Edge SW Chapter Lead

NestAI; Oulu; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP program

Occupational healthcare

Flex benefits

Lunch benefit

Mental wellbeing services

Holiday allowance

Phone benefit

Mac or PC choice

Team lunches and events

Job summary

NestAI in Finland is seeking an Edge SW Chapter Lead to set the technical direction for edge software, build and grow the team, and align with product strategy. You will mentor engineers, lead recruitment, collaborate with product owners, and ensure high-quality engineering practices within an agile environment.

This principal role requires hands-on depth in embedded systems and a track record of scaling teams for mission-critical systems.

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading and scaling edge/embedded software teams.
• Hands-on depth early in career with technical grit for complex edge software.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management in a fast-growing environment.
• Broad architectural awareness across edge software domains.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical vision and direction for edge software and align with strategy.
• Mentor and grow a chapter of edge software engineers with regular feedback.
• Partner with People Lead and Project Lead to translate strategy into goals.
• Lead recruitment and place the right people in cross-functional squads.

Skills

Lead edge software

Mentoring

Embedded systems

Architectural design

Real-time OS

Linux expertise

Edge computing

Education

Bachelor's or higher in a relevant field

Tools

Embedded Linux

RTOS

Containerisation

Device drivers

Job description

NestAI builds the adaptive operating system for modern battlefield operations. Most AI systems are built once, validated at deployment, and expected to stay sufficient after that. That assumption holds until conditions change, and in defence, they always do. Our team develops adaptive intelligence for unmanned and command systems: AI that continuously learns from operational data and adapts to changing conditions, deployed in environments where there is no internet, no GPS, and failure is not an option. NestOS, our open, modular, and interoperable platform, enables this at scale and keeps capability evolution under sovereign European control.

Founded in 2025 by Peter Sarlin, whose previous company Silo AI became Europe's largest AI acquisition, NestAI has grown to over 200 engineers and scientists and partners with leading European defence forces and industry. We're ambitious about what we're building and honest with each other. The bar is high, and so are the standards we hold ourselves to. But this is also a place built on humility, trust, and looking after each other. If that sounds like the kind of work you want to do, keep reading.

Join us as an Edge SW Chapter Lead

You'll lead the Edge SW chapter, one of the engineering disciplines inside Edge R&D alongside Edge HW, Edge AI, and Edge Localisation. This is a principal-level position: you'll set the technical direction for edge software, build and grow the team, and make sure the chapter's capabilities line up with what our products and customers need. We're looking for someone with deep technical roots who has led and scaled embedded or edge software teams before, and who leads by understanding the work, not just managing it.

What You'll Work On

As Edge SW Chapter Lead, you'll sit at the intersection of technical leadership and people leadership, working closely with project leads, future product owners, and the other chapter leads across Edge R&D. In this role, you will:

• Own the technical vision and direction for edge software, align it with our broader product and engineering strategy, and communicate that direction clearly to product owners and other stakeholders.
• Mentor and grow a chapter of edge software engineers through regular one-on-one feedback, performance tracking, and long-term career development, while building a psychologically safe team culture.
• Partner with the People Lead and Project Lead to translate organisational strategy and project targets into concrete team and individual goals, and remove the obstacles that get in the way of high-impact work.
• Lead recruitment for the edge software discipline and work with product managers and project leads to place the right people on the right cross-functional squads.
• Engage directly with customers when needed, while keeping requirements and communication flowing cleanly through the product owner.
• Define and maintain the engineering standards, quality practices, and processes that keep the chapter's work consistent and high quality within our agile way of working.

What We're Looking For

If your background doesn't match every requirement but the work resonates with you, we'd encourage you to apply. How you think, learn, and take ownership matters more to us than ticking every box. Here is what we are looking for:

• A solid track record of leading, mentoring, and scaling edge software or embedded systems engineering teams.
• Deep technical roots, with significant hands-on work earlier in your career and the technical grit to understand what it takes to build complex edge software systems, not just manage the people who build it.
• Outstanding communication and emotional intelligence, with the stakeholder management skills to navigate a fast-growing, mission-critical environment and communicate clearly across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Broad architectural awareness across modern edge software domains such as embedded Linux, real-time operating systems, edge computing frameworks, containerised deployment on constrained devices, device drivers, sensor data pipelines, or communication protocols.
• A strategic mindset that balances people management, operational demands, and long-term technical vision.

Nice To Have

• Systems thinking that connects hardware, software, and mission requirements into one coherent picture.
• Hardware expertise, with an understanding of the embedded platforms edge software runs on.
• Quality expertise, with experience building rigorous testing and quality assurance practices.
• Integration and release expertise, with experience running integration and release processes for complex systems.

Why join NestAI

• Work alongside over 200 engineers and scientists, including 60+ PhDs. People who've built AI platforms, autonomous systems, and defence technology across Europe. Most of our people say the best thing about NestAI is the people you get to work with.
• Work with real ownership. You identify what needs building, talk to the right people, and ship. Ownership here is the expectation, not a talking point.
• Work at a pace where Monday's idea can be Friday's deployment. The problems we're solving are urgent, so the culture reflects it.
• Work on systems that must operate with no connectivity, no GPS, and no margin for error. The problems we're solving are technically hard, genuinely novel, and they sit at the intersection of AI and the physical world.
• Work at a company where the platform, the practices, and the standards are all being built right now. The people here get to define how things work and how they scale.

What We Offer

We offer practical benefits to support your work and wellbeing:

• The chance to participate in the NestAI Employee Stock Option Program (ESOP)
• Occupational healthcare (currently provided by Mehiläinen)
• Epassi Flex benefit for sports, culture, commuting, and wellbeing
• Lunch benefit (25% tax-free coverage)
• Mental wellbeing services via Auntie
• Holiday allowance (50% of holiday salary)
• Phone benefit (subscription and device per company policy)
• Your choice of Mac or PC
• Regular team lunches and company events

We are continuously developing our benefits offering as we grow.

Good to know

This role requires a security clearance, which is standard for defence industry positions in Finland. The process is handled by the relevant authority and typically takes two to three months. You can start working at NestAI before the clearance is finalised. We are happy to answer any questions about the process during the recruitment.

Relocation support is considered on a case-by-case basis.

NestAI is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants on their skills, experience, and potential, regardless of background, identity, or personal characteristics. We believe the best teams are built from diverse perspectives, and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can do meaningful work.