# Chief Technology Officer - Company: [Shelfmark]() - Location: Pittsburgh - Team: Engineering - Employment type: Full Time - Posted: June 2, 2026 ## Job description **Chief Technology Officer (CTO)** **Location:** Pittsburgh, PA (in-person) **Company:** Shelfmark, Inc. **About Shelfmark** Shelfmark is building the next generation of industrial intelligence systems—combining computer vision, machine learning, and productized hardware to detect defects in real time across high-speed manufacturing environments. Our systems operate in some of the most demanding production settings in the world, where milliseconds and microns matter. We imagine a future where continuously flow manufacturing – which accounts for 30% of all global manufacturing – is automated end-to-end, with Shelfmark at the center. **The Role** We are hiring our first Chief Technology Officer to lead Shelfmark’s technical organization through its next phase of growth. This is a hands-on executive role responsible for architecting, building, and scaling a deeply integrated system and team spanning hardware, firmware, software, and machine learning. You will own the technical vision and execution of the company, ensuring that Shelfmark’s platform evolves into a robust, scalable, and category-defining product. This role requires a rare combination: systems-level thinking, comfort with real-world industrial constraints, and experience scaling teams and products from early-stage to production at meaningful revenue. The appropriate candidate will also be comfortable in steel toed boots, working side by side with our customers on the factory floor. **What You’ll Do** **Technical Leadership & Architecture** * Define and own Shelfmark’s end-to-end technical architecture across: * Vision systems (cameras, optics, encoders, lighting) * Edge compute and firmware * Real-time data pipelines and software platform * Machine learning models and deployment infrastructure * Make critical productization and scalability decisions on hardware and software components and implementation * Ensure system reliability at industrial speeds (e.g., high line speeds, high-resolution inspection) **Team Building & Scaling** * Build and lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary engineering team across: * Computer vision / ML * Embedded systems / firmware * Full-stack / backend software * Hardware / systems engineering * Recruit top-tier talent and establish a strong engineering culture * Implement processes that enable speed without sacrificing quality, including a robust AI-driven development strategy built for scale **Operational Excellence** * Own system performance in real-world deployments (uptime, accuracy, latency) * Build infrastructure for remote monitoring, diagnostics, and continuous improvement * Develop scalable deployment and implementation frameworks across customer sites **Strategic Leadership** * Serve as a key member of the executive team * Contribute to fundraising, investor discussions, and technical diligence * Help define the long-term vision of Shelfmark as a category leader in industrial AI **What We’re Looking For** **Experience** * 10+ years in engineering, with significant leadership experience * Prior experience as a senior technical leader (VP Eng, CTO, or equivalent) at a startup or high-growth company * Proven track record of taking a complex technical product from early stage to scaled deployment * Experience in at least two of the following domains, and strong familiarity with the others: * Computer vision / machine learning * Embedded systems / firmware * Industrial hardware systems (cameras, sensors, automation) * Scalable software platforms **Technical Depth** * Strong systems thinker who can operate across the full stack—from photons to cloud * Experience with real-time systems and high-throughput data environments * Familiarity with off-the-shelf vision hardware (e.g., industrial cameras, lenses, lighting) * Experience deploying ML models in production, especially at the edge **Leadership & Mindset** * Builder mentality: willing to go from whiteboard → prototype → production * High ownership and accountability * Ability to operate in ambiguity and move quickly * Strong communicator who can bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders **Bonus Points** * Experience in manufacturing, industrial automation, or inspection systems * Experience with line-scan or high-speed imaging systems * Background working with PLCs or industrial control systems * Prior experience scaling a company from $1M to $10M+ in revenue **Compensation** * Competitive salary * Meaningful equity ownership * Opportunity to define and lead the technical foundation of the company ## Apply [Apply on Shelfmark]() Canonical job page: