Head of Engineering

This role is open within one of our portfolio companies, Quilr. Quillr is seeking an experienced Head of Engineering to drive research and development initiatives, spearhead customer-focused AI and security solutions, and serve as a technical ambassador between enterprise clients and our engineering teams. This role demands a proven track record of designing and implementing Python-based, AI-driven security frameworks in collaboration with customers, as well as the ability to translate complex real-world use cases into actionable product requirements. Key Responsibilities - Lead hands-on proof-of-concept engagements with enterprise customers, demonstrating deep expertise in AI, and security domains. - Translate customer pain points (e.g., data exfiltration, AI misuse, policy circumvention) into technical requirements and collaborate closely with product and engineering teams to ship new features. - Conduct immersive on-site or virtual discovery workshops, technical deep dives, and architecture reviews to align product capabilities with each customer’s compliance, risk, and AI-adoption posture. - Serve as the primary technical liaison: gather feedback, prioritize enhancements, and ensure customer requirements influence the product roadmap. - Collaborate with data science and engineering teams to incorporate AI models into production-grade microservices, ensuring scalability, reliability, and security best practices. - Design and deliver technical collateral, solution briefs, architecture diagrams, proof-of-concept scripts, test harnesses, that empower field teams and partners to demonstrate Quillr’s value proposition. - Lead quarterly “Innovation Days” or similar working sessions where product, engineering, and customers co-develop advanced AI rule sets, detection logic, or policy engines. - Work closely with Partners, Marketing, and Sales Engineering to create up-to-date demonstrations, whitepapers, and reference architectures. - Provide structured, data-driven feedback to product management and engineering to drive roadmap decisions, feature prioritization, and overall product strategy. Qualifications Minimum Experience - 15+ years in enterprise cybersecurity roles, with at least 5 years in a customer-facing technical leadership capacity and 1 year in AI/ AI-security. - Hands-on experience building Python-based AI or machine-learning solutions (e.g., risk scoring engines, anomaly detection, NLP pipelines) in production environments. - Proven track record of leading field R&D initiatives, delivering proof-of-concepts, reducing pilot-to-production timeframes, and translating client requirements into shipped features. Technical Skills - Advanced proficiency in Python (including data-science libraries such as pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow/PyTorch, or similar). - Strong background in AI and machine learning: model development, training, inference, and evaluation—preferably in security or risk-analysis contexts. - Deep understanding of security frameworks and controls (e.g., DLP, SIEM, SOAR, UBA, XDR) and experience integrating them into AI workflows. - Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines. - Familiarity with compliance standards (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR) and the ability to perform architecture reviews against those benchmarks. Leadership & Communication - Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, capable of articulating complex technical concepts to both technical and executive audiences. - Demonstrated ability to host technical workshops, lead cross-functional “Innovation Days,” and build structured feedback loops. - Experience managing or mentoring small teams of SMEs, data scientists, or security engineers through technical initiatives. Education & Certifications - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field. - Advanced certifications preferred (e.g., GIAC, CISSP, SANS courses in AI security, cloud security architecture). Preferred Qualities - Customer-Obsessed Mindset: You proactively seek to understand customer challenges, tailor solutions to their unique environments, and measure success by customer outcomes. - Innovator at Heart: You relish pushing the boundaries of AI and security, pilot new technologies, and contribute to thought leadership in the space. - Data-Driven Decision-Maker: You leverage analytics and customer feedback to continuously improve product features, streamline processes, and demonstrate measurable value. - Collaborative Team Player: You thrive in a cross-functional environment, partnering with product, marketing, and engineering to ensure customer voice is embedded in all stages of development.