonomy and engineering excellence.

• Architect AI-Native Systems: Own SOTA solutions from the ground up, moving beyond simple wrappers to fundamentally redesign business processes.

• Master Agentic Coding: Build deep expertise in agentic practices and advanced AI implementation within production environments.

• High-Value Remote Culture: Benefit from competitive pay and a remote-first setup that balances deep work with intentional face-time for relationships.

• Broad Career Capital: Solve complex problems across Finance, Healthcare, and Logistics to maximize your long-term market value.

✅ Who Is This Role For?

• The Pragmatic Architect: Translates ambiguous business needs into lean, production AI.

• The High-Velocity Builder: Prioritizes shipping working solutions over technical perfection.

• The Technical Consultant: Acts as a strategic bridge between stakeholders and code.

• The Agentic Developer: Multiplies output using AI coding tools without sacrificing quality.

• The Autonomous Leader: Thrives in low-direction environments where you own the quality, timeline, and value of the final product.

• The Aspiring CTO: Seeks to grow into a strategic leadership role while maintaining a strong individual contributor presence and direct connection to the codebase.

Core Responsibilities

• Scoping: Translate complex business problems into technical AI roadmaps.

• Development: Architect and build full-stack AI applications from data to UI.

• Deployment: Launch SOTA models into production (cloud, on-prem, or hybrid).

• Enablement: Lead workshops and document solutions for successful client handovers.

• Collaboration: Partner with internal R&D to influence the core technology roadmap.

• Optimization: Monitor and tune systems to ensure continuous value and meet KPIs.

• Leadership: Lead a pod of 2-3 engineers in a low friction environment

About You

🎯 Key Requirements

• Experience: 6+ years shipping at scale. Expert at balancing speed, scalability, and complexity based on project stage and domain.

• Full-Stack: Expert in React, TypeScript, API design, containerization, and cloud (AWS/GCP/Azure).

• Velocity: Strong "ship fast" mentality with end-to-end ownership of outcomes.

• LLM Engineering: Expert at implementing RAG, robust evaluation systems, and LLM data processing pipelines using either existing frameworks or homegrown solutions.

• Agentic Coding: Has leveraged AI coding agents to accelerate delivery while ensuring rigorous development standards, robust testing, and seamless collaboration within a shared codebase.

• Product Sense: Intuitive UX grasp, iterates quickly to a "good enough" production state.

• Leadership: Sets best practices for others and drives quality within small, agile teams.

• Strategic Communication: Excels at technical discovery and managing client expectations.

✨ Bonus Points

• Strategic Growth: Ambition to provide technical oversight across multiple projects and squads.

• DevOps: Experience managing servers and services to ensure that solutions run on the client site.

• Vertical Expertise: AI experience in specialized industries like Finance, Healthcare, or Field Services.

• Niche AI: Expertise in multi-modal LLMs, voice processing, or edge deployment.

• Entrepreneurial: Background as a founder or early employee at a seed-stage startup.

❌ This Role Is NOT For

• Junior Developers seeking on-the-job training.

• Engineeers who prefer minimal client interaction.

• Individuals requiring constant direction or detailed task specifications.

• Perfectionists who prioritize technical elegance over building solutions that add value.

Work Terms

• Location: Remote-first (preference for Cape Town)

• Contract Length: 6 months (with potential to extend)

• Commitment: 4–5 days a week (flexible)

• Rate: Competitive day rate