Director, AI Lab T500-19417

About McDonald's:

One of the world's largest employers with locations in more than 100 countries, McDonald's Corporation has corporate opportunities in Hyderabad. Our global offices serve as dynamic innovation and operations hubs, designed to expand McDonald's global talent base and in-house expertise. Our new office in Hyderabad will bring together knowledge across business, technology, analytics, and AI, accelerating our ability to deliver impactful solutions for the business and our customers across the globe.

Position Summary:

Director, AI Lab

The AI Lab Lead is responsible for driving the research, and assessment of the latest AI technologies to accelerate the organization's innovation and AI strategy. This role focuses on evaluating and fostering strategic partnerships with external stakeholders, recommending and prototyping new technology based upon business need, and working across the AI team to support deployment and adoption. As a senior technology leader, the AI Lab lead will manage a high-performing team of AI professionals

Who we're looking for:

Responsibility:

• Strategic Vision:
• Define and execute a comprehensive AI ecosystem strategy & technology roadmap aligned with the company's overall business goals.
• Identify high-impact early AI use case ideas across various business functions and prioritize initiatives.
• Establish a roadmap for AI development, including research priorities and technology adoption.

Team Leadership:

• Build and manage a high-performing team of AI experts, including AI engineers, machine learning engineers, and architects.
• Foster a culture of innovation and experimentation within the lab.
• Provide mentorship and career development opportunities for team members.

Research and Development:

• Oversee the development of advanced AI models and algorithms, exploring new techniques and approaches.
• Conduct research to identify potential applications for AI across the organization.
• Lead proof-of-concept projects to validate the feasibility of AI solutions.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:

• Partner with cross-functional teams across the organization to identify and implement AI solutions that address business needs.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, advocating for AI adoption.
• Build relationships with external partners, such as academic institutions and technology companies, to form a strong AI ecosystem community
• Ethical Considerations:
• Champion ethical AI practices, ensuring data privacy, fairness, and responsible development of AI models.
• Establish guidelines for data governance and model transparency.

Skills & Experience Required:

• Bachelor's degree in data science, Computer Science, Business, or Analytics or a relevant field, Master's or PhD preferred
• 15+ years in AI/ML or related fields, including hands-on experience in building and deploying AI solutions
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or Java, and experience with AI/ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Proficiency in AI techniques like deep learning, reinforcement learning, generative AI, Agentic AI and Edge AI
• Experience with ML frameworks, Generative AI - LLM and other large-scale AI system design
• Start-up and entrepreneurship experience is considered a plus
• Ability to clearly communicate complex AI concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Work location: Hyderabad, India

Work pattern: Full time role.

Work mode: Hybrid.

Additional Information:

McDonald's is committed to providing qualified individuals with disabilities with reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs. McDonald's provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

McDonald's Capability Center India Private Limited ("McDonald's in India") is a proud equal opportunity employer and is committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. At McDonald's in India, employment decisions are based on merit, job requirements, and business needs, and all qualified candidates are considered for employment. McDonald's in India does not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, age, gender, marital status, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, disability status, medical history, parental status, genetic information, or any other basis protected under state or local laws.

Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.