AI Software Lead

Musashi AI North America, Inc. is a growing hardware and software focused company that builds smart vision solutions for quality assurance in manufacturing environments. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, Musashi AI North America employs a talented and dynamic team of R&D and Applications Engineers who lead design, prototyping, and testing efforts to drive new technology development, build innovative products, and support our deployed solutions. The AI Team Lead , responsible for prioritizing team tasks, defining growth plans, and ensuring high team performance, will lead the development, deployment, integration, and ongoing maintenance of AI/ML solutions across the organization. This role focuses on transitioning AI/ML research and prototypes into robust, scalable production systems while ensuring continuous operation, performance optimization, and adaptability to evolving business needs. As a team lead, you will be both a hands-on contributor and strategic leader , managing a high-performing team of AI/ML engineers. You will be responsible for setting the technical direction and AI strategy , prioritizing tasks , defining team structure , establishing KPIs , and driving team growth and development . The role will be roughly 30% leadership and 70% hands-on , balancing technical execution with leadership and mentoring responsibilities. The team lead will collaborate with cross-functional teams including optics, electrical and robotics, and dashboard analytics, and will influence strategic initiatives that drive cost reduction, productivity improvements, and long-term value. Reports to: Director of Engineering Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Math, or a related field. Preferably P.Eng or master's in Computer Science, Software Engineering. 10+ years of experience designing, deploying, and maintaining AI/ML solutions in production environments, including 5+ years in technical leadership or architecture roles. Deep experience with state-of-the-art computer vision algorithms and their real-world applications. Proficiency in Python, C, C++, and libraries such as OpenCV and CUDA. Expertise with frameworks such as TensorFlow and/or PyTorch. Experience productizing ML models with tools like CUDA, TensorRT, TFLite, and model quantization. Strong understanding of edge computing technologies (e.g., Nvidia GPUs) and cloud computing platforms. Experience with CI/CD pipelines and MLOps practices for deploying and updating ML systems. Proven ability to create, manage, and deploy deep learning datasets for computer vision tasks. Experience in industrial automation, automated inspection systems, or robotics is a strong asset. Strong mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and collaborate effectively in a team environment. Job Responsibilities: This role combines both strategic leadership and hands-on execution . To make the blend of responsibilities clear, they are grouped together below, showing how the AI Team Lead balances direction setting, team management, and direct technical contributions. Strategic Leadership Ability to drive measurable business outcomes and communicating impact to leadership. Define the technical direction and long-term AI/ML strategy for Musashi AI North America. Provide strategic guidance on project planning, cost, risk management, and deployment feasibility. Define team structure, establish performance KPIs, and drive growth strategies for the AI/ML team. Prioritize engineering efforts and balance workloads across projects to meet key milestones. Present project updates, performance metrics, and future plans to internal stakeholders and leadership. Operational & Hands-On Execution Lead the end-to-end deployment and integration of AI/ML models into production systems with a focus on scalability, performance, and robustness. Translate computer vision research and IP into production-ready, maintainable systems. Oversee maintenance and performance monitoring of deployed systems, ensuring minimal downtime and continuous improvement. Define and test models against production metrics and business KPIs. Conduct applied research to support product development and troubleshoot production issues. Monitor and evaluate new trends and technologies in AI/ML to guide internal strategy and tool adoption. Mentor junior engineers and drive team growth through recruitment, training, and performance development, fostering best practices across AI/ML and engineering teams. Travel to client and Musashi locations as needed for project execution and collaboration. Preferred Skills: Experience with system monitoring, alerting, and observability tools for production AI. Understanding of cybersecurity best practices for ML systems in industrial environments. Personal Attributes: Creative and analytical thinker with a proactive and solution-oriented mindset. Strong time management and organizational skills. Confident communicator who can convey complex technical ideas across teams. Professional, mature, and composed under pressure. Initiative-driven and comfortable leading through ambiguity. Collaborative and respectful team member who uplifts peers and contributes to team culture. Musashi AI North America Expectations: Uphold company values, policies, and ethical standards. Be a champion of the Musashi Philosophy and 5S principles. Maintain adherence to all safety protocols and procedures. Contribute to the achievement of company and departmental goals. Engage constructively with peers and cross-functional collaborators. Please note: This job description is not exhaustive. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time based on business needs.