Senior Director, Artificial Intelligence

About the role

Edmund Optics is seeking a Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence to lead the strategy, development, and deployment of AI initiatives across the organization. This role will define the enterprise AI roadmap, build and mentor a high-performing team, and partner with continuous improvement and analytics teams to identify and implement AI-driven solutions. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strong business acumen to translate AI capabilities into measurable value for a global optics and photonics manufacturer.

Responsibilities

• Strategy & Vision: Define and drive the company-wide AI strategy, identifying high-impact opportunities across manufacturing, HR, quality control, supply chain, R&D, sales, and customer service.
• Leadership & Team Building: Recruit, develop, and lead a team of AI designers and project managers. Work with the analytics team to establish best practices for model development, deployment, and governance. Transition to a hub-and-spoke operating model with centralized standards and embedded teams.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with continuous improvement, optical engineering, manufacturing operations, IT, and commercial teams to identify use cases (e.g., computer vision for defect detection, predictive maintenance, generative AI for design/quoting tools, customer-facing chat/support tools).
• Solution Delivery: Oversee the full lifecycle of AI projects—from proof of concept through production deployment and monitoring—ensuring scalability, reliability, and ROI.
• Data Infrastructure: Partner with IT, analytics, and cybersecurity to build data pipelines, infrastructure, and governance to support AI initiatives.
• Innovation & Emerging Tech: Stay current on advances in AI (e.g., large language models, computer vision, generative AI, agentic AI) and assess applicability to optics manufacturing and photonics R&D.
• Responsible AI & Governance: Establish policies for data privacy, model risk, security, and ethical AI use across the enterprise.
• Executive Communication: Report to senior leadership on AI initiative progress, business impact, budget, and risk; build the business case for continued AI investment.
• Vendor & Partnership Management: Evaluate and manage relationships with AI technology vendors, cloud providers, and external research partners.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field (Master’s or PhD preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in AI, ML, data science, or related technical fields, with 5+ years in a leadership role adjacent to AI (e.g., computer science, engineering, data analytics).

Skills

• Proven track record of deploying AI/ML solutions at scale in manufacturing, industrial, or engineering-driven environments.
• Strong knowledge of machine learning, computer vision, agentic AI, and/or generative AI techniques and their business applications.
• Change management skills for implementing AI solutions in large organizations.
• Experience building and leading technical teams.
• Excellent communication skills to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience managing budgets and demonstrating ROI on technology investments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in optics, photonics, precision manufacturing, or a related technical industry.
• Experience with cloud AI/ML platforms, especially agentic AI tools.
• Experience with AI data platforms, such as Snowflake.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to operate office equipment (e.g., copier).
• Ability to see details at close range.
• Ability to sit at a desk or PC for extended periods.
• Work in an office setting.

Pay

Salary Range: $190,000 – $235,000 per year. The actual offer will be based on skills, education, work experience, business needs, and geographic location.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life, AD&D, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match up to 3%
• Daycare and Gym Reimbursement
• Paid Parental Leave and New Mother Benefits
• Training and Development Opportunities

Availability of these benefits may depend on the country and employment type.