Call for Head of the AI Deployment Unit

The Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence for Industry (AI4I) is a national public institute established in June 2024 to accelerate the adoption of advanced Artificial Intelligence technologies across Italy’s industrial ecosystem. As a strategic pillar of the national AI Factory, AI4I operates at the intersection of applied AI, industrial scale-up, and mission-driven innovation.

Headquartered in Turin within a major innovation district and supported by stable public funding, AI4I integrates high-performance computing resources (via CINECA), a national co-design infrastructure (SUK), and a full-stack AI development pipeline (the AI Foundry) to serve companies and public institutions across strategic sectors.

This call aims to appoint the founding Head of the AI Deployment Unit, a mission-critical unit tasked with bringing advanced AI solutions out of the lab and into real-world industrial operations.

Location
The position is based Turin (hybrid work arrangements may be negotiated).

About the AI Deployment Unit

The AI Deployment Unit is a core operational entity within AI4I, focused exclusively on the deployment, integration, and scaling of high-TRL AI systems within partner companies and production environments. Unlike research-oriented labs, the Unit works on mature technologies, close to or beyond validation stages, and is responsible for ensuring real-world impact through robust engineering, solution customization, and reliable delivery.

The Unit will act as a bridge between R&D and industry, turning scientific advancements into usable tools, software systems, and platforms, and adapting them to client needs across domains such as manufacturing, logistics, energy, and smart infrastructure.

It will operate in close collaboration with:

• AI4I’s R&D Labs, which generate and validate cutting-edge AI technologies, and will provide your Unit with leads for deployment of AI solutions developed by the Institute.
• The Engineering Unit managing the AI Foundry, the Institute’s infrastructure for model training, optimization, and deployment (with over 140 NVIDIA H200/B200 GPUs).
• The Business Development Team, to align your Unit with client leads and to support it in activities of analytics translation, that is analysing leads’ business and recover potential use cases for AI deployment or R&D.

The Deployment Unit plays a central role in AI4I’s contribution to the national AI Factory, ensuring that research and technology can be rapidly transferred and adopted by industrial ecosystems at scale.

Your Role: Head of the AI Deployment Unit

As Head of the AI Deployment Unit, you will design, structure, and lead a team of senior engineers, AI developers, solution architects, and deployment specialists. Your mission will be to translate proven AI technologies into high-impact, field-ready solutions and to drive adoption within industrial ecosystems.

You will work closely with AI4I’s strategic partners, national industrial champions, and SMEs, ensuring that every deployment aligns with operational needs, regulatory frameworks, and long-term performance goals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deployment Strategy & Execution: Design and implement scalable deployment pipelines for AI solutions, ensuring performance, robustness, and usability in production contexts.
• Client Engagement: Work directly with partner companies to assess needs, co-design deployment strategies, and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Team Leadership: Recruit, manage, and mentor a multidisciplinary team of deployment professionals, fostering a culture of accountability and technical excellence.
• Technology Transfer: Translate AI research outputs (from AI4I or external sources) into industrial-grade software and systems, customizing them for specific domains and use cases.
• Cross-Unit Coordination: Collaborate closely with R&D Labs, the Engineering Unit (AI Foundry), and Business Development to align strategic priorities and technical roadmaps.
• Quality & Reliability: Ensure high standards of reliability, compliance (e.g. AI Act), and documentation across all deployments.
• Business Development: Support business development efforts, including scoping new opportunities, preparing technical offers, and contributing to strategic partnerships.
• KPIs and Reporting: Monitor and report on deployment outcomes, adoption rates, and client impact, aligned with the Institute’s overall performance indicators.

What We Offer

• A 4-year renewable appointment with a clear leadership mandate and visibility at national level.
• A competitive salary and benefits package, including up to 90% tax exemption for international candidates relocating to Italy.
• Access to a full-stack AI engineering pipeline via the AI Foundry (over 140 NVIDIA H100/B200 GPUs and 6 PB storage).
• Direct collaboration with leading industrial players and public institutions.
• Integration into a national and European network of applied AI programs, consortia, and funding opportunities.
• A hybrid work policy, based in Turin.

What We Are Looking For

We seek a mission-driven technical leader with a strong track record in AI system deployment, software engineering, and operational delivery.

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience deploying AI or data-driven systems in production environments (e.g., factories, logistics, infrastructure, etc.).
• Deep understanding of the AI engineering lifecycle, from system design and integration to testing, deployment, and monitoring.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary technical teams and manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills in industrial settings.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, or a related field; PhD welcome but not required.
• Experience with edge AI, model optimization, AI safety, or regulatory compliance (e.g., CE marking, AI Act).
• Background in industrial automation, cyber-physical systems, or cloud/edge deployment.
• Participation in public-private R&D or technology transfer programs.

Key Success Metrics

Your performance will be assessed based on:

• Deployment Impact: Number and quality of AI deployments, including client satisfaction and measurable value delivered.
• Operational Excellence: On-time, on-budget execution of complex deployment projects.
• Adoption & Scale: Extent of adoption of AI solutions within partner organizations or sectors.
• Collaboration: Effective coordination with internal (Labs, Engineering, SUK) and external stakeholders.
• Revenue & Growth: Contribution to project acquisition, industry partnerships, and scaling of the unit.

How to Apply

Submit the application via the form below by October 15, 2025, 11:59 PM CEST:

1. CV
2. Motivation letter (max. 800 words)
3. Contact information for 3 professional references
4. Optional: Portfolio of past deployments, Git repositories, or relevant documenta

Diversity & Equal Opportunity

AI4I is committed to building diverse, inclusive teams. Applications from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged.