Chief Technology Officer Defense Co-founder: (Equity at first)

Location:

Charleston, SC (hybrid with meaningful on-site presence)

Compensation:

Equity + Salary once funded Holland is seeking a visionary technical leader to join as co-founder and CTO. You will own the full technical strategy and execution from core AI architecture and edge autonomy systems to platform integration and deployment. You will work directly with the founder to define the technical vision, make critical architectural decisions, and build a high-caliber engineering team from the ground up. This is a true co-founder role with meaningful ownership and the opportunity to shape both the technology and the company's direction at the earliest stage. Key Responsibilities Define and evolve the overall technical architecture and AI autonomy stack Lead software and systems development from prototype to fielded capability Align technology decisions with mission and business objectives Build and mentor a world-class technical team Drive rapid iteration while maintaining the highest standards of performance and reliability in demanding environments Qualifications Strong background in AI, robotics, or autonomous systems (perception, planning, edge deployment, or multi-agent systems) Experience shipping complex technical products that combine software and hardware Proven ability to lead technical strategy and architecture in resource-constrained environments Comfort operating at the intersection of cutting-edge research and real-world deployment Interest in national security challenges and the defense technology ecosystem Entrepreneurial mindset with prior startup or high-growth company experience preferred Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Robotics, or a related field

Bonus:

Experience with unmanned systems, maritime autonomy, defense programs, or edge AI deployment in contested environments.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$120,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year Application Question(s): Have you ever shipped a complex technical product that combined software and hardware (robotics, autonomous systems, vehicles, or similar)? Do you have direct experience designing or leading AI/autonomy stacks (perception, planning, edge deployment, or multi-agent systems)? Have you ever built and mentored a technical team from the ground up? Do you have prior startup or entrepreneurial experience (founder, early employee, or co-founder level)? Are you genuinely interested in applying advanced autonomy to national security or defense-related problems? Are you open to a hybrid role in Charleston, SC with significant on-site presence during the early build phase? This is a startup, equity at first pushing for a funding round soon. Are you willing to join a boostrapped team to build a Maritime defense company? - If no then do not apply

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Summerville, SC 29483