Staff Applied Scientist

Positively disrupting an industry that has not seen any innovation in over 50 years, Tekion has challenged the paradigm with the first and fastest cloud-native automotive platform that includes the revolutionary Automotive Retail Cloud (ARC) for retailers, Automotive Enterprise Cloud (AEC) for manufacturers and other large automotive enterprises and Automotive Partner Cloud (APC) for technology and industry partners. Tekion connects the entire spectrum of the automotive retail ecosystem through one seamless platform. The transformative platform uses cutting-edge technology, big data, machine learning, and AI to seamlessly bring together OEMs, retailers/dealers and consumers. With its highly configurable integration and greater customer engagement capabilities, Tekion is enabling the best automotive retail experiences ever. Tekion employs close to 3,000 people across North America, Asia and Europe.

Tekion seeks an exceptionally talented and seasoned Staff / Lead Applied Scientist to architect the future of our AI-driven solutions. The incumbent will assume a pivotal role in our organization, providing the strategic and technical stewardship necessary to translate cutting-edge research into tangible business value. The ideal candidate is a first-principles thinker, adept at navigating ambiguity, and possesses the intellectual curiosity to formulate and solve complex, unstructured problems. This is seminal opportunity to influence the trajectory of our AI strategy and deliver transformative solutions at an enterprise scale.  
 
Key Responsibilities 

• Strategic Direction: Architect and execute the strategic vision for applied AI and Machine Learning within Tekion, ensuring rigorous alignment with overarching business objectives and industry challenges. 

• Innovation & Research Leadership: Steer the R&D roadmap by identifying and capitalizing on emergent technological opportunities. Drive innovation through the ideation and implementation of novel, scientifically-grounded solutions. 

• Stakeholder Alignment: Serve as the principal technical liaison between the R&D organization and executive stakeholders, ensuring technical strategies are congruent with business imperatives. 

• Cross-Functional Execution: Lead collaborations with product, engineering, and business units to define, develop, and integrate sophisticated machine learning systems into core products and services. 

• Scientific Contribution: Contribute to the broader scientific community through publications in premier academic conferences and journals, enhancing Tekion's position as a center of innovation. 

• Mentorship & Talent Development: Mentor and cultivate a culture of scientific rigor and innovation among applied scientists, guiding project execution and fostering professional growth. 

• Impact Quantification: Establish robust frameworks for model evaluation and performance measurement. Quantify and articulate the business impact of machine learning initiatives to executive leadership. 

• Governance & Best Practices: Institute and govern best practices for the entire machine learning lifecycle, including model development, validation, deployment, and monitoring, while championing ethical and responsible AI 

            The successful candidate will demonstrate mastery in the following areas: 

• Foundational Expertise: Deep, theoretical and practical expertise in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Causal Inference, and Explainable AI. 

• Statistical Rigor: Advanced proficiency in applied probability and statistics to derive and validate insights from complex, high-dimensional data. 
   
   

• Expert-level proficiency with frameworks such as TensorFlow, Keras, and PyTorch. 

• Extensive experience implementing advanced neural network architectures. 

• Practical application of Computer Vision (e.g., OpenCV) and Natural Language Processing (e.g.,spaCy) methodologies. 

• Large Language Models (LLMs): Demonstrated experience with Large Language Models, including advanced prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and deployment for specific business applications. 

• Advanced programming skills in Python and mastery of SQL. Familiarity with distributed computing frameworks (e.g., Spark) is advantageous. 

• Proficiency with cloud computing platforms (GCP, Azure, AWS). 

• Expertise in experimental design (A/B testing, causal inference). 

• Proficient in version control systems (Git). 

• An advanced degree (Ph.D. or M.S. preferred) in a quantitative discipline such as Computer Science, Statistics, Operations Research, Physics, or a related field. 

• A minimum of 7 - 9 years of post-academic experience in applied science or quantitative research roles, with a demonstrable history of translating complex models into tangible business value. 

• A distinguished track record of solving difficult, business-critical problems using a scientific, data-driven approach. 

• Proven experience in programming, data manipulation, and building models in a business context. 

• Sophisticated data visualization and presentation skills, with the ability to distill complex analytical results into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.