Software and AI Team Lead

At AXYZ, we build more than world-class CNC machines—we build careers.AXYZ is a leading global manufacturer of CNC Router Machines and Knife Systems. Designed and built at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Waterdown, Ontario, our machines are supplied and supported through a global network of sales and service professionals and authorized dealers.Our teams are engaged, innovative, and passionate about driving meaningful change throughout our organization, our customers’ businesses, and the communities where we live and work.Learn more about us at www.axyz.comAbout the RoleWe are hiring a Software and AI Team Lead to lead our software-development team and support the reliable delivery of high-quality software across AXYZ’s products and business systems.This is a player-coach role, divided approximately equally between team leadership and hands-on software development. You will lead three software developers and one software tester while contributing as the team’s fourth developer.You will establish priorities, guide architecture and testing practices, manage software requests and escalations, and ensure stable software is released on a predictable schedule. You will also serve as the primary developer for AXYZ’s CRM and provide technical leadership for AXYZCAM and the planned addition of PanelBUILDER-like functionality over the next 12–18 months.A key part of this role is establishing disciplined and practical uses of AI throughout the software-development lifecycle. The ideal candidate knows how to use AI to improve engineering speed and quality while maintaining human ownership of architecture, product knowledge, testing, security, and the final result.Duties and ResponsibilitiesTeam Leadership and DeliveryLead, coach, and develop three software developers and one software tester while contributing as the team’s fourth developerEstablish clear priorities, owners, acceptance criteria, and delivery dates across the software portfolioGather requirements from Product, Engineering, Service, Applications, Sales, IT, and other stakeholdersTranslate stakeholder needs into prioritized and achievable software workDelegate work based on capability, context, urgency, and business requirements, or handle it directly when appropriateLead effective planning, review, and follow-up routinesRemove blockers and maintain accountability from initial requirement through tested releaseSupport team development through coaching, feedback, shared learning, and clear technical standardsQuality, Testing, and Release ManagementEstablish and maintain a predictable schedule of stable software releasesManage the full release process, including scoping, development, validation, deployment, release notes, and stakeholder communicationImplement repeatable testing practices with clear acceptance criteria, test plans, supporting evidence, and release gatesEnsure reported issues are reproduced, understood, and root-caused before fixes are implementedVerify that fixes resolve the complete issue without introducing regressionsLead disciplined manual testing on physical machines using appropriate configurations and operating scenariosCoordinate machine testing safely with Engineering, Service, Applications, and ProductionExpand automated unit, integration, and regression testing where it provides practical valueIntegrate automated testing into daily development and release workflowsSoftware Intake, Triage, and EscalationServe as the primary point of contact and escalation for software-development requests, service tickets, Quality Issue Reports (QIRs), and customer or internal issuesAssess scope, severity, priority, product risk, and required technical expertiseAssign clear ownership and establish an appropriate path to resolutionTrack work from intake through implementation, testing, documentation, and final releaseEnsure important issues are investigated logically and resolved within an appropriate timeframeKeep stakeholders informed of progress, risks, decisions, and expected delivery datesTranslate technical findings into practical guidance for Service, Applications, Sales, leadership, and customersAI-Accelerated Engineering and ToolingSpend approximately half of the role designing, coding, reviewing, testing, and releasing softwareLead by example through disciplined and responsible AI-assisted developmentEstablish practical AI-supported workflows for requirements refinement, codebase exploration, implementation, code review, test generation, validation, debugging, and documentationMove the team from ad hoc AI use toward repeatable engineering practices with clear review and accountabilityEnsure the team maintains a deep understanding of AXYZ’s architecture, codebase, product behaviour, and operating constraintsMaintain human ownership of design, risk assessment, testing, and final approval, even when AI contributes substantially to an implementationEvaluate AI tools, coding assistants, agent workflows, and development practicesEstablish appropriate security, quality, confidentiality, and responsible-use guardrailsMeasure the effect of AI-supported practices on throughput, cycle time, testing, documentation, and software qualityCRM and Product DevelopmentServe as the primary developer for AXYZ’s CRMManage the intake, prioritization, implementation, testing, and release of CRM and web-development changesUse AI responsibly to accelerate requirements, implementation, testing, data work, troubleshooting, and documentationEnsure CRM changes are secure, maintainable, well tested, and aligned with business requirementsPartner with Product, Engineering, Applications, Service, Sales, and IT to translate customer and business needs into practical software solutionsProvide hands-on technical leadership for AXYZCAM and the planned addition of PanelBUILDER-like functionalityArchitecture, Documentation, and Continuous ImprovementOwn and strengthen AXYZ’s software architecture, emphasizing maintainability, testability, observability, security, and long-term product stabilityEnsure architectural decisions reflect a strong understanding of the existing codebase, product domain, and system constraintsCarefully review AI-generated changes before they are incorporated into AXYZ softwareEstablish standards for code review, source control, dependency management, technical decisions, testing, and release managementMaintain clear documentation of expected product behaviour so teams can distinguish intended operation from software defectsUse AI-assisted workflows to help keep technical documentation accurate and currentIdentify and reduce technical debt affecting product stability, development speed, testability, or supportabilityPromote continuous improvement in development practices, tools, workflows, and team capabilityEducationBachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related disciplineEquivalent practical education and experience will be consideredExperienceMinimum five years of professional software-development experience delivering, releasing, and supporting production systemsDemonstrated experience leading developers, technical projects, or software deliveryExperience prioritizing work, coaching team members, delegating responsibilities, and maintaining accountabilityProven hands-on use of AI-assisted development tools while maintaining strong architecture, review, testing, and quality practicesExperience managing stakeholder-driven web or business-application development from requirements through releaseExperience in CNC, industrial automation, motion control, manufacturing software, or another complex engineered-product environment is a strong assetTechnical SkillsStrong software-engineering fundamentals, including architecture, debugging, code review, source control, dependency management, testing, and release managementProficiency in one or more languages relevant to AXYZ’s environment, such as C, C#/.NET, Rust, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, SQL, or PHPStrong web-application and CRM development capability, including secure data handling, integrations, testing, and deploymentPractical experience with AI coding assistants, large-language-model APIs, agentic workflows, evaluations, security, and responsible-use controlsAbility to apply AI throughout the software lifecycle without outsourcing architectural judgment, product understanding, or accountabilityAbility to design and execute manual tests for complex physical systems and expand automated testing where it adds valueKnowledge of CNC workflows, industrial communication, motion control, or machine automation is preferredLeadership and Communication SkillsPlayer-coach mindset with the technical credibility and willingness to lead from the codebaseStrong ownership, follow-through, prioritization, delegation, and decision-making skillsAbility to balance hands-on development with team leadership and delivery responsibilitiesAbility to teach disciplined AI-engineering practices through coaching, standards, examples, and constructive reviewClear communication with technical and non-technical stakeholdersCurious and pragmatic, with sound judgment regarding architecture, risk, testing, and where AI creates lasting valueWe are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require accommodation at any stage of the hiring process, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).We conduct a combination of in-person and virtual interviews. Virtual interviews are conducted using Microsoft Teams and may be recorded and transcribed. We may use AI-enabled tools to support our hiring team with notetaking, interview summarization, and internal training. These tools are not used to make hiring or recruitment decisions. Salary $90,000 - $100,000