Lead Applied Data & AI Engineer

We Make Life More Rewarding and Dignified 

Location: ​Libertyville​
Department: ​Information Technology 

 

Join our Global IT Organization as we shape the future through data, analytics, and AI. We are seeking a strategic yet hands-on Lead Applied Data and AI Engineer to design and deliver enterprise-grade data platforms and AI solutions that drive measurable business impact. This role combines deep technical execution with architectural thinking—building robust data lakes, warehouses, and pipelines while operationalizing AI models and intelligent agents using Microsoft Azure AI services and modern frameworks.

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Data, AI and Digital Platforms, you will collaborate with business and IT stakeholders to implement scalable solutions, mentor team members, and ensure secure, compliant, and innovative outcomes across Hollister’s global operations.

Hybrid work: 3 days/week on-site at Libertyville, IL; remaining days remote.

 

Responsibilities:

 

• Data Engineering & Architecture
• Design and build data lakes, warehouses, and lakehouse architectures using Microsoft Fabric/OneLake and Azure Data Services.
• Implement data ingestion, transformation, and orchestration pipelines with strong error handling, logging, and observability.
• Integrate enterprise systems (SAP S/4HANA, BW, Datasphere) into governed data platforms.
• AI Engineering
• Develop and deploy AI/ML models (LLMs, SLMs, multi-modal, traditional ML) using Python and Azure ML.
• Build Agentic AI solutions leveraging frameworks like LangChain and Semantic Kernel.
• Apply RAG patterns and vector databases for retrieval-based AI grounded in curated data.
• Operational Excellence
• Implement MLOps best practices for reproducible, secure deployments using Azure ML and Azure DevOps.
• Ensure compliance with privacy and regulatory standards (PHI, PII, GDPR, HIPAA).
• Optimize cost and performance across data and AI workloads.
• Collaboration & Leadership
• Partner with global teams to integrate solutions into enterprise platforms (Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, SAP Datasphere).
• Mentor junior engineers and promote best practices in data and AI engineering.
• Contribute to evolving data and AI standards and reusable frameworks.

 

Essential Functions:

 

• Lead hands-on development while applying architectural principles for scalability and governance.
• Act as a technical thought leader in data-first AI innovation.
• Navigate ambiguity and make informed decisions balancing data quality, time-to-value, and compliance.
• Represent Hollister in internal/external forums as a subject matter expert.

 

Requirements:

 

• 8–12 years experience in data engineering and AI/ML solution delivery.
• Proven ability to design and implement data platforms and pipelines at enterprise scale.
• Strong experience with Azure AI/ML tools, Microsoft Fabric, and SAP integration.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field; Master’s preferred.
• Certifications (Azure AI Engineer Associate, Azure Data Scientist Associate) are a plus.

 

Technical Skills:

 

• Advanced Python, ML libraries (PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn).
• Expertise in data modeling, governance, and quality frameworks.
• Familiarity with LangChain, Semantic Kernel, and vector databases.
• Strong understanding of MLOps, CI/CD, containerization (D