Research Leadership

AI Research Director for Autonomous Vehicles

Finding a world-class AI researcher to lead breakthrough autonomous vehicle research at a major automotive company.

3 Weeks
Time to Hire
Automotive
Industry
Director
Level
Global
Search Scope

The Challenge

A Fortune 100 automotive company was launching their autonomous vehicle division and needed a visionary AI Research Director who could:

  • Lead cutting-edge research in computer vision and sensor fusion
  • Build and manage a 50+ person research team
  • Collaborate with automotive engineering teams
  • Navigate automotive safety regulations and standards

⚠️ Unique Challenge: The candidate needed both world-class AI research credentials AND deep understanding of automotive industry constraints and safety requirements.

Our Global Search Strategy

1
Academic Research Leaders

Targeted top AI researchers from leading universities (MIT, Stanford, CMU, ETH Zurich) with specific expertise in autonomous systems and computer vision.

2
Industry Veterans

Reached out to senior researchers at Waymo, Tesla, Cruise, and other autonomous vehicle companies, as well as traditional automotive R&D centers.

3
Cross-Industry Talent

Explored adjacent industries including robotics, aerospace, and defense, looking for leaders with transferable autonomous systems expertise.

The Perfect Match

World-Class Research Leader

We successfully placed a former Principal Research Scientist from a leading autonomous vehicle company who had:

  • PhD in Computer Vision from MIT with 100+ publications
  • 8 years leading autonomous vehicle research teams
  • Experience with automotive safety standards (ISO 26262)
  • Track record of transitioning research to production systems
  • Previous experience managing 40+ person research teams

12-Month Research Impact

Research Breakthroughs
  • Published 12 papers at top AI conferences
  • Filed 8 patents in autonomous vehicle technology
  • Developed novel sensor fusion algorithms
  • Improved object detection accuracy by 35%
Team Building
  • Built research team from 5 to 55 members
  • Established partnerships with 3 universities
  • Created 4 specialized research groups
  • Recruited 15 PhD-level researchers

Business & Strategic Impact

Product Development
  • • Level 3 autonomy prototype completed
  • • 2 production-ready features launched
  • • Safety validation framework established
Strategic Partnerships
  • • 5 major supplier partnerships
  • • 3 university research collaborations
  • • 2 government research grants secured
Industry Recognition
  • • Best Innovation Award at Auto Show
  • • Featured in 15+ industry publications
  • • Keynote speaker at 8 conferences
"

"Finding someone with both world-class AI research credentials and deep automotive industry knowledge seemed impossible. Vellan Partners not only found that person but delivered them in just 3 weeks. Our research director has transformed our entire autonomous vehicle program."

VP of Advanced Technology

Fortune 100 Automotive Company

Need a Visionary AI Research Leader?

Let us help you find the perfect research director to drive your AI innovation forward.