AI Leader (Defense Tech)

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine; hybrid

Company

hirify.global develops autonomous drone software that enables large, coordinated teams of drones to operate without pilots, with systems tested in Ukraine’s defense environment.

What you will do

• Own the AI roadmap and execution rhythm across autonomy, perception, and data systems.
• Consolidate AI/ML initiatives into a roadmap with clear priorities, owners, and delivery accountability.
• Align AI work with the product roadmap, combat-operations priorities, and field constraints.
• Build planning, prioritization, ownership, quality, metrics, and quarterly delivery processes.
• Integrate the data function into the broader AI organization and improve engineering speed through tooling, automation, and AI-assisted workflows.
• Make high-level technical decisions and supervise architecture across computer vision, robotics, autonomy, and integration.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience managing technical teams.
• Experience leading AI/ML, computer vision, perception, autonomy, or related teams, with a hands-on technical background.
• Strong people-management experience, including hiring, team structuring, accountability, performance management, and leadership of senior individual contributors.
• Experience deploying models at the edge or on embedded platforms such as Jetson or Qualcomm, not only in the cloud.
• Strong fundamentals in mathematics and physics, including reasoning about wind, ballistics, sensors, and drone dynamics.
• Upper-Intermediate English or higher and availability for hybrid work in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Nice to have

• Deep experience with ATR, object recognition, perception systems, or autonomous systems.
• Experience with embedded AI, resource-constrained environments, and hardware-software integration.
• Defense, aerospace, drones, robotics, or operational technology experience.
• Experience rebuilding or scaling a data team and working directly with founders or CEOs.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on autonomy and perception systems supporting Ukraine’s defense technology ecosystem and international expansion.
• Direct impact in a high-stakes industry with real-world security consequences.
• Exposure to cutting-edge defense technologies and international security practices.
• Competitive salary and benefits package including insurance and paid sick leave.
• 20 paid days off per year and defense-sector benefits such as reservation.

Hiring process

• Recruiter screen, technical interview, and managerial interview.
• Final interview with the CEO, followed by a background check and offer.