VP of Engineering at Confidential AI Industrial Platform Company

My client is an early-stage AI and automation company building an end-to-end industrial platform for heavy industries including manufacturing, energy, and logistics. They are looking for a hands-on VP of Engineering to serve as the technical leader of the company, effectively acting as CTO. What You Will Do Owning end-to-end platform architecture from edge connectivity (sensors, cameras, PLCs) through cloud orchestration, data ingestion, and enterprise system integrations Leading technical strategy and key architecture decisions for a mission-critical industrial platform supporting real-time sensor fusion, anomaly detection, and operational planning Staying hands-on in the codebase regularly, implementing and refactoring core components, debugging production issues, and pairing with engineers across Python and TypeScript Guiding product direction alongside the founders, translating factory-floor realities into a clear technical roadmap from prototype through production Building, mentoring, and leading a small, high-performing engineering team in a flat, accountable organization Representing the company's technical vision externally through customer demos, investor presentations, and industry events What You Bring (Must-Haves) 8+ years of experience in senior engineering leadership roles (VP of Engineering, CTO, Head of Engineering) Engineering leadership experience in heavy industry (manufacturing, defense, energy) or at a company providing products and services to heavy indu