Lead AI Engineer at Very Big Things

Job description

🎯 Why This Role Matters We're seeking an exceptional Lead AI Engineer to architect and build an internal workflow automation platform that will become a core customer offering, working directly with our CEO and leadership team while operating more like a technical founder than a traditional employee. This is a rare opportunity for someone who thrives on autonomy, moves fast, and isn't afraid to break things in pursuit of progress—you'll build the platform foundation, then deploy into enterprise customer environments to rapidly implement solutions enhanced with AI. This role demands strong ownership. You'll build the platform foundation, then deploy into customer organizations to understand their workflows and rapidly implement enterprise-grade solutions enhanced with AI. If you're someone who sees problems and solves them without waiting to be told, this role is for you. 🧠 How You'll Contribute Foundation Phase: Design and build the core architecture for an enterprise workflow automation platform Make critical technical decisions about stack, architecture patterns, and implementation independently Create robust APIs, integrations, and workflow engines adaptable to diverse enterprise needs Deployment Phase (Primary Focus): Deploy virtually or on-site into customer organizations across the US Conduct discovery sessions to understand workflows and requirements Rapidly prototype and build custom solutions tailored to each enterprise Iteratively integrate AI capabilities to enhance automation and drive value Act as the technical face of the company during customer engagements Throughout: Work autonomously with minimal oversight from CEO and leadership Make architectural decisions and push back constructively when needed Move fast, ship quickly, and iterate. Success comes through iteration, not upfront planning 🧬 What Makes You a Great Fit 7+ years building production software across front‑end and back‑end; history of shipping complex systems. 2+ years building with Gen‑AI in real products. Expert with TypeScript/JavaScript and modern stacks (e.g., Next.js/React , Node/Nest/Express). Comfortable across data layers (Postgres/SQL, caches, vector stores). LLM‑assisted development expertise: You’ve materially increased velocity and quality using tools like Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, Copilot (or equivalents), and you know how to design prompts, break down problems, enforce tests, and review AI output safely. Solid grasp of security and compliance (authN/Z, RBAC/ABAC, audit, data residency, secrets, PII handling). Familiar with cloud + DevOps (Vercel/AWS/GCP/Azure), CI/CD, IaC (Terraform/Pulumi), and monitoring/observability. Leadership: proven experience guiding senior engineers, establishing patterns, and raising the bar; strong client‑facing communication. Domain bonus (nice‑to‑have): retail, hospitality, logistics, healthcare/life sciences . We value expert builders who are as strong with people as they are with code —clear communicators who set expectations, navigate ambiguity, and lead teams through challenges. Technical excellence matters, and so do leadership and communication. We value curiosity, proactive learning, and ownership. If you’re a thoughtful builder who likes turning ambiguity into impact, you’ll fit right in. 🎉 Perks & Benefits Competitive compensation with performance upside. Comprehensive benefits Remote work PTO Final package depends on experience and location. 💙 Who We Are, What We Stand For Very Big Things is a generative‑AI consulting and implementation partner. We combine forward‑deployed engineers, product strategists, and researchers to ship bespoke AI systems that deliver measurable ROI for mid‑market and enterprise clients. We’re AI‑native: we build, use, and continuously improve our own workflow tooling (e.g., AI Sprints across R&D → Production) to move from idea to business impact fast. We are remote-friendly with an East-coast heartbeat; client-onsite time varies by engagement. We optimize for skill, signal, and values over pedigree. Expect a fast process: intro → working session (realistic client scenario) → panel → references. We focus on mid-market and enterprise clients. Legal disclaimer VBT is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all teammates.

Requirements

Must-haves

Why This Role Matters
How You'll Contribute
Design and build the core architecture for an enterprise workflow automation platform
Make critical technical decisions about stack, architecture patterns, and implementation independently
Create robust APIs, integrations, and workflow engines adaptable to diverse enterprise needs
Deploy virtually or on-site into customer organizations across the US
Conduct discovery sessions to understand workflows and requirements
Rapidly prototype and build custom solutions tailored to each enterprise
Iteratively integrate AI capabilities to enhance automation and drive value
Act as the technical face of the company during customer engagements
Work autonomously with minimal oversight from CEO and leadership
Make architectural decisions and push back constructively when needed
Move fast, ship quickly, and iterate. Success comes through iteration, not upfront planning
What Makes You a Great Fit
7+ years building production software across front‑end and back‑end; history of shipping complex systems.
2+ years building with Gen‑AI in real products.
Expert with TypeScript/JavaScript and modern stacks (e.g., Next.js/React , Node/Nest/Express). Comfortable across data layers (Postgres/SQL, caches, vector stores).
Solid grasp of security and compliance (authN/Z, RBAC/ABAC, audit, data residency, secrets, PII handling).
Familiar with cloud + DevOps (Vercel/AWS/GCP/Azure), CI/CD, IaC (Terraform/Pulumi), and monitoring/observability.
Leadership: proven experience guiding senior engineers, establishing patterns, and raising the bar; strong client‑facing communication.
We value curiosity, proactive learning, and ownership. If you’re a thoughtful builder who likes turning ambiguity into impact, you’ll fit right in.
Final package depends on experience and location.
Who We Are, What We Stand For

Nice-to-haves

Domain bonus (nice‑to‑have): retail, hospitality, logistics, healthcare/life sciences .

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