VP R&D for AI Division

We are Seeking VP R&D for AI Division in a defense organization

Executive-Level Technology Leadership | AI Architecture | Mission-Critical Systems

We are looking for a visionary  VP R&D – AI to lead the engineering and architectural excellence of a cutting-edge defense organization. This is a rare executive opportunity to shape the technological strategy behind complex, intelligent, and secure AI systems operating in the most challenging environments.

As  VP R&D, you will drive long-term architecture, oversee all development infrastructures, lead core engineering guilds, and ensure the creation of scalable, robust, sustainable, and secure AI platforms. You will influence organizational strategy, guide engineering culture, and solve some of the most demanding technological challenges in the field.

• Lead Engineering Guilds: Professional leadership, mentorship, and development of software engineers, DevOps, MLOps, and Data Engineering teams.
• Define Technological Vision & Architecture: Set the long-term technology roadmap, select tech stacks, and design system and platform architecture serving all squads.
• Establish Engineering Standards: Implement best practices across CI/CD, code quality, testing methodologies, and version governance.
• Manage Platform Teams: Direct responsibility for infrastructure groups providing DevOps/MLOps services across the unit.
• Solve Complex System Challenges: Lead solutions for large-scale production environments, model deployment on edge devices, multi-network scaling, secure AI environments, and integration with operational systems.
• Collaborate With Senior Technical Leaders: Work closely with principal architects and engineering leads across the organization.

Must-Have:

• B.Sc. in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related engineering field
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering and complex systems
• 4+ years in technological leadership roles (Team Lead, Architect, Head of Engineering, etc.)
• Proven experience designing, building, and maintaining large-scale production systems
• Deep hands-on experience with cloud platforms, Docker/Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines

Strong Advantages:

• Practical experience building MLOps and Data Engineering platforms
• Experience in secured/isolated environments (e.g., military)
• Background with embedded systems or edge computing
• Prior experience in the defense ecosystem

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic architectural thinking and broad system perspective
• Strong technological leadership that promotes quality, automation, and accountability
• Deep problem-solving capabilities and ability to dive into complex engineering challenges
• Ability to bridge research-level AI requirements with production constraints
• Balance between innovation and system reliability
• Passion and ability to mentor, teach, and drive technological excellence (high-level technical English proficiency)