Chief Engineer
Chief Engineer
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
NDA
Our client company applies AI to Ukraine's drone fleet, flying on live combat missions. The company is partnered with some of the major OEMs and brigades in Ukraine, and its AI is also deployed on EU platforms.
The company was built on a simple premise: deterrence is proven in the field, not built in a laboratory. The company is hiring a Chief Engineer who wants to keep building, not step away from it.
This role leads the Pilot and Platform engineering teams - not through day-to-day people management or payroll, but through architecture, product decisions and direct technical leadership. A CTO sits above this role to handle strategy, business and financing; this position exists so that whoever holds it can stay close to the code and the customer instead of being pulled upward into the business.
Our client company applies AI to Ukraine's drone fleet, flying on live combat missions. The company is partnered with some of the major OEMs and brigades in Ukraine, and its AI is also deployed on EU platforms.
The company was built on a simple premise: deterrence is proven in the field, not built in a laboratory. The company is hiring a Chief Engineer who wants to keep building, not step away from it.
This role leads the Pilot and Platform engineering teams - not through day-to-day people management or payroll, but through architecture, product decisions and direct technical leadership. A CTO sits above this role to handle strategy, business and financing; this position exists so that whoever holds it can stay close to the code and the customer instead of being pulled upward into the business.
Key Responsibilities
Work with the product team to shape product development
Own system architecture across the flight autopilot and hardware/platform layers
Drive both the Pilot and Platform engineering teams to ship
Lead product and architectural decisions, guide the teams, participate in recruiting
Stay hands-on in the codebase (roughly half of the role)
Work with the product team to shape product development
Own system architecture across the flight autopilot and hardware/platform layers
Drive both the Pilot and Platform engineering teams to ship
Lead product and architectural decisions, guide the teams, participate in recruiting
Stay hands-on in the codebase (roughly half of the role)
Requirements
Deep hands-on engineering expertise and strong credibility in the codebase
Experience owning system architecture across complex, hardware-adjacent software systems
A track record of driving engineering teams to ship without formal management authority
Comfort working closely with product and OEM stakeholders on real-world trade-offs
A build-first mentality - this is primarily a technical role, not a strategy or business-focused role
Deep hands-on engineering expertise and strong credibility in the codebase
Experience owning system architecture across complex, hardware-adjacent software systems
A track record of driving engineering teams to ship without formal management authority
Comfort working closely with product and OEM stakeholders on real-world trade-offs
A build-first mentality - this is primarily a technical role, not a strategy or business-focused role
Company Offer
Top-of-market compensation + equity
A senior technical role that allows you to stay hands-on, close to both the code and the customer
Direct influence over the architecture and a product deployed in real-world combat environments
Military exemption (reservation) may be provided, subject to available company quota
Top-of-market compensation + equity
A senior technical role that allows you to stay hands-on, close to both the code and the customer
Direct influence over the architecture and a product deployed in real-world combat environments
Military exemption (reservation) may be provided, subject to available company quota
NDA
Apply for this job
Apply for this job
other vacancies
CPO (Chief Product Officer)
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
VETERAN-FRIENDLY
CPO (Chief Product Officer)
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
VETERAN-FRIENDLY
Head of Operations
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
Head of Operations
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
Data Sales Director
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
Data Sales Director
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
Chief Engineer
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time
Chief Engineer
Kyiv, Ukraine
Full-time