Director of IT & AI

About Emesent

Emesent creates autonomous robotics, LiDAR mapping, and spatial data products that help industries better understand and work with the physical world. Established in 2018 and built on strong Australian CSIRO roots, the company has grown into a global provider of drone autonomy and mobile mapping solutions.

As the business expands across hardware, desktop software, and cloud-based platforms, it is entering a new stage of growth and is looking for a senior leader to help shape its technology direction.

Role Overview

Emesent is hiring an experienced, commercially aware Director of IT and AI to lead the full business-enabling technology function. Reporting to the EVP Product & Engineering, this position is responsible for IT strategy, day-to-day operations, infrastructure, team leadership, and make-or-buy decisions, covering both conventional IT and the transition toward AI-first ways of working.

This is a high-visibility leadership role that blends strategic planning with strong technical depth. The role spans corporate IT, on-site infrastructure, identity and access management, SaaS ecosystems, AI adoption, and operational security.

The successful candidate will guide a growing team and collaborate closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, HR, Finance, and senior leadership to keep the IT environment secure, scalable, dependable, and ready for future growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and deliver a multi-year IT roadmap that supports business growth and operational priorities.
• Lead and develop the IT team into a high-performing, service-focused function.
• Decide when to build capability internally or rely on external partners, with attention to scale, sovereignty, and security.
• Work in partnership with leaders across Engineering, Manufacturing, HR, Finance, and the executive team.
• Manage corporate IT infrastructure, including networks, WiFi, business systems, SaaS tools, internal engineering VM compute clusters, and Microsoft/Linux environments.
• Lift reliability, recoverability, and governance across the wider IT environment.
• Own disaster recovery and business continuity initiatives, including offsite backups and infrastructure resilience measures.
• Strengthen identity and access management, including Microsoft identity provider integrations with SaaS applications and AWS environments.
• Hold responsibility for Emesent’s AI Governance Framework, including policy and guiding principles.
• Support the practical rollout of AI tools and capabilities across the business.
• Help teams adopt AI technologies and workflows safely, including internal AI tools and AI-generated tools used in operations.
• Administer and oversee AI platforms such as Claude Code and other emerging technologies.
• Carry out the operational tasks required by the AI Governance Framework, including AI registers, audit support, and governance of tools.
• Work with the future Cybersecurity Director to improve the technology and governance aspects of the security posture.
• Support cybersecurity compliance assessments and audits.
• Contribute to defence-readiness and supply chain assurance considerations in technology decisions.
• Note: this role does not own cybersecurity for Emesent’s products.

First 12 Months of Success

• Improve stability across both wired and wireless networks.
• Complete a business impact analysis and review and strengthen business continuity and disaster recovery across IT systems.
• Put scalable identity and access management practices in place.
• Review, implement, and maintain the updated AI governance framework.
• Assess skill gaps and establish the IT function in the most effective structure.
• Complete key hiring and define the right mix of internal capability and external support.
• Create an operating model that fits Emesent’s scale and customer expectations.
• Develop a board-ready IT strategy informed by growth, AI adoption, and security needs.
• Establish strong AI governance practices and support adoption across the organisation.
• Partner with the Director of Cybersecurity to define and deliver the cybersecurity program.

Experience and Background

• At least 10 years of IT experience, including senior leadership responsibility.
• Background leading corporate IT functions in complex or fast-growing technology businesses.
• Strong knowledge of infrastructure, identity management, networking, SaaS ecosystems, and operational security.
• Experience working across both Microsoft and Linux environments.
• Ability to build teams and influence stakeholders across different functions.
• Exposure to AI enablement, governance, or technology transformation work is important.
• Experience in defence-related environments, or familiarity with sovereignty and security-led decision-making, is highly valued.

Benefits and Perks

• Enjoy a 9-day fortnight, with every second Friday off.
• Participate in the Employee Share Option Plan and share in the company’s success.
• Work with a passionate, collaborative team developing world-leading technology.
• Access learning and development resources, including LinkedIn Learning.
• Receive support through the Employee Assistance Program.
• Get one extra day of leave each year on your work anniversary.
• Use novated lease options.

Why Join Emesent

You will be working on technology that is actively changing how industries capture and interpret the physical world. Emesent offers a dynamic and collaborative workplace, competitive pay, and real opportunities to grow professionally while helping to push the boundaries of robotics and spatial intelligence.

Hiring Process Note

Artificial intelligence tools may be used to assist with parts of the recruitment process, such as reviewing applications, analysing resumes, assessing responses, and flagging possible inconsistencies or verification signals in submitted information. These tools support the recruitment team but do not replace human judgement, and final hiring decisions are made by people. For more information about how your data is processed, you may contact the company.