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Lead AI Engineer, Business Acceleration

On-site in Madrid·Full-time·Added 11 days ago

SGS

181 open roles

Overview

Job details

  • Full-time

    Per the ad.

Requirements

  • Have the right to work in Spain

    SGS doesn't mention sponsorship in the ad.

  • Work in English

    English is required, per the ad.

  • Work on-site in Madrid

    No relocation package mentioned.

  • Have 8+ years of experience

    Lead-level role.

Requirements

What we're looking for

  • Applied Generative AI & LLMs: Deep, hands-on experience building and shipping applications with LLMs, including advanced RAG architectures, agentic systems (using frameworks like LangChain/LlamaIndex), fine-tuning, and robust evaluation techniques.
  • Product & Business Acumen: A strong product mindset with a proven ability to translate ambiguous business needs into concrete technical requirements and impactful AI solutions.
  • Core ML & Python: Expert-level Python and a strong foundation in classical ML and deep learning (PyTorch preferred).
  • AI Infrastructure & MLOps: Hands-on experience consuming and deploying on modern AI stacks, including vector databases (e.g., Pinecone, Weaviate), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and cloud AI services (GCP Vertex AI, AWS Bedrock/SageMaker).
  • Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication skills and experience collaborating effectively with non-technical business leaders, product managers, and central technology teams.

Nice to have

  • You are a player-coach at heart, with extensive experience (e.g., 8+ years) in AI/ML and a passion for leading from the front with hands-on development.
  • You are obsessed with solving real business problems and measuring your success by the value you create, not just the technology you build.
  • You are a pragmatic builder who excels at using the right tools for the job to deliver results quickly and iteratively.
  • You thrive in a "hub-and-spoke" environment, enjoying both the autonomy of a business-embedded team and the leverage of a powerful central platform.
  • You are a natural bridge-builder, capable of speaking the language of both business and deep technology.
  • German Language skills not necessary but advantageous.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

  • Top-of-Market Compensation: A highly competitive salary and bonus package for Madrid, designed to attract premier talent for this strategic role.
  • Direct Business Impact: Own high-visibility projects from idea to P&L impact. See your work directly influence the bottom line of a major business unit.
  • The Best of Both Worlds: Enjoy the autonomy and speed of a startup-like team embedded in the business, backed by the deep resources and cutting-edge platform of a central AI powerhouse.
  • A Unique Problem Space: Apply cutting-edge AI to one-of-a-kind datasets from global supply chains, materials science, and industrial testing to solve tangible, real-world problems.
  • Strategic Leadership Role: Act as a key leader in SGS's digital transformation, shaping how AI is adopted in the field and influencing the global technology strategy.

The role

We're looking for an entrepreneurial AI leader to be the "tip of the spear" for AI adoption within one of our core countries. Your mission is to translate high-stakes business problems into tangible, AI-powered solutions that drive measurable P&L impact.

As a Lead AI Engineer, you will own the AI agenda for your designated business area. You will partner directly with business leaders to identify opportunities, and then lead the hands-on design and development of solutions. You won't be starting from scratch; you will leverage the powerful platforms, tools, and "Lego Bricks" built by our central AI Hub. Your role is to be the master integrator and innovator, delivering value at speed and contributing your team's breakthroughs back to the global SGS ecosystem.

What you'll do

  • Business-Driven AI Strategy: Partner with P&L owners and subject matter experts to deeply understand their challenges. Co-develop a roadmap of high-value AI initiatives, from discovery and prototyping to full-scale deployment.
  • End-to-End Solution Delivery: Lead the hands-on development of AI-powered applications. This includes everything from data analysis and prompt engineering to building sophisticated agentic workflows that solve concrete business tasks.
  • Platform Leverage and Collaboration: Act as the primary technical partner to the central AI Hub. Master the use of our shared AI platform and reusable components to accelerate delivery. Provide critical feedback to shape the central roadmap.
  • Innovation and Contribution: Package successful solutions and novel techniques developed within your team into new, reusable "Lego Bricks" for the central library, amplifying your impact across the entire organization.
  • Technical Leadership & Mentorship: Serve as the senior AI expert for your business domain. Guide and mentor product engineers within your Accelerator Team, setting a high bar for technical excellence and rapid execution.
  • Own the Outcome: Take full ownership of your projects, from the initial business case through to successful delivery and handover, ensuring every solution is robust, scalable, and creates quantifiable value.

Hiring process

3 steps2 interviewsa task to do
  1. Application

  2. Recruitment team contact

    With recruitment team

    If your skills and experience match current or future needs, a member of the recruitment team contacts you.

  3. Interviews

    Face-to-face or virtual interviews, also a chance to learn about the job, your future manager and the culture.

  4. Assessments

    Not every role

    For some positions: personality, cognitive and technical assessments, a short psychometric study, or more thorough assessments by external consultants.

  5. Additional screening and reference check

  6. Selection and offer · With HR team

  • An email acknowledges receipt of every application.
  • Unsuccessful candidates are informed and may be contacted for future openings.

About SGS

SGS is a Swiss-headquartered multinational company and the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. Founded in 1878, it operates across diverse industries including agriculture, construction, energy, manufacturing, mining, and public sector, providing services such as quality assurance, risk management, and sustainability solutions. With over 99,000 employees and a network of more than 2,600 offices and laboratories worldwide, SGS is a category-defining player in the Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) sector.

In Spain, SGS has a significant presence with offices in Madrid, Barcelona, and other major cities, offering a wide range of technical and inspection roles. The company is known for its strong commitment to safety, quality, and regulatory compliance, making it a relevant employer for international professionals with backgrounds in engineering, environmental science, and industrial safety. SGS provides opportunities for career growth in a global environment, and its Spanish operations are a key part of its European network.

Industry
Testing & Certification
Founded
1878
Employees
50,000–100,000
Headquarters
Geneva, Switzerland
In Spain
Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and 7 more
Website
sgs.com

Good to know if you are moving

  • SGS operates in over 140 countries, offering international professionals the chance to work in a truly global environment with potential for cross-border projects and career mobility.
  • The company provides extensive training and development programs, including language courses and technical certifications, which can be valuable for professionals relocating to Spain.
  • SGS has a structured career path with opportunities to progress from technical roles to management positions, appealing to those seeking long-term growth.
  • The Spanish offices are well-established and integrated into the European network, offering a stable work environment and exposure to diverse industries.
  • SGS is a large, stable employer with a strong brand name, which can be reassuring for international professionals seeking a secure position.

In their own words

About the company & team

We are SGS – the world's leading testing, inspection, and certification company. Today, that mission is driven by data. With 99,500 employees across 2,500 locations, we generate a unique and massive dataset on global trade, product quality, and sustainability.

We are launching a central AI Hub in Madrid to turn that data into intelligent products and services. To ensure this technology creates maximum business impact, we are embedding dedicated Teams within our key business units and countries. This is your opportunity to lead one of those teams, acting as the crucial bridge between a specific business challenge and the cutting-edge capabilities of our central AI platform.

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