CTO - Fractional

Job Title: Fractional CTO – AI Tools for Residential Design

Location: Hyderabad, India

Please READ Before Applying:

If you're looking for a safe, slow-moving "CTO" gig where you just manage Jira boards and sit in status meetings — this isn't it.

If you're the kind of technical leader who learns fast, ships faster, and wants to
build + lead groundbreaking AI tools that change an entire industry
, keep reading.

What is zHeight?

zHeight is a fast-growing U.S.-based startup reimagining residential design and permitting. We help American homeowners and contractors get permits
faster, more affordably, and at higher quality
— by combining world-class talent with technology and AI.

Our India-based delivery team includes architects and engineers from IITs, NITs, and top global schools — now we're building our
core software and AI team
to engineer the next generation of internal and client-facing tools that
power the future of residential architecture
.

We've delivered
100+ permitted projects
in California and beyond — and we're just getting started.

About the Role

As our
Fractional CTO
, you'll
own and drive the development
of the tech stack that runs our business — from
plan check automation
to
code compliance engines
to
AI-powered design workflows
.

You'll co-develop with our junior engineers, set technical direction, and ensure we're building fast, building smart, and building for scale.

This role is
fractional to start
(10–20 hours/week) with a clear path to
full-time CTO
as we grow.

What You'll Do

• Architect and lead the development of our internal & client-facing platforms for residential design workflows
• Build AI-powered tools to automate plan checking, zoning analysis, and code compliance
• Design data-rich systems for tracking, compliance reporting, and performance analytics
• Integrate APIs from permitting databases, AI/LLM models, and 3D/spatial engines
• Establish engineering best practices, code quality standards, and dev ops pipelines
• Mentor and pair-program with junior engineers to accelerate delivery and learning
• Work closely with architects, engineers, and operations to deeply understand workflows
• Rapidly prototype and iterate based on real user feedback

Who This Role is For

• 5+ years in software engineering, with
  at least 2 years in a technical leadership role
• Deep experience in
  JavaScript/TypeScript (React + Node)
  or
  Python (FastAPI/Django)
• Strong in systems architecture, API design, and integrating third-party services
• Experience working with
  AI/LLMs
  (OpenAI, Anthropic, fine-tuning, embeddings)
• Ability to translate complex operational workflows into scalable software tools
• Bonus: experience in CAD/3D workflows, geospatial data, or building code automation
• You thrive in
  fast-moving, high-ownership environments
  and can work hands-on when needed
• You love solving real-world problems in the built environment — and building tools people actually use daily

This is NOT for You If:

• You need perfect specs before you start coding
• You avoid ambiguity and direct collaboration with users
• You want a slow ramp-up before making an impact
• Use the word "archdriven" in your subject line so we know you actually read this
• You're not comfortable being both
  architect
  and
  builder

Why Join zHeight?

• Equity in a high-growth, early-stage U.S. startup
• Clear path to
  full-time CTO
  and ownership of the entire tech roadmap
• Become an industry pioneer in AI-driven residential design & permitting
• Build software with
  direct, tangible real-world impact
• Collaborate with sharp, driven teammates across architecture, engineering, and tech
• Shape the tech stack, processes, and culture from the ground up

How to Apply

Send an email to

with:

1. Your CV (PDF)
2. A short note on why this role excites you
3. A link to code samples, GitHub, or projects you've built — bonus if related to AI, workflow automation, or internal tools