PLM GenAI Tech Specialist

Ford Motor Company is embarking on a significant multi-year Platform Lifecycle Management (PLM) program to modernize critical IT applications across the enterprise. As part of this transformation, we are heavily investing in Generative AI (GenAI) to accelerate delivery, enhance developer productivity, and unlock new capabilities. We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative GenAI Technical Manager (LL6) to lead the technical development and implementation of GenAI solutions within this strategic program.

This role is pivotal in driving the practical adoption of GenAI at Ford, focusing initially on creating accelerators for the PLM modernization effort (1600+ applications migrating to GCP) and significantly improving the Ford Developer Experience (DX). You will collaborate closely with PLM program leaders, GDIA (Global Data Insight & Analytics), architecture teams, PDOs (Product Driven Organizations), and engineering teams to design, build, and deploy cutting-edge GenAI tools and platforms. This position requires a leader with deep, hands-on technical expertise in GenAI models and frameworks, practical experience in building AI-driven solutions, a strong understanding of Ford's technical landscape (both legacy and cloud), and the ability to influence technical direction across various teams.

• GenAI Solution Development & Delivery:
  • Lead the technical design, development, testing, and deployment of GenAI solutions, focusing on PLM accelerators (e.g., code conversion for Java, Struts, Mainframe, Oracle, SQL, .NET, WebFocus, BO; automated testing) and Developer Experience enhancements (e.g., AI code assistants, GCP onboarding chatbots, automated UI development, AI-powered observability).
  • Translate GenAI strategy and roadmap items (particularly from the Developer Experience and Operational Excellence tracks) into actionable technical projects and deliverables.
  • Manage the technical lifecycle of GenAI tools and accelerators, ensuring they are robust, scalable, secure, and aligned with Ford's standards.
  • Oversee the integration of GenAI capabilities into existing developer workflows and PLM processes.
• Technical Leadership & GenAI Expertise:
  • Serve as a primary technical expert on GenAI models (including FordLLMs, open-source models), frameworks (e.g., Langchain, Langgraph), prompt engineering, Agentic AI (e.g., leveraging Claude via FordLLM, Crew AI, AutoGen), RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), and related technologies.
  • Provide technical guidance to development teams, architects, and stakeholders on GenAI best practices, architecture patterns, security considerations, and ethical AI principles in collaboration with GDIA.
  • Stay abreast of the rapidly evolving GenAI landscape, evaluating new tools, techniques, and models (e.g., Cursor, v0.dev, Olama, FACT, phidata) for potential application at Ford.
• PLM Accelerator & DX Tooling Development:
  • Drive the technical execution of building a suite of GenAI-powered accelerators specifically designed to automate and streamline the migration of legacy applications (Java, Mainframe, databases, BI tools etc.) to GCP within the PLM program.
  • Lead the development of AI-driven tools to enhance the Developer Experience, focusing on areas like automated code comprehension, code reviews, testing, deployment, and knowledge access (e.g., NLP dashboards, enriched chatbots).
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management:
  • Collaborate closely with PLM program managers, application teams, GDIA, Enterprise Architecture, DX teams, and PDOs to ensure GenAI solutions meet program needs and align with broader strategies.
  • Effectively communicate complex GenAI technical concepts to diverse audiences, including technical peers, developers, and leadership.
  • Partner with GDIA to leverage FordLLMs, adhere to established guardrails, and contribute to the central GenAI COE knowledge base.
• Technology Experimentation & Adoption:
  • Lead and conduct proof-of-concept projects and experiments with emerging GenAI technologies and frameworks identified in the roadmap.
  • Champion a "fast-fail" approach to experimentation, quickly iterating and demonstrating value.
  • Drive the adoption of successful GenAI tools and practices within the PLM program and potentially broader Ford IT teams.
• Team Mentorship (as applicable):
  • Mentor and guide junior engineers or team members working on GenAI development tasks.
  • Foster a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous learning within the GenAI space.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field.
• 8-10+ years of experience in software development/engineering, with a significant and demonstrable focus (3+ years) on designing, building, and deploying AI/ML and specifically Generative AI solutions in an enterprise environment.
• MUST HAVE - Deep Practical GenAI Expertise: Proven hands-on experience with:
  • Developing solutions using Large Language Models (LLMs) and related frameworks (e.g., Langchain, Langgraph).
  • Building GenAI applications such as code generation/translation tools, chatbots, RAG systems, or Agentic AI.
  • Fine-tuning models, prompt engineering, and evaluating GenAI model performance and quality.
  • Familiarity with the GenAI technology landscape (e.g., OpenAI models, Claude, open-source models, vector databases).
  • Security, DevSecOps and ethical practices in dealing with GenAI
• MUST HAVE - Strong Software Development Foundation: Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in AI/ML development (e.g., Python, Java) and software development and Artisan best practices (including API design, microservices)along with Test Driven Development
• Nice to HAVE - Understanding of Ford's Technical Environment: Demonstrable understanding of both legacy technologies (e.g., Java/J2EE, Struts, Mainframe, Oracle/SQL DBs, WAS, ETLs, BI tools like WebFocus/BO) and modern cloud stacks, particularly Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
  • Experience with relevant GCP services is crucial (e.g., Vertex AI, Cloud Run, GKE/OpenShift, Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Cloud SQL, Pub/Sub, Monitoring, Logging).
• MUST HAVE - Enterprise Application Context: Experience working within large, complex enterprise IT environments and understanding the challenges of integrating new technologies like GenAI. Experience applying AI to software development lifecycle (SDLC) processes (e.g., code analysis, automated testing) is highly desirable.
• Experience with DevSecOps tools and practices (e.g., CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins/GitLab CI, Terraform, Ansible, containerization, code quality tools like SonarQube, testing frameworks like Selenium/JMeter, GitHub). Cost Monitoring and Optimization techniques is key.
• Proven ability to lead technical projects, solve complex technical problems, and work effectively in a fast-paced, global environment.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, capable of conveying technical details clearly to various audiences.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with a passion for innovation in the AI space.

Preferred Qualifications:

• GCP certifications (e.g., Professional Cloud Architect, Professional Machine Learning Engineer).
• Experience specifically with GCP Vertex AI platform and tools.
• Experience contributing to or leveraging internal enterprise LLM platforms (like FordLLMs).
• Experience with Agile development methodologies.
• Familiarity with PLM concepts or the automotive industry.
• Experience building Agentic AI systems (e.g., using AutoGen, Crew AI, or similar frameworks).