Associate Director, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Digital Manufacturing

Kraft Heinz - Chicago, IL

Full-time - Senior

Chicago, IL

Food Manufacturing

About the position

As the Head of Manufacturing AI and ML, your role is to drive the strategic vision and execution of digital transformation initiatives within the manufacturing environment. You will lead the development, implementation, and optimization of AI and ML technologies to drive innovation and efficiency in our manufacturing processes. This position requires a strategic thinker with deep expertise in AI/ML, strong leadership skills, and a solid understanding of the manufacturing industry. You will leverage cutting-edge technologies and data-driven insights to optimize production processes, enhance operational efficiency, and accelerate innovation. By leading cross-functional teams and collaborating with key stakeholders, you will champion the adoption of digital solutions, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and deliver tangible business outcomes. Ultimately, your expertise will enable the organization to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape of manufacturing, while ensuring high-quality products and customer satisfaction. In this role, you will develop and execute a comprehensive AI and ML strategy aligned with the company's manufacturing goals and objectives. You will identify and prioritize key areas within manufacturing where AI and ML can drive significant improvements and innovation. Staying updated with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices will be crucial to ensure the company's AI/ML capabilities remain cutting-edge. You will guide the organization through the digital journey, fostering innovation and change management. You will lead the end-to-end lifecycle of AI/ML projects, from ideation and proof of concept to deployment and scaling. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including engineering, operations, and quality assurance, will be essential to integrate AI/ML solutions seamlessly into manufacturing processes. You will ensure timely delivery of projects within scope and budget, design, develop, and implement AI and ML models and algorithms tailored to manufacturing applications such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and supply chain optimization. Overseeing the data collection, preprocessing, and analysis processes will ensure high-quality data for AI/ML model training and evaluation. Additionally, you will build and lead a high-performing team of AI/ML engineers, data scientists, and analysts, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning within the team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive AI and ML strategy aligned with the company's manufacturing goals and objectives.
• Identify and prioritize key areas within manufacturing where AI and ML can drive significant improvements and innovation.
• Stay updated with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to ensure the company's AI/ML capabilities remain cutting-edge.
• Guide the organization through the digital journey, fostering innovation and change management.
• Lead the end-to-end lifecycle of AI/ML projects, from ideation and proof of concept to deployment and scaling.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, operations, and quality assurance, to integrate AI/ML solutions seamlessly into manufacturing processes.
• Ensure timely delivery of projects within scope and budget.
• Design, develop, and implement AI and ML models and algorithms tailored to manufacturing applications with a cross-functional team, such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and supply chain optimization.
• Oversee the data collection, preprocessing, and analysis processes to ensure high-quality data for AI/ML model training and evaluation.
• Build and lead a high-performing team of AI/ML engineers, data scientists, and analysts.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning within the team.
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities for team members.
• Act as a liaison between the AI/ML team and other departments, ensuring clear communication and alignment of goals.
• Present AI/ML project outcomes, insights, and recommendations to senior management and stakeholders.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of AI/ML initiatives on manufacturing processes and outcomes.

Requirements

• Strong background and experience in manufacturing operations in a leadership role.
• In-depth understanding of production processes, supply chain management, and quality control within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record in driving digital transformation initiatives within the manufacturing industry.
• Extensive experience in AI/ML, with a strong track record of successful implementations in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience in leading complex projects and programs related to digital manufacturing.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, risk management, and resource allocation.
• Ability to understand and align digital manufacturing initiatives with business objectives.
• Experience in developing business cases, conducting ROI analysis, and making data-driven recommendations to senior leadership.
• Proven ability to manage organizational change associated with digital transformation initiatives.
• Skill in navigating resistance, driving adoption, and ensuring successful implementation of new technologies and processes.
• Excellent leadership, communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.