---
title: 'Lead Infrastructure Engineer at QED.ai'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-infrastructure-engineer-qed-ai-warsaw-hvfhm9nbg2bc'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Lead Infrastructure Engineer at QED.ai

- **Company:** QED.ai
- **Location:** Warsaw, Poland
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-06-01
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/qed-ai/becca255-796c-474c-9287-55f3b0a3df50

## Job description

QED (https://qed.ai) is a tech company focused on public health and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. We build the digital infrastructure and AI used at the intersection of aid and scientific inquiry, including surveillance of HIV and malaria, and nutrient analysis of crops and soils, working at national-scale in several African countries. Our funding comes from multiple philanthropic and governmental organizations, including the Global Fund, Gates Foundation, CDC, and USAID.

We are looking for the Lead Infrastructure Engineer to shape and evolve the technical foundation that powers our systems. This is a hands-on leadership role where you will define architectural direction, elevate engineering standards, and stay deeply involved in building and operating infrastructure. As a team lead, you will guide critical decisions, mentor engineers, and drive a long-term vision for reliable systems operating across multiple countries.

Your responsibilities will include:

- owning and evolving the infrastructure architecture, tooling strategy, and long-term technical decisions
- working with declarative tooling (NixOS + k3s + terraform) mostly on top of bare metal servers, with some cloud sprinkled in
- planning infrastructure layout, selecting components, testing, and deploying them
- planning and leading the building of bare metal infrastructure for deployment in low to middle income countries
- handling communication (both internal and external)
- participating in hiring, evaluate and interview candidates
- optional traveling to learn more about problems we're trying to solve and set up hardware in local data centers

The role requires a full-time commitment physically based in Warsaw, Poland, with a hybrid of remote and in-person work throughout the week. We expect at least 2-3 days per week in the office. The working hours are flexible, for example you do not need approval to take out a small chunk in the middle of the day to handle some personal business.

Desired skills include:

- 6+ years of infrastructure or systems engineering experience, with at least 1–2 years in a lead role
- demonstrated ability to scope, plan, and delegate technical work and to hold yourself and others accountable for outcomes
- broad knowledge of technology: Linux internals, networking, databases, containers, hardware performance, security; we value genuine depth and curiosity over checklist coverage
- strong software engineering fundamentals: version control, readable code, tests, robust design, basic data structures and algorithms
- working proficiency in English (≥ C1 spoken and written; ≥ 45 wpm typed)
- clear thinker who can express ideas well, both in writing and in conversation
- social intelligence and emotional resilience; you will work across cultures, time zones, and high-stakes situations

Below are additional skills that are a bonus, but are not required:

- experience with NixOS, Kubernetes, Terraform
- experience with bare metal, including hardware selection and on-site setup
- ethical hacking experience
- experience with programming and/or math competitions
- willingness to go on an adventure
- domain knowledge and/or interest in the sustainable development goals, particularly in public health, agriculture, and assisting developing countries

What can you expect:

- significant ownership, direct influence on team structure, standards, and hiring
- fully declarative infrastructure, strong (but not absolute) avoidance of anything manual
- no helm soup
- unusual, socially conscious projects
- low bureaucracy

## About QED.ai

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: QED.ai (Quantitative Engineering Design) builds AI-driven data systems and solutions for global health and agriculture in developing countries.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Bootstrapped/Mission-Driven)
- **Headquarters**: Global presence with offices in USA, Kenya, Poland, and Malawi
- **Founded**: 2008
- **Founders**: Dr. William Wu (CEO, Co-Founder), Dr. Jiehua Chen (Chief Statistician, Co-Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary Industries**: Global Health, Agriculture, International Development, AI/Data Systems
- **Target Customers**: Governments (e.g., Ministries of Health), NGOs, and international organizations (CDC, Gates Foundation, USAID, CIMMYT) in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America
- **Mission/Purpose**: To empower local organizations in developing countries by using technology to build their capacity, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and 15 (Life on Land).

## Products & Services
- **ScanForm**: An AI-powered mobile app that digitizes and analyzes handwritten data on paper forms (e.g., medical registers) using a smartphone camera. Integrates with systems like EMR and DHIS2. Used at national scale for HIV testing in Malawi and other countries.
- **ScanSpectrum**: A rugged handheld visible/near-infrared spectrometer (400-1100 nm) for field measurements of plants and environmental science.
- **PACK (Portable Automated Carbon Kit)**: A low-cost, lunchbox-sized device for measuring soil carbon in the field.
- **Geospatial Mapping**: Remote sensing and AI services for classifying land-use at regional and national levels, focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
- **Data Systems & Analytics**: Custom data processing pipelines for surveillance of malaria, child mortality, crop disease, and soil health; clinical trial support.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly available (private, mission-driven firm)
- **Key Metric**: Since 2008, has provided mission-critical support to health and agriculture projects in 23+ countries.
- **Notable Partners/Clients**: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Gates Foundation (BMGF), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
- **Growth Signals**: National-scale deployment of ScanForm for HIV testing in Malawi (expanded to PrEP, PCR, STI); expansion to multiple other countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon, others); COVID-19 pandemic accelerated demand for ScanForm; featured in The Gates Notes as one of Bill Gates' Goalkeepers.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep Domain Expertise**: 15+ years of on-the-ground experience in developing countries with a pragmatic, infrastructure-aware approach.
- **Proprietary AI/Data Stack**: ScanForm is a proven, scalable solution for digitizing handwritten data in low-resource settings, a critical gap in global health data systems.
- **Strong Partner Network**: Long-standing collaborations with top-tier global health and development organizations.
- **Mission-Driven Model**: Fully focused on impact, not profit maximization, allowing for unconventional, high-impact projects.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current Priorities**: Scaling ScanForm to more countries and disease areas (HIV, malaria, STIs); expanding geospatial mapping and soil health work; building local capacity through training and partnerships.
- **Direction**: Deepening its role as the go-to technology partner for governments and donors in the Global South for data systems and AI, particularly in health and agriculture.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as the "opposite of a big corporation" with extremely light bureaucracy, no matrix organization, and a focus on mission and delivering excellent work. They seek people eager for challenge, passionate about their craft, and genuinely interested in international development.
- **Work Style**: Unconventional, rapid scientific experimentation. High expectations for commitment and responsibility, reciprocated with devotion to the cause.
- **Perks**: Opportunity to work on meaningful, socially conscious projects that clearly benefit others; travel to exotic places around the world (e.g., Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, Nepal, Cambodia); little bureaucracy.
- **Remote/Hybrid**: Offers both remote and in-office roles depending on the position (e.g., Data Scientist – Warsaw is in-office; Data Engineer – Cameroon is remote). Offices in USA, Kenya, Poland, and Malawi.
- **Engineering Culture**: Values pragmatic innovation, learning through rapid experimentation, and working in highly demanding environments. Founders have strong technical backgrounds (NASA JPL, UC Berkeley, bioinformatics).

## Sources
1. [QED.ai Official Website](https://about.qed.ai/)
2. [QED.ai About Us](https://about.qed.ai/about-us)
3. [QED.ai Careers Page](https://about.qed.ai/careers)
4. [QED.ai LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quantitative-engineering-design)
5. [Built In - QED.ai Careers](https://builtin.com/company/qedai)
6. [Ashby Careers Page](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/qed-ai)

## Other roles at QED.ai

- [ScanForm Country Lead - Cote d'Ivoire](https://feeny.ai/job/scanform-country-lead-cote-d-ivoire-qed-ai-cote-d-ivoire-prww27f7y22v) — Côte d'Ivoire
- [ScanForm Operations Manager - Côte d'Ivoire](https://feeny.ai/job/scanform-operations-manager-cote-d-ivoire-qed-ai-cote-d-ivoire-h2bs597jea88) — Côte d'Ivoire
- [STEM Operations Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/stem-operations-intern-qed-ai-global-w40cmcrq4bqx) — Global
- [Administrative Coordinator](https://feeny.ai/job/administrative-coordinator-qed-ai-malawi-8y6s594zvyr7) — Malawi
- [High School STEM Teacher – Philippines to Malawi](https://feeny.ai/job/high-school-stem-teacher-philippines-to-malawi-qed-ai-philippines-ryvcxexa63mk) — Philippines
- [Math Instructor - Early Years](https://feeny.ai/job/math-instructor-early-years-qed-ai-malawi-50epk7n45aba) — Malawi
- [Math Instructor - Primary Years](https://feeny.ai/job/math-instructor-primary-years-qed-ai-malawi-e1jmva755nr9) — Malawi
- [IT Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/it-operations-specialist-qed-ai-warsaw-j6y70nc3bq6d) — Warsaw, Poland
- [Data Scientist – Warsaw](https://feeny.ai/job/data-scientist-warsaw-qed-ai-warsaw-dche6y1jx53k) — Warsaw, Poland
- [Assistant(e) d'impression - Côte d'Ivoire](https://feeny.ai/job/assistant-e-d-impression-cote-d-ivoire-qed-ai-cote-d-ivoire-snsg5ecz6jkw) — Côte d'Ivoire