AI Project Lead

Altivate; Ernakulam; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Direct access to the CEO

No bureaucracy

Competitive salary based on experience

Job summary

A tech-focused firm in AI development is looking for an AI Project Lead to build and manage an AI practice from the ground up. This role requires strong software development skills and a hands-on approach, leading a small team in delivering AI solutions that integrate with enterprise systems. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in backend technologies and LLM APIs, along with excellent communication skills for stakeholder engagement. The position offers direct interaction with the CEO and a chance to shape the team’s culture and product delivery.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software development experience with at least 1–2 years leading a team.
• Strong backend development skills (such as .NET/C#, Python, or TypeScript).
• Hands-on experience with LLM APIs and building real applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical direction for AI agent products.
• Oversee delivery of AI agents from prototype to production.
• Mentor a small development team and set sprint priorities.

Skills

Software development experience

Backend development: .NET/C#, Python, or TypeScript

Experience with LLM APIs

User of AI coding tools

API design and integration

SQL databases

Cloud platform experience

Clear communication with stakeholders

Tools

Claude Code

Cursor

Copilot

Job description

AI Project Lead

Location: Kochi, India | Type: Full-time

The Role

We're building an AI practice from scratch — shipping AI agents that connect to enterprise systems like SAP and help businesses automate complex workflows through conversation. We need someone to own this end-to-end: lead the technical direction, manage a small dev team, ship products, and interface directly with the CEO and our AI Strategy Advisor.

This is a builder-leader role. You'll write code, architect systems, AND run the team. If you want a pure management position where you attend meetings and review Jira boards, this isn't it.

What You'll Own

• Technical direction for all AI agent products (architecture, stack decisions, quality)
• Delivery of AI agents from prototype to production.
• A team of 2 mid-level developers: mentoring, code review, sprint priorities, unblocking
• Integration layer between AI (LLMs, agent frameworks) and enterprise systems (SAP RFC/BAPI, MCP, Dynamics, Oracle)
• Product conversations with the CEO — translating business needs into technical plans
• Development culture: AI-first workflows, Claude Code as default, fast iteration, shipping over perfection

What We Need

• 5+ years of software development experience with at least 1–2 years leading a small team or project
• Strong backend: .NET/C#, Python, or TypeScript — you can build and ship, not just delegate
• Hands‑on experience with LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure OpenAI) — you've built something real with them, not just experimented
• Daily user of AI coding tools (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, SpecKit) — this is how we work
• Experience designing and consuming APIs and integrations (REST, RFC, webhooks)
• SQL databases — can write complex queries, understands optimization
• Cloud platform experience (Azure strongly preferred)
• Can communicate clearly with non‑technical stakeholders — the CEO is your main counterpart

Strong Advantages

• SAP experience (FI/CO module, BAPIs, RFC, OData) — this is a major differentiator
• Experience with agent frameworks (LangGraph, Semantic Kernel, AutoGen, CrewAI)
• MCP (Model Context Protocol) knowledge
• Has shipped a product or feature to real end users (not just internal tools)
• DevOps/CI/CD ownership

What You Get

• Full ownership of a new AI practice — you shape it, you build it, you run it
• Direct line to the CEO, no middle management layers
• Small team that ships fast — no bureaucracy
• Competitive salary based on experience
• Real impact: your work goes to customers, not into a backlog

How We'll Evaluate You

1. Technical conversation — Walk us through something you built with AI. Show us how you think about architecture, tradeoffs, and shipping.
2. Live build — Using Claude Code or your preferred AI tool, extend a simple agent prototype. We're watching your workflow, not testing your memorization.
3. Leadership scenario — A junior dev is stuck on an integration, a deadline is tight, and the CEO wants a status update. How do you handle the next 2 hours?