AI Engineering Team Lead

Location: Bucharest, Romania

Thales is a global technology leader trusted by governments, institutions, and enterprises to tackle their most demanding challenges. From quantum applications and artificial intelligence to cybersecurity and 6G innovation, our solutions empower critical decisions rooted in human intelligence. Operating at the forefront of defence and security, aerospace and space, cybersecurity and digital identity, we’re driven by a mission to build a future we can all trust.

In Romania, we are advancing innovation through software engineering, research and development, delivering solutions in key markets in which Thales Group operates. Our engineers design, develop and integrate solutions that impact global industries – from fully operational systems and subsystems for naval warfare and maritime security operations, to air traffic management systems, satellite-based solutions, tactical indoor simulations, identity and biometric technologies and more.

Role: AI Engineering Team Lead

Mission:

We're building a new tribe dedicated to AI and data for engineering tools and processes - a strategic initiative impacting 30,000+ engineers.

In this context, we’re seeking a strategic and hands-on manager to lead the design and development of AI agents, microservices, and enterprise integrations. This role is ideal for a seasoned engineering leader who thrives in fast-paced environments, enjoys mentoring technical talent, and is passionate about delivering scalable AI solutions that drive business impact.

Main responsibilities:

• Ensure that the activities linked to the design and development AI agents, microservices, enterprise integrations by using state-of-the-art technologies (including LLMs and agentic AI) are delivered in time with the expected level of quality
• Ensure LEA team members constantly deliver their outputs respecting projects standards & expectations
• Help LEA team to align their skills with the project expectations
• Responsible for newcomers onboarding in the project
• Establish reusable frameworks and best practices across AI engineering projects.
• Remove impediments
• Shield the team from disturbances
• Coach team and individuals
• Conflict management
• Guard the Scrum process
• Facilitate Scrum ceremonies
• Assure good communications inside the team and be a good mediator inside the team and outside the team with other stakeholders who may be in other countries (e.g., France), including product owners, delivery managers, and UX designers.
• Partner with business stakeholders to identify and prioritize high-value agent use cases

Competencies & Skills:

• You hold a master’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related field. 
• Professional experience in software engineering or applied AI.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Passion for innovation and continuous improvement in AI technologies.
• Embrace emerging technologies and digital tools to enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and improve service delivery.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and adaptability in a hybrid work environment.
• Lead with insight and analytical rigor.
• Apply complex problem-solving and critical thinking to evaluate data, identify trends, and make informed decisions.
• Experience with data-related tools: ETLs, Datawarehouse, BI tools, etc.
• Experience with generative AI tools and protocols such as LLMs, MCP (Model Context Protocol), ADK (Agent Development Kit), or LangChain.
• Leading teams working in Python, Node.js, or Java/GO for microservices.
• Good understanding of APIs, cloud (ideally Google Cloud) and containerization (Docker/Kubernetes).

Mobility:

• Travels to France to consider

Languages:

• English – mandatory
• French – would be a plus

At Thales, we’re committed to fostering a workplace where respect, trust, collaboration, and passion drive everything we do. Here, you’ll feel empowered to bring your best self, thrive in a supportive culture, and love the work you do. Join us, and be part of a team reimagining technology to create solutions that truly make a difference – for a safer, greener, and more inclusive world.