Jyväskylä, Central Finland, Finland · Hybrid
Company NestAI is a European AI lab for defence delivering the adaptive operating system for modern battlefield operations. We develop adaptive intelligence for unmanned and command systems: AI that continuously learns f…
Skills: People Management, Data Architecture, Mentoring, Technical Leadership, Stakeholder Management
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Lead and mentor a chapter of data platform engineers and architects to build robust data infrastructure for physical AI systems. Collaborate with architectural leadership and product teams to align data capabilities with company milestones and scale the engineering culture.
Requires a seasoned leader with a proven track record of scaling engineering teams and a deep foundational background in hands-on data engineering. Must possess exceptional interpersonal skills and broad knowledge of modern data ecosystem components like Kafka, Spark, and Kubernetes.
Company
NestAI is a European AI lab for defence delivering the adaptive operating system for modern battlefield operations. We develop adaptive intelligence for unmanned and command systems: AI that continuously learns from operational data and adapts to changing conditions.
NestOS is our open, modular and interoperable platform that 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 brings together over 150 engineers and scientists and partners with leading European defence forces and industry.
Role Description
We are looking for a Data Platform Chapter Lead to join our team full-time in Tampere, Helsinki, Oulu, Turku, or Jyväskylä.
In this role, you will be the driving force behind the people and the technology powering NestAI’s data infrastructure. This is a crucial leadership position that heavily emphasizes people management and exceptional interpersonal skills, while requiring a deep, foundational technical background. You will lead a talented chapter of data professionals, fostering their growth and ensuring the delivery of robust data architecture for our physical AI systems.
As a Chapter Lead, you will have a strong voice in shaping our data strategy, working closely alongside our architectural leadership to ensure our team has the tools, skills, and structure needed to scale. This role is ideal for a seasoned leader who loves building high-performing engineering cultures and possesses the technical breadth to steer complex data initiatives.
Day-to-day responsibilities include:
People Leadership: Mentoring, coaching, and managing a high-performing chapter of data platform engineers and architects, driving their career development and fostering a collaborative culture.
Technical Stewardship: Providing technical guidance and oversight for the design, scaling, and maintenance of our data infrastructure, drawing from your own deep engineering background.
Collaboration & Strategy: Partnering closely with the upcoming Lead Architect, AI researchers, software engineers, and product teams to align data platform capabilities with company milestones.
Resource & Talent Management: Aligning chapter members with cross-functional product squads, identifying skill gaps, and actively participating in recruitment to scale the team.
Best Practices: Advocating for high standards in data quality, consistency, and reliability across embedded, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Qualifications
Proven Leadership: A solid, long-term track record of leading, mentoring, and scaling data or software engineering teams.
Technical Roots: Significant technical breadth with a background of extensive hands-on work earlier in your career. We are looking for an empathetic leader who understands the technical grit required to build complex platforms—not a pure manager.
Exceptional Interpersonal Skills: Outstanding communication, emotional intelligence, and stakeholder management skills to navigate a fast-growing, mission-critical environment.
Architectural Awareness: Broad knowledge of modern data ecosystem components (e.g., Airflow, dbt, Kafka, Spark, cloud data warehouses, or Kubernetes) to effectively collaborate with architectural leads.
Strategic Mindset: Ability to balance people management, operational demands, and long-term technical vision.
Why join NestAI
At NestAI, you’ll build meaningful, real-world technology as part of a world-class team of engineers, scientists, and experienced professionals. You’ll work on systems where reliability genuinely matters, contribute to Europe’s security and resilience, and solve problems that demand depth, trust, and craftsmanship.
If you want to build with purpose — and with leading experts in the field — you’ve come to the right place.
Perks & Benefits
We offer a growing set of practical benefits to support your work and wellbeing, day to day:
Occupational healthcare (currently provided by Mehiläinen)
Epassi Flex benefit (sports, culture, commuting, wellbeing)
Lunch benefit (25% tax-free coverage)
Regular team lunches and all-hands events
Your choice of Mac or PC
Holiday allowance (50% of holiday salary)
Phone benefit according to company policy (subscription and device)
We are continuously developing and expanding our benefits as we grow.
Practicalities
Employment is subject to applicable security screening (including SUPO, where required).
Currently NestAI is focusing to hire talent already located in Finland. Remote work from abroad is not unfortunately possible. Relocation within Europe might be an option - if it is an option for you as well, please bring the topic up in your cover letter!
NestAI is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants based on their skills, experience, and potential.
We build next-generation AI to protect what matters most.
NestAI is a fast-growing European physical AI lab. We build adaptive intelligence for unmanned systems, with a focus on defence and critical infrastructure. Building on an open, modular and interoperable architecture, we enable multi-vendor integration without lock-in and long-term European control over critical autonomous capabilities. Headquartered in Finland and backed by Nokia, Tesi and PostScriptum, we work alongside the Finnish Defence Forces and leading European industry partners to establish the sovereign physical AI foundation for Europe’s security.
We build next-generation AI to protect what matters most.
NestAI is a fast-growing European physical AI lab. We build adaptive intelligence for unmanned systems, with a focus on defence and critical infrastructure. Building on an open, modular and interoperable architecture, we enable multi-vendor integration without lock-in and long-term European control over critical autonomous capabilities. Headquartered in Finland and backed by Nokia, Tesi and PostScriptum, we work alongside the Finnish Defence Forces and leading European industry partners to establish the sovereign physical AI foundation for Europe’s security.
