AI Strategy & Validation Engineering Performance Lead

We are seeking an experienced AI Strategy & Performance Lead to establish and guide AI strategy, governance, and project execution across global Product Validation and Technical Operations.

This role is focused on improving the efficiency, consistency, and scalability of product validation activities across more than 60 technical centers worldwide. The organization is responsible for validating products at the component, subsystem, software, engine, and integrated system levels, including fuel systems, turbochargers, aftertreatment systems, controls, emissions systems, and complete power solutions.

The successful candidate will identify, prioritize, and scale AI-enabled solutions that improve the end-to-end validation value stream, from test request intake and test planning through execution, data delivery, and engineering handoff. This is not a dedicated AI development role, but candidates should possess enough technical expertise to evaluate AI approaches, guide implementation decisions, and help scale successful solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Validation Transformation & AI Strategy

- Serve as the AI strategy lead for the integral Product Validation organization.
- Partner with validation, engineering, and operations leaders to improve the end-to-end validation value stream.
- Identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality, cycle time, standardization, and visibility across validation operations.
- Develop an AI roadmap aligned with validation business objectives and operational priorities.

Validation Process Improvement

- Identify and implement AI solutions supporting:
- Test request intake and prioritization
- Test plan generation and optimization
- Test method development
- Validation milestone and stop-point recommendations
- Engineering knowledge management
- Workflow automation
- Cross-site collaboration and information sharing
- Support validation activities across:
- Component testing
- Engine and powertrain validation




- Software and controls validation
- Integrated system testing
- Emissions and regulatory compliance testing
- Performance and durability testing

Portfolio & Governance Leadership

- Catalog and assess existing AI initiatives across technical centers and business units.
- Establish governance, intake, prioritization, and performance measurement processes.
- Evaluate opportunities based on value, feasibility, scalability, risk, and effort.
- Identify duplicate efforts and opportunities to standardize or scale successful solutions globally.
- Align local initiatives with corporate AI strategy and governance requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management

- Facilitate collaboration among validation engineers, test operations teams, business units, and corporate AI organizations.
- Build alignment across stakeholders on priorities, investments, and implementation approaches.
- Serve as a trusted advisor on AI adoption within validation operations.
- Support user adoption, organizational readiness, and change management.

Solution Deployment & Scaling

- Launch and manage a prioritized portfolio of validation-focused AI initiatives.
- Support development and scaling of 1-3 high-priority AI solutions during the engagement.
- Define metrics to measure productivity gains, adoption, and business impact.
- Scale successful pilots across technical centers and validation functions.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Information Technology, Business, or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in engineering operations, product validation, testing organizations, operational excellence,



technical program management, or digital transformation.
- Experience leading cross-functional initiatives across multiple sites or organizations.
- Experience evaluating or implementing AI-enabled business solutions.
- Experience leading AI or digital transformation initiatives in engineering or manufacturing environments.
- Strong understanding of engineering, validation, testing, or technical operations environments.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience within product validation, testing laboratories, technical centers, or R&D; organizations.
- Background in engineering process improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or value stream management.
- Knowledge of test planning, validation methodologies, and engineering workflows.
- Experience working in large, global organizations.

Location & Travel

- Preference for candidates located near Southern Indiana
- Could be remote from US or Mexico, must be open to travel up to 20-25% depending on business needs

Success Measures

- Established AI strategy and operating model for Product Validation.
- Prioritized portfolio of high-value AI initiatives.
- Improved efficiency and consistency across validation value streams.
- Successful implementation and scaling of AI solutions.
- Increased visibility and collaboration across global technical centers.
- Measurable improvements in validation productivity, cycle time, and operational performance.

Ideal Candidate A leader with experience in product validation, testing operations, engineering excellence, or technical operations who can bridge the gap between validation engineers and AI specialists. The ideal candidate understands validation workflows across components, software, subsystems, engines, and complete systems and can identify practical, scalable opportunities to improve those processes through AI.

📌 AI Strategy & Validation Engineering Performance Lead (Guadalajara)
🏢 LER TechForce
📍 Guadalajara