Director, AI Lab (Fremont)

The group you’ll be a part ofThe Office of the CTO is where innovation takes center stage. We inspire our global technical community to take on grand challenges, understand emerging trends, identify the critical inflections, and drive our sustainability, Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices that will define the next generation of semiconductors and continued impact.Shape the future of AI at enterprise scale while building it from the ground up as the launch‑stage Director of Lam’s Applied AI & Innovation Lab.Lam Research is establishing a new AI Lab in Fremont, CA to accelerate the creation of advanced, high-impact AI solutions across the company. We are seeking a Director, AI Lab to lead the creation, operation, and long-term evolution of this lab as a center of excellence for AI solution prototyping, experimentation, and applied innovation.The AI Lab will function as a hands-on innovation environment where internal teams—from product groups and engineering to operations and corporate functions—can rapidly develop, test, and mature AI-driven solutions. This role is responsible for setting the technical vision, building the lab’s capabilities, and ensuring outputs transition effectively from prototype to production-scale deployment.Join us to lead the innovation as Lam's FIRST Director at our new AI Lab.The impact you’ll makeAI Lab Vision & StrategyDefine the mission, scope, and operating model of Lam’s AI Lab, aligned with enterprise AI strategy and business priorities.Establish the AI Lab as a destination for rapid prototyping, applied research, and solution acceleration, bridging experimentation and real-world business impact.Identify priority AI technology themes and technical focus areas (e.g., ML, GenAI, vision, optimization, agents, automation) relevant to Lam’s businesses.Technical Leadership & Solution DevelopmentLead hands-on development of AI prototypes, proof-of-concepts, and experimental solutions across products, engineering, manufacturing, operations, and corporate functions.Guide technical teams in selecting and applying appropriate AI architectures, models, tools, and platforms.Ensure solutions are designed with scalability, robustness, and transition-to-production in mind, aligning with enterprise AI foundations and delivery standards.What you’ll doCollaboration & EngagementPartner with internal business units, engineering teams, and corporate functions to identify high-value AI opportunities and co-develop solutions.Provide an environment where domain experts can work side-by-side with AI engineers and data scientists to accelerate solution development.Serve as a technical thought leader and advisor to senior leadership on advanced AI technologies and their practical application within Lam.Operational ExcellenceBuild and manage the AI Lab’s operating processes, including project intake, prioritization, resourcing, and execution.Establish best practices for experimentation, model validation, and knowledge sharing.Ensure effective handoff of successful prototypes to product teams, engineering organizations, or AI product management for scaling and deployment.Talent & Culture DevelopmentRecruit, develop, and lead a high-performing team of AI engineers, researchers, and technical specialists.Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and technical rigor within the AI Lab.Help elevate AI literacy and applied AI capabilities across Lam through mentorship, demonstrations, and technical engagement.Who we’re looking forRequired QualificationsDeep expertise in AI and machine learning technologies, including hands-on experience building and deploying advanced AI systems.Proven experience leading technical AI teams in environments focused on innovation, prototyping, or advanced solution development.Strong understanding of end-to-end AI solution development, from experimentation through production handoff.Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and business audiences.Demonstrated leadership in fast-moving, ambiguous environments.Preferred qualificationsPreferred QualificationsExperience with enterprise-scale AI platforms, data infrastructure, or MLOps-enabled delivery models.Familiarity with industrial, engineering, manufacturing, or enterprise workflows.Experience in the semiconductor industry (capital equipment or process technology) is a strong plus, but not required.Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Computer Science, Engineering, AI/ML, or a related field.Leadership AttributesBuilder mindset with a bias toward action and iteration.Technically credible and hands-on, with the ability to dive deep when needed.Comfortable operating at the boundary between research, engineering, and business.Collaborative, curious, and passionate about translating cutting-edge AI into real business value.Our commitmentWe believe it is important for every person to feel valued, included, and empowered to achieve their full potential. By bringing unique individuals and viewpoints together, we achieve extraordinary results.Lam Research (Lam or the Company) is an equal opportunity employer. Lam is committed to and reaffirms support of equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination in employment policies, practices and procedures on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. It is the Company's intention to comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Company policy prohibits unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees.Lam offers a variety of work location models based on the needs of each role. Our hybrid roles combine the benefits of on-site collaboration with colleagues and the flexibility to work remotely and fall into two categories – On-site Flex and Virtual Flex. ‘On-site Flex’ you’ll work 3+ days per week on-site at a Lam or customer/supplier location, with the opportunity to work remotely for the balance of the week. ‘Virtual Flex’ you’ll work 1-2 days per week on-site at a Lam or customer/supplier location, and remotely the rest of the time.SalaryCA San Francisco Bay Area Salary Range for this position: $168,000.00 - $350,000.00.The above salary range for this position is relevant to applicants that reside or work onsite in the California, San Francisco Bay Area only. Salary offers will depend on factors that include the location you work from, your level, education, training, specific skills, years of experience and comparison to other employees already in this role. Actual salary may vary from salary offered due to numerous factors including but not limited to unpaid time off, unpaid leave, company mandated shutdown, and other relevant factors.Our Perks and BenefitsAt Lam, our people make amazing things possible. That’s why we invest in you throughout the phases of your life with a comprehensive set of outstanding benefits.Department:Engineering/Technology