Skdse
Head of AI
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Berlin; Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Confirm work authorization, visa sponsorship and location requirements with the employer.About the role
At Stark, we forge the future of European and national security through cutting-edge, AI-driven technology and unmatched engineering precision. As a premier defence technology company, our mission is clear: to equip NATO Allies and their partners with next-generation autonomous defence platforms and advanced AI-driven software built to perform in the world’s most demanding environments.
We believe that true security stems from relentless innovation. By combining elite engineering talent with agile technology and an AI-native operational culture, Stark turns complex defence challenges into field-tested, multi-domain solutions.
Why Join Us?
- The software and systems you work on directly protect personnel and defend European and national sovereignty.
- You will work alongside industry-leading minds on autonomous systems, advanced propulsion, and secure cyber platforms.
- We foster a fast-paced, collaborative environment where bold ideas are supported by serious R&D backing.
Your Mission
Reporting directly to the CTO, you will define and own STARK's AI strategy, across the product, across internal tooling, and across the entire technical organisation. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with Chief Engineers and Engineering Leads, setting a direction they can execute against. On the product side, you'll push the boundaries of what's possible in sensing, autonomy, and robotics for defence. On the internal side, you'll systematically drive AI-powered productivity across every function at STARK. And beyond the company, you'll be our most visible and credible AI voice; the signal that serious AI talent picks up when deciding where to build next.
Responsibilities
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Define and own STARK's AI strategy across product and internal domains, setting a direction that Technical Leads can execute against
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Lead AI stack decisions, model selection, frameworks, MLOps infrastructure, evaluation, and tooling, in partnership with the CTO and Technical Leads, with final technical accountability sitting with you
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Act as connective tissue across teams: identify and resolve cross-team AI dependencies, shared infrastructure gaps, and redundant workstreams that individual leads cannot see from inside their own domain
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Drive internal AI adoption across STARK, developer productivity tooling, agent and automation infrastructure, and responsible-use frameworks across engineering and operations
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Provide technical oversight and challenge across all AI workstreams, asking hard questions on methodology, adversarial robustness, distribution shift, and performance under real operational conditions, without taking over delivery
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Monitor the academic and commercial AI landscape and translate relevant advances into concrete strategic inputs for the CTO and programme leadership
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Keep AI strategy grounded in operational reality by partnering with programme and product leadership so that what we build maps to real mission requirements, not research for its own sake
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Raise the AI bar at STARK: contribute to senior technical hiring, define the AI engineering standard, and build STARK's standing in the European defence-AI community
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Represent STARK externally, speak at defence, robotics, and AI venues, publish or present where it serves the mission, and act as a credible signal of the company's technical ambition
What success looks like in the first 12 months:
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A single, written, widely-understood AI strategy that Chief Engineers and Technical Leads actively use to make decisions
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Internal AI tooling in production use, measurably changing how engineering and operations work day-to-day, not as a pilot
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At least one product-side AI capability moved meaningfully forward on your direction
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STARK visibly more attractive to senior AI talent than when you joined, with at least one strong hire personally pulled into the pipeline
Required Skills
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Degree in machine learning, computer vision, robotics, or a closely related field, or demonstrably equivalent depth through industry research and an open publication or open-source record
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Proven experience setting AI technical strategy at a senior level, across multiple domains simultaneously, not within a single team or project
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Deep technical fluency in at least one of: perception and sensor fusion, autonomy and motion planning, SLAM/localisation, or multi-agent coordination (C2), with enough breadth to engage credibly across all of them
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Strong track record of influencing technical decisions without direct line authority, working through and alongside Technical Leads, not over them
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Experience in defence, aerospace, or another safety-critical domain where AI system failure carries real-world consequence; direct UAS or ground-robotics experience strongly preferred
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Fluent English; working German is a practical advantage in Berlin or Munich
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Eligibility for the required security clearance
Nice-To-Have
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An existing network within the European defence AI community
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Prior experience in a staff- or principal-level AI role inside a scaling deep-tech or defence company
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A public profile, talks, papers, or open-source work, that already signals technical credibility
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Comfort operating in a high-autonomy, low-overhead role: setting direction and shaping outcomes without a large dedicated team
Equal Opportunity:
At Stark Defence, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing team. We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and identities.
If you are excited about this role, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the listed qualifications—ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points. We value unique perspectives, adaptability, and a drive to solve high-stakes challenges.
Security Clearance:
Due to the nature of our work in the defence sector, candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance required for this position. Details will be provided during the recruitment process.
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