CTO / Founding Engineer - AI-Powered Logistics Platform Location: Brisbane (Hybrid) Equity: Up to 15% About the Company This is a rare opportunity to join a stealth-mode startup backed by a larger enterprise business. The founders bring deep expertise across product design and logistics - one with a strong design and product background, and the other with extensive domain knowledge in the logistics industry. The product they're building is focused on transforming the air freight logistics space by helping businesses track and manage data more effectively, ultimately reducing operational overheads. Currently, the initial version of the product is undergoing internal testing and is set to go live in the next 8-12 weeks. A major customer is already lined up, and momentum is building fast. The company is gearing up for a rapid scale-up and is looking for a third foundational team member to play a critical leadership role in this journey. About the Role This role is ideal for a senior engineer or technical leader ready to step into a CTO position with full ownership and accountability of the technical function. You'll be responsible for shaping and scaling the technical foundation of the business, making all key architectural and tooling decisions, and building out the team. The role is approximately 80% hands-on and 20% hands-off, meaning you'll spend the majority of your time actively contributing to the codebase while also stepping into a strategic leadership position. As the company grows, you'll build and mentor the core engineering team in Brisbane, contribute to technical pitches with clients and investors, and help shape the future of the business alongside the founders. This role will not suit someone from a large enterprise background who is used to rigid structures, large teams, or slower decision-making cycles. Instead, it's a perfect fit for someone who's been through the scale-up journey before - someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves fast, makes decisions, and takes full accountability for outcomes. This is not just a job; it's a true partnership opportunity for someone who wants to help build and scale a business from the ground up. What You'll Be Doing Taking full ownership of the technical function as CTO or senior technical lead Leading development using a TypeScript-based tech stack: Vue 3, Adonis.js, PostgreSQL, AWS Building and scaling the platform as it goes live and supports major clients Working 80% hands-on with the codebase, with 20% strategic oversight and leadership Driving technical decisions across frameworks, pipelines, and infrastructure Applying AI tools (OpenAI, LangChain, Gemini, etc.) in commercial applications Representing the company in technical pitches to CTOs, CEOs, and enterprise clients Hiring, growing, and mentoring a high-performing engineering team over time Collaborating closely with the two founders to shape product and company direction What We're Looking For A senior, lead, or principal-level engineer ready to step into a CTO role Strong commercial experience working with AI/machine learning tools and frameworks Proficiency with modern TypeScript frameworks (Vue 3), AWS, PostgreSQL, Adonis.js Exposure to multi-model AI tools like OpenAI, LangChain, and Gemini Experience building and scaling products in high-growth, fast-paced environments Previous experience at a startup or during a scale-up phase is essential This role is not suited to someone from a large corporate or enterprise environment A hands-on leader who takes full ownership and thrives in ambiguity Passionate about building clean, scalable, and innovative solutions Previous logistics experience is a plus, but not required Ready to step into a role where you can build, lead, and scale? Apply below or email kate@justdigitalpeople.com.au with your resume and cover letter for immediate consideration.
