Director of Engineering Forward Deploy AI

Director Of Engineering Forward Deploy AiWe are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we're all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

The Ford Motor Credit Company team helps put people behind the wheels of great Ford and Lincoln vehicles. By partnering with dealerships, we provide financing, personalized service and professional expertise to thousands of dealers and millions of customers in over one hundred countries around the world. In this position... Help shape the future of Ford Credit by driving the execution and improvement of Ford Credit's operations and customer experience by apply AI with a large focus on agentic systems within the business This role will lead a specialized team of engineers who sit within our business units to drive AI-flavored solutions for solving our most difficult challenges.

The role requires a strong technical background in engineering, generative AI, and robotic process automation, alongside stellar communication abilities and strong mid-level leadership to guide a team in a new and evolving space. The Director of Engineering Forward Deploy AI will have autonomy in shaping the future by being accountable for the performance and results of deployed AI within the business. This role involves leading and mentoring a team of forward-deployed engineers, working with enterprise architecture and our developer enablement teams to oversee the platform for AI, and navigating the technical complexities of building and integrating AI solutions. A key aspect of this position is to champion the use of AI agents and agentic systems for both efficiency and growth opportunities across the organization.

What you'll do... Whiteboard AI solutions to business challenges and work with a team of engineers to rapidly move to productionLead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of forward-deployed AI engineers, managing workload distribution and providing guidance on complex technical challenges. Drive the architectural design and development of scalable and resilient AI agentic systems, with a strong emphasis on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and its AI/ML services like Vertex AI, Vertex Agent Engine, and Agentspace. Oversee the entire lifecycle of AI development, from initial concept and requirements gathering to deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvementDevelop and implement robust governance frameworks for non-deterministic AI systems to ensure ethical, secure, and reliable operation.

Stay current with the latest advancements in generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and agentic architectures, and drive the integration of new technologies into the team's solutions. Partner with technical teams, including data science, platform engineering, and cybersecurity, to ensure seamless integration and interoperability of AI solutions. Help define, build and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact and effectiveness of deployed AI agents across the organization. Manage departmental budgets and ensure resources are allocated effectively to achieve strategic goals.

Handle talent management responsibilities, including recruitment, performance reviews, and professional development for the AI Agents team. You'll have... Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related fieldA minimum of 10 years of experience in software engineering or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership role. Proven experience in building and deploying generative AI and machine learning solutions in a production environment.

Deep understanding of generative AI, large language models (LLMs), AI agents, and agentic system capabilities. Expertise in & passion for coding assistants (e.g., Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Google CodeAssist, GH CoPilot)Experience in building with agent development kits (e.g., ADK, LangGraph, CrewAI)Understanding of robotic process automation. Extensive hands-on experience with the Google Cloud Platform (GCP), particularly with services like Vertex AI, BigQuery, and Apigee. Strong background in solutions architecture and experience with system integration and API development.

Familiarity with non-deterministic systems and the principles of AI governance and ethics.

Experience

with process mapping and business process analysis. Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a technical team in a fast-paced, innovative environment. Work Requirements:This role may involve occasional travel to other company locations. Involves occasional (defined as one-third or less of the time) lifting of no more than 10 pounds at a time.

Even better, you may have... A Master's Degree in computer science, artificial intelligence specialization is preferredYou may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills?

Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builderor all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverageFlexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and moreFamily building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and moreVehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leasesTuition assistanceEstablished and active employee resource groupsPaid time off for individual and team community serviceA generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's DayPaid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. This position is a leadership level 5. For more information on salary and benefits, click here: NEW HIRE BENEFITSVisa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status.