Overview
Head of AI / Lead AI (AI R&D) — Architecture + Digital Innovation Jobs in Bengaluru, India at Emagine Solutions FZE
Head of AI / Lead AI (AI R&D) — Architecture + Digital Innovation
Bangalore | Full-time | Senior Leadership
We’re building an AI R&D capability inside an Architecture Department’s Digital Innovation Unit — from zero. No legacy team, no inherited roadmap, no “innovation theatre”. This is a greenfield leadership mandate for someone who can set an AI strategy, build a high-performing team, and deliver AI products that materially improve design quality, project efficiency, sustainability outcomes and client value.
If you’re a senior AI leader who’s comfortable moving between research, engineering and business impact and you’re excited by generative AI, computational design, machine learning, and the future of the built environment we want to speak with you.
The opportunity (why this role exists) Architecture and AEC workflows are rich with high-value problems: design iteration, documentation, BIM coordination, performance simulation, carbon and energy optimisation, knowledge retrieval, and decision support. Your job is to turn those opportunities into a focused AI portfolio — then ship tools that teams actually use.
You’ll define the AI research and product roadmap, establish the operating model (data, governance, evaluation, deployment), and recruit the core team (ML engineering, applied research, computational design). You’ll be the bridge between senior architects and technical specialists translating open-ended design challenges into AI-solvable problems, and ensuring solutions are robust, ethical, secure and production-ready.
What you’ll do
- Own the AI strategy and AI R&D roadmap aligned to architectural, operational and commercial priorities
- Build the AI function from the ground up: hiring, mentoring, performance standards, ways of working
- Identify, validate and prioritise high-impact AI/ML use cases across:
- concept design and generative design
- BIM / documentation automation
- sustainability, energy performance and carbon analysis
- project delivery optimisation and quality assurance
- design knowledge management and intelligent search
- Lead proof-of-concepts (POCs), pilots and production deployments — with clear success metrics, evaluation frameworks and adoption plans
- Partner with senior architects, design leads and stakeholders to integrate AI into real workflows and tools (BIM, Revit, Rhino, computational design pipelines)
- Oversee tooling, vendors, budgets, timelines and delivery governance
- Champion responsible AI: data privacy, security, model risk, ethical use of generative tools, and compliance-by-design
- Represent the unit externally through partnerships, industry events, and thought leadership where appropriate
What we’re looking for (must-haves)
- 10+ years of experience, including 5+ years in AI / ML / data-driven product or innovation roles
- Strong working knowledge of machine learning and generative AI (LLMs, diffusion/transformers, evaluation, data strategy, MLOps fundamentals)
- Proven leadership in building and managing technical teams (AI engineering, data science, applied research) and delivering outcomes in complex organisations
- Ability to translate ambiguous, open-ended problems into practical roadmaps, experiments, and deployable systems
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication — you can explain technical trade-offs to non-technical decision-makers and align teams around delivery
- Background in architecture, urban planning, engineering, or a closely related design discipline or deep, credible experience delivering AI in AEC / built environment contexts
- Master’s degree preferred (or equivalent experience with a strong delivery track record)
Title: Head of AI / Lead AI (AI R&D) — Architecture + Digital Innovation
Company: Emagine Solutions FZE
Location: Bengaluru, India
