AI Solutions Lead/Manager

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

Thales has built a presence in the United Arab Emirates for over 35 years, and today has over 300 employees. Thales in the UAE is part of our Middle East business that has 1,800 people across Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, KSA, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and UAE. Together we delivered technology for the Dubai metro, the longest driverless metro network in the world and a fare collection system that processes up to 250,000 transactions per day. We make UAE a safer place by providing secure electronic payment solutions, cyber security systems and communications as well as security systems for Dubai International Airport and air traffic management and navigation systems for Abu Dhabi’s airport.

Mission statement :

We are looking for a skilled AI Solution Manager to support the growth of our Artificial Intelligence team. This role requires a combination of technical expertise in AI/ML and strong leadership abilities to drive innovation, manage projects, and develop AI-driven solutions aligned with business goals. The ideal candidate will have experience in managing AI teams, overseeing AI projects, and ensuring successful deployment of AI models in production environments.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Team Management:

• Support the management and provide the leadership of AI engineers, data scientists, and researcher teams.
• Define AI strategy and roadmap in alignment with company objectives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Engineering, Business Lines and Product team) to integrate AI solutions.
• Oversee project timelines, resource allocation, and deliverables.
• Mentor and develop team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Technical Responsibilities

• Design and oversee the development of AI/ML models for real-world applications.
• Ensure scalability, reliability and ethical implementation of AI solutions.
• Stay up to date with the latest AI advancements and integrate relevant technologies.
• Optimize AI models for performance and efficiency in production.
• Work with data engineers to ensure high-quality data pipelines.
• Knowledge of Defense technologies and equipment is a plus (Radar, Command and Control, Optronics, Electronic Warfare)

Client & Partner Collaboration

• Work closely with external partners, clients, and stakeholders to understand their needs and support the strategy definition of AI solutions.
• Lead the development of AI demonstrators to showcase technological capabilities and business value.
• Participate in proof-of-concept (PoC) projects with clients to validate AI solutions.
• Represent the company in AI conferences, workshops, and industry events to strengthen partnerships and visibility.
• Act as a technical expert providing expertise on AI feasibility and implementation strategies.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Management Skills

• Strong leadership and team management experience.
• Project management expertise (Agile, Scrum, or other methodologies).
• Ability to translate business needs into AI-driven solutions.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Technical Skills

• Strong background in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Data Science.
• Proficiency in Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Scikit-learn.
• Experience with cloud technologies for AI deployment.
• Knowledge of big data technologies (Spark, Hadoop) is a plus.
• Familiarity with MLOps practices for model deployment and monitoring.

Perimeter (Employees / Revenue / Financial commitment / Budget Responsible)

Operation of the department

Support the operation of the Digital and Engineering department to ensure the respect of the Group process and the skills management.

Support the preparation of the Digital and Engineering budget.

Technical lead of Digital activities

Support technically the Commercial activities, Bids and Projects by providing technical knowledge on IA and Data Technologies:

• Big Data stacks,
• Data Science,
• Data Pipelines,
• IA technologies,

Scope of action

Responsible for technical choices and decision in AI and Data Projects, with a focus on the enablement of the business transformation: consistency on business, data, application and infrastructure architectures.

Close coordination with Bid, Project and Procurement teams. Support all on-going UAE projects.

Close coordination with BLs Engineering directors and managers, CTOs, AI Labs, AI Factories

Qualification

• Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in AI/ML development.
• 2+ years of experience in a leadership or managerial role.
• Experience in deploying AI models in production environments.
• Experience in partner engagement, client collaboration, or pre-sales AI activities is a plus.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Great journeys start here, apply now!