AI/ML Operations Engineer

The AI/ML Operations Engineer is a key member of the JACK IT organization responsible for developing, deploying, and maintaining Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning systems that enhance business operations, marketing efficiency, and analytics. This role ensures that AI/ML workflows are reliable, secure, and compliant with OCCC, OLC, and Ohio Sports Gaming regulatory standards while aligning with JACK’s internal governance and information security policies.

The AI/ML Operations Engineer partners closely with Marketing, Operations and Information Technology teams to operationalize AI-driven initiatives, automate analytical processes, and ensure all AI systems meet the highest standards of performance, transparency, and compliance. 

Essential Functions 

• Build and maintain machine learning pipelines and automated deployment frameworks that support enterprise analytics and marketing operations.
• Design and support CI/CD processes for AI/ML applications, including automated validation, testing, and version control.
• Manage containerized environments for model training and deployment (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) to ensure scalability and reliability.
• Implement model monitoring and drift detection tools to sustain performance, accuracy, and fairness in AI models.
• Collaborate with Marketing and BI teams to integrate predictive and machine learning models into guest engagement, loyalty, and operational analytics platforms.
• Partner with IT Security to safeguard AI systems, model endpoints, and sensitive data in accordance with regulatory standards.
• Maintain documentation, lineage, and audit records for AI/ML models to ensure compliance with OCCC, OLC, and Sports Gaming requirements.
• Develop and maintain runbooks and standard operating procedures for AI/ML systems to ensure operational consistency.
• Support internal and external audits related to AI/ML systems, data integrity, and model governance.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

• Strong understanding of MLOps principles and AI system lifecycle management.
• Proficiency in Python, SQL,Oracle and relevant workflow tools (MLflow, Airflow, or equivalent).
• Experience with cloud environments (Azure, or AWS) and container orchestration technologies.
• Working knowledge of data governance, machine learning model tracking, and pipeline orchestration.
• Ability to apply AI/ML concepts to marketing, analytics, and guest personalization use cases.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills with the ability to collaborate across Marketing, BI, operations and IT functions.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting abilities in complex technical environments.

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related technical field required, or 5–7 years of hands-on experience in AI/ML engineering, data engineering, or IT systems development.
• 3 or more years of experience implementing or supporting AI/ML automation and analytics tools in production environments.
• Experience supporting marketing analytics, BI platforms, or predictive modeling systems preferred.
• Hands-on experience with containerized environments, cloud deployment, and machine learning workflows required

Certifications 

Industry certifications preferred:

• Certified MLOps Engineer (CMOE)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate
• AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty
• CompTIA DataX 

Required Certification/License 

• Ability to obtain a Gaming Occupational License within the State of Ohio
• Ability to obtain a Gaming License with the Ohio Lottery Commission
• Ability to obtain a Sports Gaming License within the State of Ohio