Lead AI Engineer
This is the employer's own posting, not a copy on a job board.
What we know
Is it still open?
Confirmed still open
Last checked 3h ago — checked against the employer's own applicant tracking system, which is the company answering directly.
We re-read the employer's own applicant tracking system and the posting was still there. That is the company answering directly.
How old is it?
Posted 290d ago
The date the source published, not the day we noticed it (2025-12-17). Last seen at its source 1h ago.
Is it remote?
Marked remote on the employer's board
Their board carries a remote setting on this posting — a field they filled in, not wording we read. The location field names somewhere specific, which is usually where the team or the entity sits.
Who may apply?
United States
The description states no restriction of its own. This is the source's own tag.
Pay not stated
Similar roles pay $182.4k–250k/yr
Middle 50% of 848 listings that do state pay — Engineering · Lead · United States · USD/year. This employer has published no salary; this is what comparable listings we hold disclose, never converted between currencies or periods. How this is calculated.
Skills named in the ad
Recognised terms only, from a fixed vocabulary — this is what CV matching compares against.
Carried by 1 source
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bamboohr employer's own board first seen 3h ago · last seen 1h ago
The listing
🎯 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.