AI and Data Engineering lead

In this role, you will lead the AI & Data Engineering agenda to accelerate Vanderlande’s AI-native transformation of the engineering value stream. You will shape strategy, translate priorities into a focused program, and drive end-to-end AI-enabled engineering transformations across multiple domains. You’ll build reusable AI capabilities, data products, and reference patterns while ensuring governance and responsible AI. This is a high-impact leadership position with cross-functional collaboration and a clear focus on reducing lead times and increasing quality and time-to-market.

• 40 vacation days
• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid workplace (40% home / 60% office)
• Health & Wellbeing budget
• Commuting allowance with public transport reimbursement
• Working from home allowance (remote support)`,`Collective pension scheme and health insurance discount`,`On-site health centres with gym and therapists`,`Vanderlande Academy and training facilities`,`Lease car/compensation option`,`Short-term incentive earnings potential

• Define and execute the Technology AI and data strategy and portfolio for Vanderlande’s Technology unit
• Translate technology priorities into a prioritized AI/data initiative roadmap
• Align AI/data roadmap with product domain strategies and ETO-toCTO transformation
• Own the AI/data portfolio, roadmap, and prioritization process
• Identify opportunities to reduce engineering lead times, rework, and improve quality
• Ensure investments deliver measurable improvements in throughput and time to market
• Redesign engineering workflows to embed AI-enabled capabilities across disciplines
• Reduce handoffs and fragmented data by creating unified engineering information flows
• Develop and scale the Engineering Configurator and other AI solutions
• Create AI-enabled data products and knowledge structures for reusability
• Integrate AI with BOM, CAD, PLM, ALM and software development platforms
• Establish multidisciplinary fusion teams and communities of practice
• Partner with external institutions and customers to accelerate capability development
• Build AI knowledge across engineering populations and introduce AI tooling alongside standards and training
• Ensure AI solutions comply with governance, security, and IP protections
• Measure adoption by outcomes, not just tool usage
• Establish evaluation methods for AI-generated engineering outputs
• Move solutions from experimentation to operational use with ICT, Data, Security, Legal, Quality and AEC
• Launch AI-enabled initiatives with measurable impact on cycle-time, throughput, and quality
• Develop performance dashboards tracking time to market, throughput, adoption, reuse and quality

• 12+ years in engineering/technology development
• 7+ years leading AI initiatives
• Proven track record transforming complex engineering or product-development environments
• Experience applying AI, data and automation to improve throughput, quality or time to market
• Strong understanding of generative AI, ML, intelligent agents, RAG and AI-enabled software engineering
• Experience with data architecture and data products
• Familiarity with BOM, CAD, PLM, ALM, simulation, software development and test automation
• Experience building multidisciplinary teams and product-based delivery models
• Ability to translate technical opportunities into measurable outcomes
• Experience in industrial automation, logistics, or software-intensive engineering environments
• Proven ability to develop capabilities and lead organizational change
• Strong collaboration with engineers, architects, product leaders and executives
• Knowledge of governance, security, data sovereignty, and responsible AI practices

• entrepreneurial and execution-oriented mindset
• strategic vision
• stakeholder management
• AI, data and automation in engineering
• knowledge of generative AI, ML, autonomous agents, RAG
• data architecture and data products