Company

NestAI builds the adaptive operating system for modern battlefield operations. Most AI systems are built once, validated at deployment, and expected to stay sufficient after that. That assumption holds until conditions change, and in defence, they always do. Our team develops adaptive intelligence for unmanned and command systems: AI that continuously learns from operational data and adapts to changing conditions, deployed in environments where there is no internet, no GPS, and failure is not an option. NestOS, our open, modular, and interoperable platform, enables this at scale and keeps capability evolution under sovereign European control.

Founded in 2025 by Peter Sarlin, whose previous company Silo AI became Europe's largest AI acquisition, NestAI has grown to over 200 engineers and scientists and partners with leading European defence forces and industry. We're ambitious about what we're building and honest with each other. The bar is high, and so are the standards we hold ourselves to. But this is also a place built on humility, trust, and looking after each other. If that sounds like the kind of work you want to do, keep reading.

Join us as a Forward Deployed AI Engineer

We are looking for a Forward Deployed AI Engineer to join NestAI. In this role, you will work embedded directly in our customers' environments, sitting at the intersection of advanced machine learning and real-world execution. You will shorten the path from prototype to fielded capability: validating our technology against operational reality, adapting it on the fly to the constraints and data of each deployment, and feeding what you learn back into the core product.

This is as much a client-facing role as it is a technical one. You will navigate shifting environments, build trust with operators and customer engineering teams, and take ownership of problems that do not come with a clean spec. You will need to be comfortable being the technical voice in the room with a customer, translating between what they need and what is actually possible, while still being hands-on enough to build, debug, and ship the solution yourself.

On the technical side, we are looking for strong AI/ML engineers with real breadth in machine learning, deep learning, decision-making, and increasingly LLM-driven or agentic workflows, who can adapt to whatever a deployment demands. Solid grounding in signal processing, whether from classical methods or modern learned/deep approaches, is particularly valuable given the sensor-heavy, real-time nature of our operating environments, but we do not expect mastery of both AI and signal processing in one person. Squads are built so that complementary backgrounds cover the full stack.

What you will work on

• Working directly with customer teams to understand operational requirements, constraints, and failure modes, and translating those into concrete technical problems.

• Designing and implementing algorithms for sequential decision-making, autonomous behavior, or specialized application workflows - drawing on whichever combination of ML, LLMs, control, or signal processing the deployment calls for, often alongside teammates with complementary backgrounds.

• Adapting and fine-tuning models to perform reliably against real operational data, which is often noisier and more constrained than anything seen in the lab.

• Rapidly building and iterating on prototypes in the field or in customer development environments, then hardening the ones that prove out for production.

• Collaborating with our internal platform, embedded, and perception teams to bring field learnings back into NestOS(core product) and ensure deployed solutions are supportable long-term.

• Building lightweight simulations, test harnesses, or data pipelines on-site to validate algorithms before they scale. Adapting state-of-the-art research in deep learning, signal processing, reinforcement learning, or NLP/LLMs into working, production-ready code under real deployment pressure.

What We're looking for

If your background doesn't match every requirement but the work resonates with you, we'd encourage you to apply. How you think, learn, and take ownership matters more to us than ticking every box. Here is what we are looking for:

• Working knowledge of signal processing: either a strong background in classical Digital Signal Processing (DSP) (filtering, spectral analysis, estimation) or in modern learned/deep approaches to signal data, with genuine curiosity about the other side.

• Strong working knowledge of machine learning theory and common deep learning architectures, with the ability to pick up new subfields (decision-making, reinforcement learning, LLMs, or signal processing) as the deployment requires.

• Proficiency in Python and hands-on experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, Ollama, LangeChain and other frameworks..

• Good communication skills and comfort engaging with customer or non-ML stakeholders; a consultative mindset is a plus but can be developed on the job with support from the team.

• Understanding of data processing pipelines and model deployment basics (predominantly edge-based).

• Experience with version control (Git) and Linux-based environments.

• Some familiarity with cloud or edge compute environments (e.g., GCP, AWS, Azure, or hardware accelerators).

• Willingness to travel to and work in customer environments as needed.

Note: we do not expect deep expertise in both AI and signal processing. One strong discipline plus a willingness to grow into the other is enough.

Preferred Extras:

• Prior experience in a forward-deployed, solutions engineering, or field applications role

• Previous experience working within or for DefSec (Defense & Security) companies

• Experience building applications with LLMs, agentic workflows, or handling large-scale cloud data infrastructure.

Why join NestAI

• Work alongside over 200 engineers and scientists, including 60+ PhDs. People who have built AI platforms, autonomous systems, and defence technology across Europe. Most of our people say the best thing about NestAI is the people you get to work with.

• Work with real ownership. You identify what needs building, talk to the right people, and ship. Ownership here is the expectation, not a talking point.

• Work at a pace where Monday's idea can be Friday's deployment. The problems we are solving are urgent, so the culture reflects it.

• Work on systems that must operate with no connectivity, no GPS, and no margin for error. The problems we are solving are technically hard, genuinely novel, and they sit at the intersection of AI and the physical world.

• Work at a company where the platform, the practices, and the standards are all being built right now. The people here get to define how things work and how they scale.

What we offer

We offer practical benefits to support your work and wellbeing:

• The chance to participate in the NestAI Employee Stock Option Program (ESOP)

• Occupational healthcare (currently provided through Deel)

• Possibility to expense €200 annually for sports, culture, commuting, and wellbeing

• Mental wellbeing services via Auntie

• Your choice of Mac or PC and work phone

• Company events and the possibility to expense lunch every other Friday

We are continuously developing our benefits offering as we grow.

Practicalities

This role may require a security clearance, which is standard for defence industry positions in Estonia. You can start working at NestAI before the clearance is finalised. We are happy to answer any questions about the process during the recruitment

Relocation support is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Please note, we can't accept applications sent via email.

NestAI is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants on their skills, experience, and potential, regardless of background, identity, or personal characteristics. We believe the best teams are built from diverse perspectives, and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can do meaningful work.