Norman Alex Opportunities

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly capable and entrepreneurial Engineering Manager to serve as the founding technical manager in a new AI-focused venture backed by a family office. As the first engineer on the ground, you will lead the design and development of AI-centric applications. You’ll own end-to-end delivery, from backend systems to user interfaces, with autonomy and a high degree of influence.

Key Responsibilities

1. AI Application Development

Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered software products that integrate with foundation models (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic) or other AI services via APIs and on-prem LLMs

Train and fine-tune AI models for downstream tasks

Translate product ideas and strategic objectives into functional, scalable, and user-friendly applications. Build backend services, orchestrate workflows, and develop front-end interfaces to create seamless end-user experiences.

2. Systems & Architecture Design

Architect modular and extensible systems that support rapid experimentation and deployment of new AI features. Make critical decisions on frameworks, libraries, data structures, and cloud-native design patterns tailored to AI applications.

Prioritize maintainability, reusability, and performance.

3. Infrastructure & Deployment for AI Use Cases

Set up cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS, GCP, or Azure) to host applications and manage secure, scalable data and API integrations.

Implement lightweight DevOps workflows: CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and monitoring for deployed applications.

Ensure infrastructure is optimized for latency, concurrency, scalability and cost-efficiency of AI-powered systems. 4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work directly with stakeholders and domain experts to define features and development priorities. Participate in product ideation and contribute to shaping the roadmap through technical insight. Provide clear, actionable technical feedback to non-technical decision-makers.

5. Engineering Culture & Best Practices

Establish coding standards, version control workflows, code reviews, and testing protocols appropriate for a lean startup.

Document systems and maintain a developer-friendly environment for future hires.

Act as a mentor and technical reference point for future engineering team growth.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline. 610 years of hands-on experience in full-stack or backend software development, ideally with exposure to AI-powered products.

Strong proficiency in Python is essential; experience with TypeScript, JavaScript, or Go is a plus. Experience building applications that integrate with AI platforms (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Vertex AI). Experience in building microservices, APIs, authentication/authorization flows, and backend orchestration. Proficient with cloud services, containerization, and basic DevOps practices.

Proven track record of leading an engineering team to deliver AI applications and services