AI & Machine Learning Engineer

At VDS Automation we help companies in the manufacturing industry work smarter with data and technology. As AI & Machine Learning Engineer you build the part that looks ahead: models that predict what is going to happen, and AI applications that take work off people’s hands. You work in code, from raw data to a solution running in production.

What will you be doing?

You work on projects for a range of customers, from customer question to a working solution in production. One time you develop an AI application or a workflow in which AI makes a customer process smarter. Another time you build a model that predicts when a machine needs maintenance, or a forecast for production or demand.

An example: a manufacturer wants less unplanned downtime. The machine data is already there, because colleagues have connected the machine using our own IoT hardware. You dig into that data, make it usable and build a model that flags anomalies and predicts maintenance. Then you take the model into production and make sure the people on the floor see the result.

So you work on the whole chain: from raw data to a model running on the production floor.

Think of:

• Developing AI applications for customers.
• Building workflows in code in which AI makes customers’ processes smarter and more efficient.
• Developing machine learning models for forecasting, anomaly detection and predictive maintenance, and taking them into production.
• Contributing to VDS’s internal development with the latest AI technology.
• Collecting, cleaning and preparing the data this requires.
• Deciding together with colleagues and customers what is needed, and making sure it actually works.

You do not work on hardware or embedded software. Connecting and configuring machines is done by your colleagues. Your work starts with the data: turning it into models and applications that work.

How we build: AI-first

We build AI-first. AI writes the first version, you decide whether it is good enough. You read the code, test it and adjust it. AI is a tool, not a colleague you take at their word.

For you it goes a step further, because AI is also what you build for customers. So you know not only how to work with it, but also where it falls short and how to test for that.

New tools follow one another quickly. You have to enjoy that pace. See something new and think we should try this? Then you get the room to do so.

What a week looks like

No two weeks are the same, but you will recognise this rhythm. You are at customers less often than the consultants, but often enough to know where your data comes from.

Projects you work on

Examples of the kind of problems you work on, for companies in the manufacturing and process industries.

What do you bring?

You do not need to master everything in the stack yet. You do have a solid foundation in machine learning and software, you build independently and you pick up new technology quickly.

• You have at least two years of experience in machine learning, data science or software development.
• You have a good command of Python.
• You have demonstrable experience with machine learning, for example with time series, forecasting or anomaly detection.
• You have built models or software that actually run in production.
• You already work with AI tooling and follow new developments on your own initiative.
• You pick up a technical problem independently and keep an eye on the scope.
• You know when a solution is good enough to deliver.
• You can explain what you have built to someone without a data background.
• You want to understand how a factory works. What happens when a machine fails, and which data could have predicted it.
• You speak and write Dutch well. You read English technical documentation without effort.

A higher professional or university degree (hbo/wo) in a technical field is a good fit. Demonstrable skill counts at least as much for us.

Our stack

The tools you work with, depending on the customer question. Not a mandatory set.

Colleagues also work with Power BI and our own IoT hardware. You will come across it, but it is not the core of this role.

Why VDS Automation?

We are a growing company in Leeuwarden and combine data, automation, AI and hardware. Our centre of gravity is the manufacturing industry, so you work with data from factories where it really happens. The team is small and level-headed, the lines are short and good ideas quickly make it into practice.

You get plenty of freedom to explore new possibilities. At the same time you look beyond the technology. Technology is the means, not the goal. What you build gives the customer a prediction, a signal or an overview they use to decide for themselves. It is their factory, you deliver the insight.

And what you build does not sit in a test environment for months. You see it back in real production environments.

What do we offer you?

Your future colleagues

This is the whole team. Small enough that you know everyone, big enough that there is always someone who knows how something works.

Frequently asked questions

Interested?

Are you someone who does not just find new technology interesting, but above all wants to discover what you can build with it? And do you want to build machine learning and AI that really runs in a factory? Then we would love to get to know you. Apply straight away using the form below.

Torn between this role and Consultant Data & Digitalisation? That role focuses on data platforms, dashboards and apps for the customer. This one focuses on machine learning models and LLM applications. Just apply, and we will work out together what fits.

For this job opening VDS Automation works exclusively with JPD Personeelsdiensten. They guide the procedure; you will hear from us within 24 hours on working days.

Questions? Feel free to send a WhatsApp message to 06-45661736.