Director, AI Solutions & Implementation

Job Description As the Principal of AI Solutions and Implementation you will be a hands‑on leader, driving the tangible application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform our Enterprise Operations. We are seeking an individual who can drive projects from ideation all the way through post go‑live. Your primary focus will be on executing a portfolio of AI initiatives that deliver measurable value across all operational functions—from order‑to‑cash to lab operations and customer service. This role is for a results‑driven doer with a strong track record of delivering successful AI pilots and scaling them into production. Your mission is to establish a world‑class AI capability within our operations. This role requires a minimum of 25% travel. This is a hybrid role and the selected candidate must be near‑site to one of Quest Diagnostics hub locations. Preferred locations are Secaucus, NJ or Schaumburg, IL. Pay Range: $160,000-$215,000/year + 20% Annual Incentive Plan. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered. Benefits Information We are proud to offer best‑in‑class benefits and programs to support employees and their families in living healthy, happy lives. Our pay and benefit plans have been designed to promote employee health in all respects - physical, financial, and developmental. Depending on whether it is a part‑time or full‑time position, some of the benefits offered may include: Day 1 Medical, supplemental health, dental & vision for FT employees who work 30+ hours Best‑in‑class well‑being programs Annual, no‑cost health assessment program Blueprint for Wellness® healthyMINDS mental health program Vacation and Health/Flex Time 6 Holidays plus 1 'MyDay' off FinFit financial coaching and services 401(k) pre‑tax and/or Roth IRA with company match up to 5% after 12 months of service Employee stock purchase plan Life and disability insurance, plus buy‑up option Flexible Spending Accounts Annual incentive plans Matching gifts program Education assistance through MyQuest for Education Career advancement opportunities …and so much more! Responsibilities Strategic AI Vision & Execution: Contribute to the broader enterprise AI strategy by identifying high‑value opportunities and ensuring that practical, hands‑on pilot projects align with Quest's long‑term operational goals End-to-End Project Execution: Personally lead the hands‑on delivery of AI projects, from initial concept and prototyping through to full‑scale implementation, monitoring, and optimization Hands‑On Development & Implementation: Act as the primary technical and operational driver for AI initiatives. You will partner with functional teams to build proof‑of‑concept models and manage the project lifecycle to ensure successful delivery Proven Pilot Delivery: Leverage your hands‑on experience to rapidly develop and validate AI pilots that demonstrate clear ROI and operational benefits before scaling On‑Site Deployment & Validation: Travel to physical facilities (labs, operational centers) during critical AI deployments to provide on‑the‑ground support. Drive go‑live execution, troubleshoot real‑time issues, and conduct rigorous post‑go‑live validation to guarantee the solution delivers the expected ROI and workflow improvements Cross‑Functional Partnership: Act as the key liaison between operational teams, IT, and external vendors, ensuring seamless collaboration to deliver robust and scalable solutions Capability Building: While this role has no direct reports, you will coach and mentor a network of 'AI Champions' embedded within functional teams, helping to build decentralized AI skills and foster a culture of practical innovation Governance & Regulatory Compliance: Partner closely with the AI Review Board and Quest Governance teams to evaluate and safely navigate risk. Ensure all models, workflows, and AI initiatives maintain strict compliance with HIPAA, PHI regulations, and internal data security protocols Change Management & Adoption: Go beyond the technical deployment to drive actual user adoption. Develop repeatable playbooks for rollout, monitor usage metrics, and guide operational and clinical staff through the transition to AI‑enabled workflows with empathy and clear communication Vendor & Ecosystem Management: Rapidly evaluate, pre‑screen, and integrate third‑party AI tools (e.g., LLMs, Copilot agents, iPaaS platforms). Act as the technical SME to ensure vendor solutions align with Quest’s enterprise architecture and strict security standards Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science, or related field (Required). Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Analytics, or related field (Preferred). AI Expertise: Demonstrated hands‑on expertise in deploying and integrating various AI modalities, including Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Computer Vision, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Agentic AI systems. Enterprise Delivery: Proven, hands‑on experience delivering enterprise AI or generative AI solutions through successful pilots and scaled deployments (Required). Technical Proficiency: Hands‑on technical proficiency with AI tools and integrations, which may include prompt engineering, API/Webhook integrations, or experience with major cloud AI services (e.g., Azure AI, AWS). Healthcare Integration: Experience integrating technology into complex healthcare systems (e.g., Electronic Health Records (EHR), Laboratory Information Systems (LIS), or operational platforms) is highly preferred. Execution Style: Ability to act as a self‑directed 'team of one,' driving complex projects from ideation to completion (Required). Experience: 10+ years of experience leading and execution AI initiatives, 5-7 of those years must be in a hands‑on role related to data science, AI implementation, or technology delivery in a large enterprise environment. Automation & Operations: Strong familiarity with workflow automation, low‑code/no‑code platforms, or robotic process automation (RPA) (Required). Deep understanding of operational functions (e.g., logistics, supply chain, customer service, lab operations). Business Acumen: Strong business acumen with experience building business cases and measuring ROI for technology initiatives. Quest Diagnostics honors our service members and encourages veterans to apply. While we appreciate and value our staffing partners, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Quest will not be responsible for paying agency fees for any individual as to whom an agency has sent an unsolicited resume. Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Vets or any other legally protected status. #J-18808-Ljbffr