AI Architect

THE ROLE

At Great Dane we rely on makers and were calling on them to join our expanding team the time has never been better to Embrace Your Great and work in an environment with the highest safety standards in the industry.

The Position: The AI Architect defines the technical architecture standards and reusable patterns for enterprise AI machine learning and generative AI solutions. This role ensures AI solutions are secure governed scalable supportable and aligned with enterprise data and application architecture. The AI Architect partners with Enterprise Architecture Data Architecture Data and AI Governance and Application Development to translate approved AI opportunities into practical solution designs implementation guidance and supporting architecture artifacts.

WHAT YOULL DO

• Define the reference architecture for AI/ML and generative AI workloads including the Durable Hub - Great Danes central data and integration hub.
• Ensure enterprise data is AI-ready well-governed well-modeled and accessible by partnering closely with the Data Architect and Data Governance Committee.
• Partner with the Data Architect to ensure the enterprise ontology and semantic models are effective for AI consumption defining how ontology concepts ground LLMs RAG pipelines and agent reasoning and feeding gaps or ambiguities back into the ontology while the Data Architect retains ownership of its authoritative definition and governance.
• Evaluate select and integrate AI/ML platforms frameworks and services; define build-vs-buy guidance.
• Establish responsible AI practices including governance evaluation monitoring and controls for accuracy bias and data privacy.
• Design and prototype high-value AI use cases (e.g. predictive analytics document/entity extraction decision support) and partner with Development teams to shepherd them from proof of concept into production.
• Define MLOps/LLMOps patterns for model lifecycle versioning and observability and collaborate with Development to embed them into delivery pipelines and engineering practices.
• Align AI architecture and delivery roadmaps with Intelligence Automation project owners and stakeholders to ensure initiatives support program priorities and deliver measurable value.
• Support Business Analysts in assessing and shaping AI solution opportunities by providing the technical perspective evaluating feasibility data readiness implementation complexity operational impact and architectural fit to inform business-value and roadmap decisions.
• Provide architecture direction solution design guidance and implementation artifacts to Development teams partnering with engineers to co-design production-ready approaches while preserving Development ownership of engineering execution integration deployment and operational support.
• Own and maintain the AI architecture documentation framework including reference architectures solution design documents architecture decision records technical standards implementation patterns integration diagrams data flow diagrams operational support models and supporting artifacts required to guide delivery governance and long-term maintainability of AI solutions.
• Establish and govern documentation standards for AI solutions ensuring architecture artifacts technical designs decision records diagrams and implementation guidance are created maintained versioned and stored in approved enterprise repositories such as SharePoint and Miro.
• Provide technical mentorship on AI patterns to the data engineering and Development teams.
• Other duties as assigned.
  

COMPETENCIES:

• Transformation and Change Management: The ability to lead and execute initiatives that drive significant organizational change including cultural process and structural transformations. Involves assessing readiness creating a vision aligning stakeholders and applying structured change management frameworks.
• Operational Rigor: The disciplined application of structured processes controls and performance standards to ensure consistency quality and efficiency in operations. Focuses on accountability compliance and continuous improvement.
• Strategic Capability: The capacity to think critically anticipate future trends and develop strategies that position the organization for long-term success while balancing short- and long-term needs.
• Cultural Fit: The alignment of personal values behaviors and working style with the organizations mission vision and culture. Adapts and thrives within the environment while constructively influencing its evolution.
• Ability to Build Sponsorship: The ability to gain the support advocacy and active involvement of key stakeholders for initiatives strategies or change efforts. Builds trust demonstrates credibility and aligns initiatives with stakeholder priorities.

YOUR SKILLS & ABILITIES (REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS)

• Education: Bachelors degree in Computer Science Data Science Machine Learning or a related field; Masters preferred.
• Experience: 7 years in software/data engineering or data science; 3 years architecting and delivering production AI/ML or generative AI solutions. Demonstrated experience integrating AI with enterprise data platforms and deploying models at scale.
• Skills: Strong grounding in ML and generative-AI patterns (RAG embeddings model evaluation) MLOps/LLMOps and cloud AI services (AWS preferred). Proficiency in Python and SQL; familiarity with streaming and lakehouse architectures (Kafka/Confluent medallion Iceberg). Working knowledge of data governance and responsible-AI principles. Excellent stakeholder communication. AWS certification a plus.
  Travel: Occasional; typically less than 10%.
  

CAREER PATHWAYS:

• Prerequisite Positions: Senior Data Scientist ML Engineer or Data/Solutions Architect.
• Potential Growth Opportunities: Principal AI Architect Head of AI/ML or Enterprise Architect.
  

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Office and plant environment.
• Keyboarding lifting standing bending walking.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ABOUT GREAT DANE

With a history dating back to 1900 Great Dane has established itself as a transportation solutions leader of today delivering innovative products and exceptional services that help our customers and employees succeed. We not only engineer durable and high-quality trailers and truck bodies; we foster relationships that last a lifetime.

WHY WORK FOR US

Great Dane is a leading manufacturer of dry-freight vans refrigerated trailers and flatbeds with 10 manufacturing facilities and 20 service centers throughout the United States. With a legacy like ours comes a dedication to the hard-working individuals that make Great Dane what it is today. Our jobs are waiting to be filled by driven challenge-focused & enthusiastic people like you.

Our culture is comprised of Champions and offers a rewarding workplace rooted in core values of safety leadership integrity quality and passion. Every employee has opportunities to learn grow succeed and be engaged in a collaborative environment.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW

• Competitive compensation
• Benefits including but not limited to dental vision and medical with employer contributions
• Retirement programs including a Pension Plan and 401(k) Plan with employer match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid holidays and vacation
• And more!

Great Dane is an Equal Opportunity Employer