VP of AI at 4MP - Founding Role in Deep Tech in Columbus
Career & Market Insight
This is a rare, high-upside founding-team opportunity at a seed-stage deep-tech startup backed by Temasek through Xora Innovation — a credible, well-resourced backer with a strong portfolio (including a Marvell exit). That pedigree significantly de-risks the bet compared to an unfunded or bootstrapped early-stage role.
Compensation context: No salary is listed, which is common at seed stage. VP of AI roles at well-funded US startups typically range from $220K–$320K base, often with meaningful equity (0.5%–2%+ at this stage). Candidates should negotiate aggressively on equity given the founding-team nature of the role.
Skills this role develops:
- Physics-informed ML and reinforcement learning in real industrial environments — a highly differentiated, scarce skill set
- End-to-end AI system architecture for autonomous hardware systems (digital twins, CNC, telemetry)
- Founding-team leadership: hiring, roadmap ownership, board-level communication
Green flags: Backed by a sovereign wealth fund; category-defining market (autonomous manufacturing is nascent); experienced investor with deep-tech credibility; role offers true architectural ownership.
Red flags to probe: No salary transparency; seed stage means high execution risk; hardware-adjacent AI timelines are notoriously long; "visionary" language in JDs can mask unclear product-market fit. Candidates should ask for clear milestones, runway details, and existing IP/prototype status before accepting.
Overall, this is a strong career-defining opportunity for a senior AI leader ready to bet on a high-conviction deep-tech thesis.
About 4MP
At 4MP, we are building a new technological foundation for precision manufacturing. Our systems enable CNC machines to self-measure, self-correct, and continuously improve their performance – transforming conventional machine tools into autonomous precision systems.
Backed by Xora Innovation ("Xora") and extensively vetted by recognized experts across industry and government laboratories, 4MP is at the beginning of a category-defining journey. We are transitioning from early development into building a visionary company that will redefine how precision manufacturing is done globally.
About Xora Innovation
Xora is a leading global AI and deep tech venture firm backed by Temasek, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund. At Xora, we provide capital and long-term commitment to exceptional entrepreneurs who are transforming essential industries.
Our investments focus on three key sectors: AI Infrastructure, Applied AI, and Deep Tech. We are active as an early-stage venture investor, preferring to enter at the Seed or Series A stage, and remain deeply committed as long-term partners. We also collaborate with founders to form and launch high-velocity startups based on strong market theses.
Xora's portfolio companies include:
- Celestial AI – Photonic Fabric™ technology platform, exited to Marvell Technologies
- Amperesand – Next-gen power infrastructure for AI data centers
- Bedrock Robotics – Autonomous machines for construction
- Upscale AI – Back-end networking for data centers
- Vinci – Physics-driven AI for hardware simulation and design
About the Role
We are seeking a hands-on, visionary VP of AI who can architect, code, build, and lead from the front. You will work directly with the founding leadership team across software, machine physics, geometry, metrology, and data infrastructure to build the intelligence layer for a new category of manufacturing.
Joining at this seed stage means you will have a foundational voice in shaping the company, the technical architecture, and our future product direction. You will not simply lead an AI function; you will define how AI becomes the foundational layer of autonomous manufacturing.
What You Will Do
- Build and Manage the AI Organization: Build and manage the AI organization at 4MP while doing hands-on technical work. Recruit and mentor a world-class team while architecting AI modules, writing code, reviewing architecture, and building prototypes alongside them.
- Lead AI Architecture: Design and develop the intelligence layers that enable machines to interpret manufacturing intent, understand system deviations, and autonomously generate corrective actions.
- Integrate Multidisciplinary Data: Define how AI interacts with physics-based models, machine telemetry, sensor data, CNC programs, and manufacturing context.
- Interpret & Modify CNC Programs: Build AI systems to extract machining intent from G-code, accounting for operator variability, CAM differences, and varied programming styles.
- Design Learning Frameworks: Develop feedback loops that combine AI reasoning with physics-based models and sensor data, allowing machines to improve from each correction cycle and production result.
- Build Data Infrastructure: Create a scalable data architecture that captures manufacturing intelligence across machines, parts, tools, materials, and production environments.
- Create Simulation Environments: Define simulation and validation environments for training, testing, and scaling autonomous correction models.
- Drive Strategic Cross-Functional Leadership: In close interaction with other functional leaders, contribute to defining company strategy, technology and business roadmaps, and comprehensive project plans.
What We Require
- Hands-On AI Management: Proven experience building and managing an AI organization while doing hands-on technical work. Must be comfortable leading teams while actively contributing to the codebase.
- 10+ Years of Experience: Deep background in AI, software engineering, machine learning architecture, robotics, intelligent systems, or complex technical platforms.
- Industrial Domain Expertise: Direct experience with robotics, autonomous systems, industrial systems, physics-informed machine learning, reinforcement learning, control systems, simulation, digital twins, or real-world telemetry.
- System Architecture Expertise: Deep experience designing and building production-grade AI, ML, data, or software infrastructure from the ground up.
- Strong Coding and Data Proficiency: Exceptional hands-on coding skills and ability to manage data pipelines, model orchestration, validation, feedback loops, and complex, messy, real-world data.
- Core AI/ML Expertise: Strong, up-to-date understanding of optimization, statistical modeling, and system-level AI design.
- Educational Foundation: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related field.
What Will Set You Apart
- Advanced Degree: Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related field.
- Startup & Scaling Experience: An ideal candidate will bring a unique blend of agile startup experience alongside a proven track record of navigating the growth, product-focused phase at a major AI organization (such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, etc.).
- "Can Do", Driven Attitude: A track record of turning ambiguous, unsolved technical problems into reliable, working systems where no playbook existed.
- Systems Thinker: A focus on building foundational, long-term scalable platforms and intelligent systems rather than just standalone models.
- Visionary Drive: Not just looking for a senior title — looking for the opportunity to achieve a career-defining milestone by building a platform that fundamentally reshapes an entire industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this VP of AI role fully remote or does it require on-site presence?
What is the equity and compensation structure for this role?
What kind of AI experience is most relevant for this position?
Who is backing 4MP and how credible is the company?
Is a PhD required for this VP of AI role?
