Please note: This role is unable to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future.
About Cognizant
Cognizant is one of the world's leading professional services companies, helping clients transform their business, operating, and technology models for the digital era. Headquartered in the U.S. and ranked 195 on the Fortune 500, Cognizant is a NASDAQ-100 member consistently recognized among the world's most admired companies. Learn more at cognizant.com .
About Cognizant's IoT Practice
Within Cognizant IoT, we engineer industry-aligned, IoT-enabled products that unite industry needs with human-centered design. We believe that without human-centered thinking, connected products are simply standalone things - but with it, they facilitate a unified, transformative way of life. Our work is disrupting industries, proliferating intelligent data, and redefining how people connect with processes at scale.
Role Summary
Cognizant is seeking a Manufacturing AI Evangelist to serve as a senior technical leader and subject matter expert within Cognizant's Manufacturing Innovation Center (MIC) at MxD. This role is responsible for shaping, demonstrating, and delivering applied AI solutions for manufacturing, grounded in real operational environments and scalable enterprise architectures.
The Manufacturing AI Evangelist operates at the intersection of manufacturing operations, digital engineering, and artificial intelligence, acting as a trusted advisor, solution architect, and technical storyteller. The role supports innovation, client engagement, and commercialization-spanning executive briefings, hands-on demonstrations, paid assessments, proofs of concept (PoCs), and early-stage delivery.
While anchored at MxD, this is not a pure "lab" role. The position includes direct client-facing work and may be partially billable, supporting funded assessments, PoCs, pilots, and advisory engagements that originate from MxD activities.
Key Responsibilities
Manufacturing AI Use Case Leadership
Define, validate, and prioritize AI-driven manufacturing use cases across discrete and process industries.
Translate real manufacturing challenges into credible, value-driven AI scenarios, including quality, maintenance, operations, engineering, supply chain, and connected worker use cases.
Ensure use cases are operationally realistic, data-grounded, and aligned to plant-level constraints.
Solution Architecture & Technical Authority
Act as a Solution Architect authority for manufacturing AI solutions spanning:
OT and shop-floor data sources
UNS / pub-sub architectures
Digital twins and simulation
AI/ML, GenAI, and agentic AI workflows
MES, MOM, APM, ERP, and enterprise platforms
Define end-to-end architectures that are scalable, secure, and production-ready, not just demonstrative.
MxD Innovation Center Evangelism
Serve as a technical evangelist and ambassador for Cognizant at MxD.
Lead client tours, executive briefings, workshops, and industry events, translating complex AI concepts into clear business value narratives.
Curate, evolve, and maintain hands-on AI demonstrations within the MxD lab environment, including physical AI, vision systems, digital twins, agentic workflows, and remote operations concepts.
Client Engagements & Billable Work
Lead and contribute to paid client assessments (e.g., AI readiness, data foundation reviews, use-case feasibility, architecture definition).
Shape and deliver PoCs and pilots leveraging MxD as a collaborative proving ground.
Support the transition from demo ? assessment ? paid PoC ? follow-on delivery, working closely with account and delivery leadership.
Produce client-ready deliverables such as solution architectures, PoC plans, success criteria, estimates, and implementation approaches.
Maintain flexibility for partial billability, aligned to active client assessments, PoCs, and funded innovation engagements.
Partner & Ecosystem Collaboration
Collaborate with technology partners and hyperscalers to integrate platforms into cohesive manufacturing AI solutions.
Represent Cognizant's technical point of view in joint partner sessions and co-development activities.
Ensure partner technologies are demonstrated within end-to-end manufacturing @contexts, not standalone point solutions.
Thought Leadership & Capability Building
Contribute to Cognizant's manufacturing AI strategy, AI Factory initiatives, and go-to-market offerings.
Mentor architects, engineers, and innovation teams on applied manufacturing AI patterns and best practices.
Continuously evaluate emerging AI technologies for practical applicability to manufacturing operations.
Required Qualifications
15+ years of experience in manufacturing, industrial engineering, or smart manufacturing transformation.
8+ years in advanced digital, analytics, or AI-enabled manufacturing solutions.
Proven experience operating at Solution Architect, Principal Architect, or Associate Director level (or higher).
Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, including production, quality, maintenance, logistics, and engineering workflows.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with both executives and technical teams.
Preferred Experience
Hands-on experience with manufacturing AI use cases such as:
Predictive and prescriptive maintenance
AI-based quality and vision analytics
GenAI copilots for operations and engineering
Agentic AI for workflow automation and incident response
Digital twins and simulation-driven optimization
Familiarity with industrial data architectures, including historians, edge computing, streaming platforms, and UNS concepts.
Experience working in innovation centers, labs, or client co-creation environments.
Strong executive presence and storytelling capability.
Why Join Us?
Lead IT for mission-critical manufacturing operations.
Help shape IT capabilities in a newly independent organization.
Work in a mission-driven organization that improves the lives of patients worldwide.
Collaborate with a passionate and forward-thinking leadership team.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: commensurate with experience
This position is also eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program, based on individual performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant's applicable plans.
Cognizant offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:
Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance
Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off (PTO)
401(k) Plan with Company Contributions
Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Coverage
Paid Parental Leave
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2026.
Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
LI-CT1
Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
