Location: Remote (U.S. only – must be a U.S. citizen eligible for FBI background clearance; Austin, TX preferred)
Compensation: $180 K – $220 K + 1–3 % equity (milestone-based)
About Voice of ReasonVoice of Reason (VoR) is an early-stage GovTech company building AI-powered compliance infrastructure for the public sector.
We’re developing a secure, enterprise-grade system that helps agencies, insurers, and municipalities transform complex operational data into actionable, auditable insights.
Our mission is to reduce institutional risk and strengthen procedural integrity through transparent, data-driven technology designed for regulated environments. A provisional patent is filed, our prototype is validated, and pilot deployments are planned with select partners in 2026.
The Type of CTO We NeedWe’re not looking for a startup generalist.
We need a GovTech / AI Infrastructure CTO who has shipped secure, enterprise-grade systems under audit pressure and can lead the buildout of a compliance-certified AI platform.
General Profile
- 10–15+ years building or scaling ML infrastructure (video, audio, or multimodal).
- Hands-on with cloud architecture, data security, and ML deployment.
- Experience executing for CJIS, FedRAMP, or similar compliance readiness.
- Skilled at managing small, distributed teams and designing for procurement-grade reliability.
- Prefers early-stage autonomy over corporate hierarchy.
Bonus background: Palantir • Anduril • Axon • Scale AI • AWS GovCloud • Fusus • Motorola Solutions • DOJ / DHS contractors
Core Technical RequirementsWe’re seeking a CTO with proven expertise in multimodal AI systems—combining video, audio, and structured data into explainable, auditable outputs.
Required Skills (5+ years each)
- Computer Vision & Video Analytics – Large-scale video systems for pattern detection, object tracking, or behavioral analysis.
- Speech Recognition & Speaker Diarization – Integrating or optimizing ASR pipelines (Whisper, Deepgram, or custom diarization) for multi-speaker environments.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP) – Transcription analysis, entity extraction, and semantic classification at scale.
- Machine Learning Infrastructure – Designing and maintaining model orchestration, data pipelines, and MLOps for high-throughput systems.
- Secure Cloud Architecture – Building within SOC 2, CJIS, or FedRAMP frameworks with encryption, audit logging, and evidentiary integrity.
- Data Governance & Provenance – Designing reproducible systems with versioning, traceability, and compliance audit trails.
Bonus Experience
- Multimodal synchronization (video / audio / text fusion).
- Structured database design for rule-based or policy-driven data models.
- Deployments in regulated industries (public safety, healthcare, finance, defense).
- Familiarity with NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, or similar standards.
Eligibility RequirementsThis role supports systems subject to federal compliance and data-handling standards.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and able to pass an FBI background check for CJIS clearance eligibility.
What You’ll OwnDomain Responsibility
Architecture: Build the full ingestion-to-analysis stack (video → transcript → reasoning layer).
Compliance: Lead the technical path to CJIS / FedRAMP / SOC 2 readiness.
Productization; Convert the validated prototype into a secure, scalable SaaS platform.
Hiring; Recruit and mentor the first 2–3 engineers post-funding.
Execution; Deliver a pilot-ready, compliance-grade system within 3-6 months of funding.
Compensation FrameworkWe value commitment and accountability.
- Equity: % base + % earn-up (≤ 3 % total), milestone-based over 24 months.
- Cash: $180 K – $220 K annualized (flexible for pre-funding engagement).
- Vesting: Quarterly; milestones tied to pilot readiness, funding support, and first technical hires.
- Bonus: Performance-based payout for on-time pilot delivery and compliance milestones.
Why Join NowYou’re joining after market validation and proof of concept but before scale—where your architecture decisions will define the foundation of a new compliance category.
Voice of Reason’s advisory network includes a diverse team of current and former government officials with over a century of combined experience in procurement, compliance, operations, and liability.
Funding discussions are active; your leadership will validate unit economics and turn a proven prototype into an enterprise-grade platform ready for pilot and national deployment.
A detailed role brief will be shared after the first interview if there’s a fit. There will be only two interviews in total.
