Skills

Leadership Data Engineering Stakeholder Management Architecture Machine Learning Azure AWS GCP

Job Specifications

Remote CTO / Director of AI – Lead AI Transformation (Occasional Visits to Austin, TX)

Location: Remote (U.S.) – occasional visits to Austin, TX

Type: Permanent

Salary: $240,000 – $290,000 base + bonus / equity (depending on experience)

The Opportunity

We are partnering with a fast-growing U.S. organisation seeking a CTO / Director of AI to lead a company-wide AI transformation programme.

This is a remote-first leadership role, with occasional visits to Austin, TX to collaborate with the executive team and key stakeholders. The successful candidate will define the AI strategy, build technical capability, and deliver high-impact AI initiatives across the business.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the AI vision, architecture, and team of a growing organisation while leading transformational AI projects from a flexible remote setup.

Key Responsibilities

Define and execute the company’s AI and data strategy
Lead the AI transformation roadmap across business units
Identify and deliver high-impact AI use cases that drive operational and commercial value
Build and scale AI, ML, and data engineering teams
Design and oversee AI architecture, data platforms, and MLOps frameworks
Drive adoption of modern AI technologies, including LLMs and generative AI
Establish AI governance, security, and responsible AI frameworks
Partner with senior leadership to align AI initiatives with business objectives and growth strategy
Collaborate occasionally on-site in Austin, TX for executive alignment, strategic workshops, and team-building

Requirements

Proven experience leading AI, data, or digital transformation programmes
Strong background in AI, machine learning, and data platforms
Experience building and scaling technical teams and AI capabilities
Ability to translate AI innovation into commercial impact
Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
Experience with modern AI frameworks and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
Comfortable working in a remote-first environment with occasional in-person collaboration

Preferred Experience

Experience with Generative AI and LLM implementation
Previous role as CTO, Head of AI, Director of AI, or Chief Data Officer
Experience delivering AI-enabled products or platforms
Experience working in high-growth or technology-driven organisations

Why Join?

Lead a major AI transformation programme from a remote-first position
Shape the long-term AI and technology strategy
Build and lead a high-performing AI team

About the Company

Edison Smart is an award-winning, trademarked, global staffing solutions company providing permanent, contract and RPO services to leading SmartTech companies. Edison Smart supports the 'industry 4.0' technology revolution by syncing talent with opportunity and is recognised as a specialised global provider for IoT connectivity, AI and Data Automation recruitment solutions. Our management team has over 30 years of experience working with various organisations who have shaped the world and societies we live in today. Edis... Know more