AI & Six Sigma Lead

TAMKO is expanding its Business Process Transformation (BPT) organization with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence to accelerate our Autopilot vision—continuous analysis and machine self‑adjustment across interconnected processes. As a AI and Six Sigma Lead, you will serve as a hands‑on leader who sets direction and drives outcomes: uniting Six Sigma rigor with advanced AI/ML, digital twins, analytics, and automation to deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, throughput, cost, and reliability across manufacturing and corporate functions.

This role is both executor and change leader. You will own high‑impact projects end‑to‑end, solve complex problems with data and disciplined experimentation, and lead cross‑functional teams charged with the task(s) of building and deploying successful production models in TAMKO’s business and manufacturing processes. You will standardize and replicate best practices across plants and business units, developing systems that scale. This role continues Six Sigma’s leadership pipeline and enables enterprise‑wide AI adoption.

Summary of Essential Job Functions
To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties may be assigned.

• Lead projects using a combined Six Sigma method + AI playbook tightly aligned to plant and corporate priorities; deliver sustained, auditable value.
• Collaborate across Operations, the Operations Center of Excellence, and Corporate Process Excellence to standardize, replicate, and scale proven solutions enterprise-wide.
• Advance the Autopilot Vision through digital twins, virtual Design of Experiments (DOEs), and multivariate process control, real-time optimization, predictive maintenance, and automated decisioning.
• Apply statistical methods and machine learning (e.g., time-series, regression/classification, anomaly detection, optimization) to uncover patterns across thousands of variables and augment human decision-making.
• Use LLMs to accelerate knowledge capture, interfaces to plant and corporate data, and workflow automation.
• Identify and automate routine/manual/transactional processes to reduce errors and cycle time and free talent for higher-value problem solving.
• Execute assigned high-impact projects (provide input to charters as needed); manage scope, timeline, and stakeholders; track benefits and sustainment.
• Complete required training and achieve certification in the unified Six Sigma + AI curriculum; thereafter, when assigned, train and mentor, engineers, analysts, and other plant personnel in the methodology and tools.
• Promote disciplined experimentation, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and hypothesis-driven problem solving.
• Learn and apply robust data practices (quality, lineage, security) and Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) (versioning, validation, deployment, monitoring, retraining, rollback) to ensure safe and reliable model use.
• Maintain documentation and change control consistent with TAMKO standards.
• Lead change management to overcome adoption barriers; communicate progress and results clearly to all levels.
• Publish simple, trustworthy metrics, dashboards, and playbooks that enable widespread use.
• Model TAMKO’s core values with an uncompromising commitment to Honesty and Integrity, Compliance, Safety, Quality, Execution, and Profitability.
• Ensure all solutions comply with applicable regulations, policies, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Travel up to 15% to plants and corporate locations for discovery, implementation, training, and replication.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer/Data Science, Mathematics, or related STEM field; or equivalent combination of education and experience totaling 4–10 years of relevant experience in manufacturing/process improvement, data/analytics, or automation.
• A strong interest in applying AI to real-world problems.
• Capable of learning new technical systems and using operational data. Manufacturing exposure is a plus, not a requirement.
• An understanding of the basics of building, deploying, and maintaining analytics/models and an eagerness to learn MLOps.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to translate technical insights for non-technical audiences and create clear reports, dashboards, and training materials.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver results through influence and change leadership.

Competency
To be successful in this role, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Analytical: Interpret complex information; designs effective experiments and analyses.
• Technical Depth: Builds knowledge in AI/ML, statistics, data engineering, and industrial processes.
• Problem Solving: Uses data and structured thinking to develop and evaluate alternatives.
• Project Management: Plans work, coordinates resources, manages risks, and delivers results.
• Change Leadership: Drives adoption across plants and corporate; removes barriers to scale.
• Communication: Presents clearly; tailors messages for both technical and business audiences.
• Quality Management: Promotes accuracy, repeatability, and sustainment; avoids “AI for AI’s sake.”
• Business Acumen: Aligns initiatives with strategy and value creation; measures impact.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to position himself/herself to operate, inspect, troubleshoot, repair, and/or maintain heavy plant equipment. This may require climbing stairs/ladders, bending, kneeling, crawling, squatting and/or stooping. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and may occasionally lift or move heavier objects with assistance.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may work around moving mechanical parts, at elevated heights, where dusts and fumes could be present in the air, with or in proximity to chemicals, in hot environments, around electrical equipment, and in a loud environment. The employee must have the ability to understand and mitigate these and other risks, including by following all prescribed safety rules, and must have the ability to wear appropriate personal protective equipment, if necessary.

In addition to competitive wages, TAMKO offers a comprehensive benefits package, including Group Health and Life Insurance, Vision and Dental Insurance, a Flexible Benefits Plan, a 401(k) Retirement Plan with company match, a Profit Sharing Retirement Plan, and other valuable benefits.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work expected. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required and is subject to change at any time based on business needs.

TAMKO Building Products LLC is one of the nation's largest independent manufacturers of residential and commercial roofing products, waterproofing products, and related building materials. Headquartered in Galena, Kansas, TAMKO has been committed to innovation, quality, and customer service for over 80 years. Our success is driven by our people — individuals who take pride in their work, share an ownership mindset, and are dedicated to delivering excellence. At TAMKO, we strive to foster a safe, supportive, and rewarding work environment where employees can grow and succeed.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.