Director, Industrial Artificial Intelligence

Ma'aden is hiring a Director, Industrial Artificial Intelligence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Level rates it ; you can apply on Ma'aden.

Level's read on this job

On Level's scale, this role is Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
The posting mentions MLOps, computer vision and NLP among its tools and skills.
Level classes it as an executive role.
Ma'aden has 26 other open roles on Level.
Posted within the past week.

AI in this role

Lead the industrial AI strategy and portfolio to transform mining operations through scalable artificial intelligence solutions.

ml-opscomputer-visionnlpai-safetyindustrial-aiartificial-intelligencestrategyoperations

Maaden, established in 1997, is one of the fastest-growing mining companies in the world and the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East. We are leading the development of the mining industry to become the third pillar of Saudi Arabia’s economy by building a world-class, unique, and fully integrated mining value chain. We are pleased to share an exciting opportunity for the below mentioned position. This role offers a chance to contribute to our ambitious growth and play a key part in shaping the future of mining in the Kingdom.
Job Title: Director, Industrial Artificial Intelligence
Reporting To: Vice President, Artificial Intelligence
Business Unit / Function: Technology & Innovation - Artificial Intelligence
Department: Industrial Artificial Intelligence

Why This Role Matters

Industrial Artificial Intelligence enables Maaden to turn operational data and emerging AI capabilities into safer, more productive, reliable, and efficient operations across exploration, mining, mineral processing, and industrial assets.The Director, Industrial Artificial Intelligence shapes the strategy and portfolio that convert high-value operational challenges into scalable AI solutions. The role connects deep operational priorities with AI, data, digital, OT, and engineering capabilities to improve safety, productivity, recovery, reliability, process stability, energy efficiency, and sustainability.The role creates lasting value by moving Industrial AI beyond experimentation into production and sustained operational adoption, while building the capabilities, governance, partnerships, and responsible AI practices required to scale impact across Ma’aden.

What You Will Deliver

Industrial AI Strategy & Portfolio

Shape and evolve Maaden’s Industrial AI strategy and investment portfolio, directing resources toward opportunities with the strongest strategic, operational, and economic value.
Translate exploration, mining, processing, and asset performance priorities into a balanced portfolio of scalable AI opportunities with clear value, feasibility, risk, and adoption criteria.
Establish the operating model, standards, and governance required to scale Industrial AI responsibly and consistently across operations.

Operational Performance & Value

Drive measurable improvements across safety, productivity, recovery, reliability, process stability, cost, energy efficiency, and sustainability through targeted Industrial AI solutions.
Advance AI-enabled decision-making across exploration, geology, mine planning and operations, mineral processing, process control, maintenance, and asset performance.
Move high-value AI initiatives from experimentation through production and adoption to sustained operational ownership and measurable benefits realization.

Scalable AI & Technology Integration

Lead the development and deployment of production-grade AI capabilities that address complex industrial and operational challenges at scale.
Enable effective integration of AI with operational technology, control systems, historians, fleet systems, digital twins, laboratory platforms, and relevant enterprise technology.
Leverage enterprise AI platforms, reusable capabilities, architecture standards, and lifecycle controls to accelerate deployment while reducing duplication and technology risk.

Governance & Operational Assurance

Govern Industrial AI solutions across model performance, reliability, cybersecurity, data governance, explainability, operational safety, and responsible AI requirements.
Establish transparent portfolio performance, value tracking, and risk oversight to enable informed investment and scaling decisions.
Ensure Industrial AI initiatives meet approved quality, financial, technical, risk, and performance expectations throughout their lifecycle.

People, Partnerships & Enterprise Adoption

Build and lead an integrated Industrial AI function spanning exploration, mining, mineral processing, and industrial operations, strengthening both AI capability and operational domain expertise.
Build senior partnerships across operations, engineering, Digital, OT, IT, Enterprise AI, and business functions to embed AI into operational decisions and workflows.
Develop strategic relationships with technology providers, OEMs, universities, research institutions, and specialist organizations to accelerate innovation, capability development, and access to emerging technologies.

What Success Looks Like

A prioritized Industrial AI portfolio delivers demonstrable operational and financial value aligned with Ma’aden’s strategic priorities.
AI solutions contribute measurable improvements in safety, productivity, recovery, reliability, process stability, energy efficiency, cost, and sustainability.
High-value AI use cases progress successfully from experimentation into production, sustained adoption, and operational ownership.
Industrial AI solutions demonstrate reliable performance with effective governance, cybersecurity, responsible AI, and operational assurance.
Enterprise AI, Digital, OT, IT, and operational teams operate through clear interfaces that accelerate delivery and reduce duplication.
A high-performing Industrial AI function develops strong technical and domain capability, with effective leadership succession, knowledge transfer, and external partnerships.

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computer Science, Mining Engineering, Mineral Processing, Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline.
PhD in a relevant discipline is preferred.

Experience

15+ years of relevant experience, including at least 7 years in AI, advanced analytics, optimization, automation, or digital transformation.
Experience within mining, metals, energy, manufacturing, or another asset-intensive industrial environment is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering scalable, production-grade AI solutions with measurable operational impact.
Experience leading complex initiatives from strategy and use-case prioritization through deployment, operational adoption, stakeholder alignment, and benefits realization.

Skills That Matter

Industrial AI strategy and portfolio management
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, GenAI, NLP, LLMs, and Agentic AI
Optimization, computer vision, and predictive and prescriptive analytics
Mining, mineral processing, and industrial operations
Operational technology, control systems, historians, and digital twins
MLOps and AI model lifecycle management
Responsible AI, cybersecurity, data governance, and operational risk
Business case development and benefits realization
Executive stakeholder influence and change leadership
Talent development and strategic partnership management

Benefits

1. Career Growth
2. Competitive Salaries
3. Comprehensive Package
4. Inclusive Work Environment
5. Work-Life Balance
6. Employee wellness

How we rate this

Director, Industrial Artificial Intelligence at Ma'aden rates 85 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Director, Industrial Artificial Intelligence is an open job at Ma'aden.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The role is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The job was posted on October 28, 2026.
Seniority: executive.
Applications are handled by Ma'aden. Apply on Ma'aden

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

ML OpsComputer visionNLPAI SafetyIndustrial AIArtificial IntelligenceStrategyOperations

Questions you could be asked

How do you monitor a model once it's live, and how do you know it needs retraining?
Walk me through a computer vision problem you solved, from raw data to a deployed model.
What NLP problem have you worked on, and how did you measure whether it actually worked?
How do you think about the risk of an AI system in this kind of role failing silently?
Tell me about a project where industrial ai was part of your work. What did you do?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: ML Ops, Computer vision, NLP, AI Safety, and Industrial AI. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.

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