work experience

Data Science Manager/Tech Lead

Global Data and Analytics (GDI&A), Ford Motor Company
Dearborn, MI, USA | Jul 2023–Current
Electrification AI Assistant and Cycle Plan Analytics

• Generative AI Product Lead: Led a cross-functional team in the successful 3-month development and deployment of an end-to-end Generative AI product (RAG-driven), resulting in significant cost avoidance for Ford EV Customer Relationship Center agents.

• Scalable Data Pipeline Development: Prototyped and led the development of a highly scalable data pipeline, processing data from over 250,000 Ford EVs across 5 datasets, providing crucial information for Technical Program Managers.

• Strategic Analytics Product Development: Directed the development of two key analytics products essential for company future cycle planning and critical business decision-making.

• IT Operations & Maintenance Oversight: Managed IT maintenance across multiple products, including pipeline migrations, decommissioning, technical debt removal, and proactive security vulnerability resolution.

• Innovation & Intellectual Property: Filed 8 patents related to the products, showcasing technical expertise and innovation.

Data Science Anchor Engineer

Global Data and Analytics (GDI&A), Ford Motor Company
Dearborn, MI, USA | Oct 2022–Dec 2023
Charging/Energy Service and Cycle Plan Analytics

• Engineered MLOps & Cloud Infrastructure: Designed, implemented, and managed comprehensive CI/CD and MLOps pipelines (Tekton, Kubeflow, Airflow) for production deployments on GCP/OpenShift, integrating security (SonarQube, FOSSA) and monitoring (Dynatrace), and ensuring cloud project security.

• Developed Data & API Solutions: Built robust data pipelines for batch (PySpark, BigQuery) and streaming (Kafka, Pub/Sub) analytics, and created secure Python-based web applications (Streamlit, Plotly Dash, FastAPI/Flask) and internal APIs with enterprise authentication (MS Entra ID, Ford AD FS).

• Led Technical Enablement: Spearheaded learning and development initiatives for a 60+ member Data Scientist team, fostering upskilling in critical technical areas.

Data Science Supervisor/Specialist

Global Data and Analytics (GDI&A), Ford Motor Company
Dearborn, MI, USA | Jul 2021–Jul 2023
Electric Vehicle and Cycle Plan Analytics

• Agile Product Ownership: Led 5 distinct product teams as a Product Owner in an Agile environment, collaborating closely with businesses to define and deliver key OKRs.

• Data Engineering & Management: Established and managed data ingestion pipelines from 3rd party APIs, generated queries for internal data products, and oversaw comprehensive data wrangling processes (Python, Java).

• Advanced Model & Algorithm Development: Enhanced mathematical models for cycle plan products and provided core support for the formulation and implementation of algorithms and ML models for EV products.

• Legacy System Modernization & UI Development: Reverse-engineered and refactored existing local VC++ applications into cloud-based Dash/Streamlit Python apps, and developed a simulator user interface.

Senior Data Scientist

Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, Ford Motor Company
Detroit, MI, USA | May 2019–Jul 2021
AV Fleet Operational Analytics

• Developed & Engineered Core AV Fleet AI Algorithms: Played a key role in generating optimal, scalable decision-making algorithms for AV Fleet Management, leveraging advanced AI techniques (e.g., HMM, RL, MPC, MILP, Bayesian Inference) and porting them into enterprise-quality Java backends.

• Built Comprehensive Simulation & UI Tools: Developed a simulator user interface (JavaScript/HTML) for dispatch optimization and a suite of queueing theory-based simulators to validate models, including live demonstrations to the Director of AV LLC.

• Provided Technical Advisory & Business Alignment: Collaborated closely with Product teams as a technical advisor within an Agile environment, ensuring solutions addressed key business priorities.

• Secured Intellectual Property: Granted 2 US patents related to the developed products.

Data Scientist

Global Data and Analytics (GDI&A), Ford Motor Company
Dearborn, MI, USA | May 2018–May 2019
Avis-Ford Fuel Volume Estimation & Fuel Transformation Model Development

• Led Service Launch & Validation: Played a key role in the successful and on-time launch of a service for the North American market, validating its performance using TCU-4G telematics data from over 30,000 vehicles.

• Developed & Automated Big Data ML Models: Engineered minimally biased models within an HPC environment, generating Python scripts and cluster workflows to fully automate model generation, validation, and daily data processing.

• Innovated & Visualized Performance: Proposed a Reinforcement Learning-based method for incremental model building at scale and developed an optimized daily-refreshed dashboard to visualize validation results.

• Achieved Patents & Awards: Granted 3 US/EU/CN patents related to the product (2 published) and was recognized as a 2019 Henry Ford Technical Award finalist.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI, USA | Oct 2016–May 2018
UM-Ford Autonomous Vehicle Project, Ram Vasudevan, Matthew Johnson-Roberson

• Engineered & Optimized Dynamic Vehicle Routing: Developed and refined large-scale dynamic vehicle routing algorithms for Mobile-on-Demand (MoD) systems, leveraging advanced techniques (e.g., MIQP, queuing theory, worst-case optimization) to manage heterogeneous fleets, including unmanned vehicles.

• Pioneered Environmental Mapping with Mobile Sensor Networks: Conducted innovative research in environmental mapping using Mobile Sensor Networks (MSNs), focusing on robust and distributed parameter estimation under sensor failures (HMM) and multi-vehicle sensor fusion for novel applications like high-resolution precipitation mapping (e.g., using windshield wiper data).

Research Assistant

Coordinated Science Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL, USA | Aug 2013–Jul 2016
Fault-Tolerant Algorithms for Multi-Robot Systems (Supervisor: Seth Hutchinson)

• Robust Multi-Robot Rendezvous: Designed, developed, and validated distributed, scalable, and computationally efficient algorithms for multi-robot systems, ensuring resilience against malicious behaviors through discrete geometry, ergodic theory, and real-robot experiments.

• Optimal Multi-Sensor Coverage & Deployment: Developed distributed control algorithms to achieve robust, optimal multi-sensor coverage in complex environments, utilizing redundant methods, convex analysis, and discrete/computational geometry.

• Advanced Theoretical & Experimental Validation: Rigorously proved algorithm convergence using various mathematical theories and extensively validated all proposed models through numerical simulations and real-robot testbed experiments.

Teaching Assistant

Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL, USA | Spring 2016
Advanced Robotic Planning (ECE550)

• Developed programming assignments focused on planning algorithms (e.g., potential field methods, RRT) using ROS (Robot Operating Systems).

• Conducted regular office hours to provide direct student support and guidance.

Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL, USA | Spring 2011, Fall 2011
Mechanical Design I (ME370)

• Served as a lab instructor, teaching students how to effectively use engineering tools such as Working Model, MATLAB, ANSYS, and ABAQUS.

• Developed comprehensive course materials to support student learning.

• Held regular office hours to provide one-on-one assistance and clarify complex concepts.

Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL, USA | Spring 2010
Introductory Dynamics (TAM212)

• Developed homework assignments to reinforce learning objectives.

• Held regular office hours to support student understanding and problem-solving.

Mechanical Engineering, Korea University
Seoul, South Korea | Spring 2008
Computer Aided Mechanical Drawing

• Served as a lab instructor, guiding students in the techniques of computer-aided drawing using popular platforms like AutoCAD and ProE.

Mechanical Engineering, Korea University
Seoul, South Korea | Fall 2007
Machine Shop Practice

• Assisted students in understanding the principles of machining measurement, tool grinding, and essential Machine Shop safety protocols.

Technical Assistant

Experimental Music Studio, School of Music, University of Illinois
Urbana, IL, USA | Sep 2012–May 2015

• Maintained and repaired professional audio recording equipment, ensuring optimal functionality for studio operations.

• Repaired advanced professional audio equipment, applying knowledge of analog and digital circuits, circuit design, and fabrication skills.