Product Manager, AI Vision Systems

The Manufacturing Quality AI Vision Information Technology (IT) Team, part Product Creation & Industrialization Technology (PC & I Tech) is at the forefront of modernizing and supporting Ford Motor Company’s global manufacturing production environment.We are responsible for the development, deployment, and support of plant floor systems that support the Ford Production System worldwide. Our plant floor systems are core enablers for the digital birth certificate and quality assurance of the products we produce within the Ford manufacturing process. We are committed to continuous innovation, the use of A.I. and the latest technologies to bring market speed solutions to manufacturing. Join us in our mission to transform automotive manufacturing through intelligent software that delivers significant bottom-line value to Ford Motor Company. 

As Manufacturing IT Product Manager, you will be a strategic leader responsible for leading a global PC & I Tech team that consists of 5-10 software development and product support personnel focused on the use of AI Vision Systems to improve Ford product quality. In this role you will serve as a change agent, foster a high performing team, drive product enhancements and provide 24x7 support to ensure our product(s) meet current and emergent needs of our Manufacturing business partners across Ford’s Manufacturing Quality domain. As a leader you will help support the proper production and quality of automotive vehicles and components (Engine/Transmission/Axle/Battery/etc..) across our global Vehicle Assembly and Powertrain manufacturing facilities. 

Position Duties:

• This is a Manufacturing IT Product Manager position with a focus on system development, deployment & global support operations for new and existing AI Vision Systems. 
• You will manage a team of senior technical IT engineers, to support and fulfill the Ford Motor Company’s organizational Objectives (as set by the Business Owners and by the IT leadership).
• You will be responsible for the prioritized decision making, development and ongoing maintenance of products in the manufacturing space using systems thinking, test-driven development principles.  
• As a technical leader you will work closely with your IT team, with Business owners and partners, as well as each Site staff located in each plant to deliver across 4 main focus areas aimed to deliver customer value, meet business demands and improve vehicle and component quality 
  1. Business Advancement (new product features and configurations; new vehicle programs); 
  2. Modernization (product compliance; device refresh (strategy and implementations, such as servers, databases, and aging floor computers); 
  3. Run and Protect (support operations for 60 manufacturing plants existing (365/24/7), and for new global programs being stood up); and 
  4. Compliance which includes improvements for how we do our work (system monitors; health alerts; CI/CD pipeline (continuous integration, continuous delivery). 

• Manage the full product lifecycle for IT Quality Vision Systems application(s), including ideation, development, maintenance, technology refresh, and production support for AI-enabled manufacturing quality solutions. 

• Promote adoption of AI and machine learning solutions across Ford Manufacturing and related business areas. 

• Partner with global cross-functional teams to gather requirements, provide technical guidance, and deliver effective Vision Systems solutions. 

• Lead planning, prioritization, and execution through the Vision Systems Steering Team to deliver high-value capabilities aligned to business needs. 

• Define and publish product metrics to measure adoption, assess feature value, and guide future enhancements. 

• Champion Agile and product-driven practices to help teams deliver working, tested software. 

• Manage budget, resources, and forecasts to ensure program commitments are delivered. 

• Lead and develop the technical product team, including mentoring, performance management, career planning, and onboarding/offboarding. 

• Coordinate with IT, business leaders, and Ford partners on project proposals, approvals, contracts, budgets, purchase orders, and implementation oversight. 

• Communicate effectively with product owners, designers, software engineers, and technical experts to align priorities and execution. 

• Stay current on industry standards and emerging technologies and share relevant insights with the team. 

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship across frontend, backend, and software engineering practices. 

• Support team growth and delivery quality through design reviews, code reviews, documentation, Agile practices, and knowledge-sharing sessions.

• Education
  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field
• Experience
  • 3+ years of Technical Product Management experience
  • 3+ years of Software Delivery experience using Agile and/or Lean practices including defining and prioritizing product features and working with backlog management tools
  • 2+ years of progressive responsibilities within technology and software functions such as software engineering/development, software/application delivery, product delivery, and/or product management.
  • 2+ years of experience managing user requirements and user stories, tracking the delivery process, and managing software projects using CA Agile Central (Rally) or Jira, or similar Agile Tools
  • Have exposure to Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or Computer Vision application deployments
  • 1+ years of experience working with Cloud Technologies such as Google Cloud Platform, AWS, or Azure
  • Proven capability to thrive in a challenging & dynamic, global, automotive environment (365/24/7)
  • Visionary leadership behaviors (servant leader; transformational; long term resiliency; tactical; strategic)
  • Excellent written and oral communications skills to a range of target audiences: Executives, Technical Engineers, Plant manufacturing teams, Operators
  • Ability to lead software engineers to understand and rapidly learn technical acumen in AI/ML space, gather requirements, understand the customer, and come up with solutions.
  • Experience collaborating with engineers, designers, and product owners as part of co-located teams
  • Experience defining product vision, strategy, and product roadmaps and creating and managing backlogs.
  • Knowledge and experience with MQTT and Industrial Internet of Things.
  • Experience in one or more of the following domains: Vision Systems / IoT / Manufacturing
• Willingness to periodically travel to Ford Vehicle Operations and Powertrain facilities - United States, Canada, Mexico. 

Nice to have:

• Master’s degree in (Business / Technical)

Work Pattern Info:

• In office (Dearborn, Michigan)
• 7am-5pm (7am plant shift start pattern)

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is leadership level 6 and ranges from $132,800-$250,800.    

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. 

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