Senior Engineer, AI Engineering

Do you want to shape the data foundation for industrial AI at a global manufacturing company? As a Senior Data Engineer in NKT's Data & AI organisation, you will build, harden and operate secure data pipelines and platforms that support industrial analytics, computer‑vision solutions, edge‑enabled data processing and advanced AI‑driven insights. You will work across IT/OT boundaries, integrating PLC/MES and enterprise systems into Azure-based data services while ensuring high‑quality, compliant and governed datasets aligned with EU AI Act, GDPR and NIS2 requirements.

Design resilient pipelines for industrial AI workloads

You will design and operate secure ingestion from shop‑floor sensors, PLC/MES and enterprise sources into Azure services, developing robust ETL/ELT (batch and streaming) and curated datasets for AI workloads across time‑series and computer vision.

Your responsibility will be to:

• Build secure ingestion pipelines from PLC/MES/IoT and ERP/PLM into Azure Fabric/Databricks
• Develop scalable ETL/ELT (batch/streaming), schema evolution and orchestration with CI/CD
• Implement data quality checks, lineage, access governance and retention policies
• Enable model integration, feature stores and telemetry for MLOps (MLflow)
• Define SLAs/SLOs, tests and observability for freshness, completeness and latency
• Design data flows that support edge computing scenarios, enabling low‑latency processing and integration with shop‑floor or near‑machine environments.
• Work closely with Manufacturing Excellence, Technology teams and the AI Governance Board to align data engineering solutions with standards and operational needs.
• Collaborate with Data Scientists to support model development, including feature stores, data contracts, telemetry, and MLOps runtimes like MLflow
• You will document runbooks and contribute to the AI registry, conduct architectural reviews and risk assessments, and align solutions to NKT's AI strategy and standards.

This role will be based in Kladno, Czech Republic, with hybrid working model. Travel approximately 50 days per year, EU mostly.

Pragmatic collaborator with industrial data mindset

You approach complex industrial data challenges with structure, balancing engineering rigour with practical delivery. You communicate clearly with people from shop‑floor operations to data science, build trust through transparent documentation, and value maintainability and safety in regulated contexts. You are comfortable working across disciplines, take initiative when gaps appear and ask clarifying questions early. You enjoy improving how things are done-testing, observability and governance-so services keep working when requirements change. You are attentive to detail, inclusive in collaboration and mindful of responsible AI practices.

You also have:

• 5-10 years in data engineering building production grade pipelines and AI engineering platforms
• Handson experience with Azure Fabric or Databricks, plus Python, SQL and PySpark
• CI/CD with Git/Azure DevOps, including jobs/orchestration and infrastructure as code
• Data governance skills (lineage, role based access, privacy) and awareness of EU AI Act, GDPR, NIS,2
• Exposure to OT/industrial integration (PLC, MES, IoT, time‑series) and edge runtime patterns
• Experience with systems integration and industrial automation

Grow NKT's digital capabilities with compliant AI

NKT is committed to developing a diverse organization and culture where people of diverse backgrounds can grow and are inspired to do their best. We are committed to establishing gender diversity at NKT and encouraging all interested candidates to apply - even if you don't tick all the boxes described. We believe that a diverse organization enables long-term performance, and that an inclusive and welcoming culture creates a better work environment.

You will join a collaborative international team with opportunities for professional development, knowledge sharing, and cross-functional learning. Expect access to modern tooling, the chance to shape AI engineering standards, and involvement in impactful use cases that improve product quality, efficiency, and safety. This role offers visibility across NKT's global operations and the space to grow your skills in architecture, governance, and responsible AI.

"As a leader, I'm looking for a person who can set a clear AI architecture, create a supportive environment for the team, and ensure responsible, compliant delivery that brings measurable value to our factories and business lines," says Hiring Manager, Sapna Anand.

Read more about our offer and listen to some voices of NKT Connectors here!

Be aware that personality and cognitive tests might be included in the recruitment process. For inquiries about the recruitment process, please reach out to Global Talent Attraction Specialist, Dejan Zegarac, [email protected]. Please note that due to the GDPR regulations we cannot accept any applications via e-mail.