Director, AI Engineering

McDonald's - Chicago, IL

Full-time - Senior

Chicago, IL

Food Services and Drinking Places

About the position

This senior leadership role in Generative AI (GenAI) and AI software engineering at McDonald's is crucial for delivering strategic initiatives that will transform the company. The position involves leading an engineering team to build GenAI-powered products and prototypes, fostering a culture of innovation, and ensuring alignment with global business strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of software engineers in building GenAI-powered products and prototypes.
• Assess and integrate GenAI into existing products and systems to enhance efficiency and personalize consumer experiences.
• Measure and monitor the usage and effectiveness of the products developed by the team.
• Collaborate with corporate and market teams to promote the use of Enterprise-hardened GenAI tools.
• Manage resources and project timelines to ensure successful project delivery.
• Stay updated with the latest developments in GenAI and leverage this knowledge for innovation.
• Ensure ethical use of AI, adhering to best practices and guidelines.
• Work effectively in a cross-functional team to collaborate with different global functions and markets.
• Inspire and motivate the team, fostering a positive work environment.

Requirements

• Hands-on engineering experience with production-ready GenAI and AI applications.
• At least 10 years of experience in software development, including building enterprise-grade systems.
• Several years of experience leading an engineering team and working with AI/ML.
• Expertise in industry trends and various LLMs, including LLM application development tools and frameworks.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills.
• Experience building high-performance teams and managing software engineers across various disciplines.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, AI, or a related area.
• Proficiency in stakeholder management and project management, including resource allocation and budgeting.
• Experience in strategic planning and execution with strong decision-making skills.
• Some experience in handling compliance and regulatory requirements.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in foodservice, retail, or hospitality.
• Relevant cloud certifications, especially on GCP.

Benefits

• Equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities during the application or hiring process.