Virtual Automation Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer's and partner's needs and solve their challenges.

Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.

You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about-locally and globally.

Come make an impact every day at Zebra.

The Cloud AI Engineer, Lead plays a critical role in driving innovation across Zebra's IT Platform Engineering, Cloud Security, and Artificial Intelligence initiatives. Acting as a hands‑on technical architect and strategic trailblazer, you will partner with key stakeholders to identify opportunities, translate ideas into actionable solutions, and deliver value through rapid proofs of concept. This role focuses heavily on designing, building, and scaling our next‑generation cloud‑native AI platforms, AI‑powered log intelligence (AIOps), and semantic developer tooling.

• Identify and evaluate emerging innovation opportunities across Platform Engineering and Cloud Infrastructure functions, matching business needs with cutting‑edge technology solutions.
• Conduct comprehensive business and systems analyses, translating complex technical findings into clear user stories, system requirements, and actionable solution concepts.
• Coordinate and execute Proof of Concepts (PoCs) and hands‑on delivery activities to rapidly validate and advance cloud and platform innovation initiatives.
• Research, analyze, and report on disruptive technologies‑such as Generative AI, Machine Learning (ML), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Virtual Agents‑providing strategic recommendations for corporate adoption.
• Act as the primary IT Cloud Innovation Liaison, driving cross‑functional collaboration and alignment with other innovation and product teams across Zebra.
• Plan, coordinate, and facilitate structured ideation workshops, fostering a culture of collaborative brainstorming and innovative problem‑solving.
• Serve as an active Innovation Evangelist within IT and the broader enterprise, promoting modern engineering methodologies and pushing the boundaries of cloud‑native possibilities.
• Track, analyze, and report key performance indicators (KPIs), ensuring leadership has complete visibility into the progress, and business outcomes of all innovation initiatives.
• Establish and maintain a repeatable operating model for cloud‑native AI/ML deployment, ensuring all initiatives consistently address pipeline architecture, performance metrics, and compliance guidelines across GCP and Azure.
• Lead and mentor a high‑performing team of cloud and AI platform engineers, guiding their professional evolution toward predictive log analytics, automation (AIOps), and robust cloud data readiness.
• Translate complex AI governance, cloud security guardrails, and regulatory requirements into practical technical specifications, partnering directly with systems engineers to integrate PII masking and RBAC into automated CI/CD pipelines.
• Manage roadmap alignment within assigned technology portfolios.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years experience working on an operations style team (NOC, SOC, MOC, etc.) and troubleshooting networking, service desk, operations center and/or supporting cloud based Infrastructure.
• Hands‑on Google Gemini Enterprise Expertise: Demonstrated experience working with Google Gemini Enterprise, with a proven ability to build and deploy custom agents using the Agent Development Kit (ADK).
• Multi‑Cloud & GenAI Platform Proficiency: Deep familiarity with leading cloud platforms and generative AI solution providers, including Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Azure, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
• Experience working in a global, heterogeneous, cloud and on‑prem environment.
• Practical knowledge of, or deep technical curiosity to develop, hands‑on solutions involving Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures, and agentic AI patterns (including Model Context Protocol [MCP], tool calling, and orchestration frameworks).
• Expertise in scripting or programming languages (e.g., Python) for automation or testing is a plus; software development background is welcomed.
• Proven track record of deploying containerized AI solutions using Kubernetes (GKE/AKS), Docker, and robust CI/CD pipelines, backed by verifiable metrics such as high availability, latency reduction, and infrastructure cost optimization.
• Comprehensive understanding of enterprise cloud security, application/API security, and fine‑grained identity systems, with experience integrating PII masking and complex Role‑Based Access Control (RBAC) frameworks.
• Strong software development background with advanced scripting capabilities in Python (or similar languages) to drive automation, infrastructure provisioning (IaC), and automated testing.
• Active professional‑level cloud certifications are highly preferred, such as Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect, Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer or AI Engineer

• Some exposure to AI/ML systems, application security, or API security is a plus.
• Travel up to 10%

Zebra is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability and protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law. If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance in applying for a position, please contact us at workplace.accommodations@zebra.com.

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We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation at workplace.accommodations@zebra.com.

$96,800.00 - $145,200.00 Annual

In addition to base pay, Zebra offers this role the opportunity to earn a performance‑based annual cash incentive, at a target equal to 10% of base pay, in accordance with the terms of the applicable incentive plan.

Zebra Total Rewards includes more than just pay and is structured to meet the needs of our changing global business and evolving talent. We are committed to providing our employees with a benefits program that is comprehensive and competitive - including healthcare, wellness, inclusion networks, and continued learning and development offerings. We offer community service days, in addition to the traditional insurances, compensation, parental leave, employee assistance program and paid time off offerings depending on the country where you work.

Salary offered will vary depending on your location, job‑related skills, knowledge, and experience.

Additionally, all Zebra roles are eligible for cash incentive programs. For example, sales roles have additional opportunity to earn substantial variable compensation tied to quota achievement. In most other roles, the Zebra annual cash incentive program links Company and individual performance together. Some roles may also be eligible for long‑term incentive equity awards.

We understand the importance of work‑life balance and wellbeing, which is why we offer flexibility for our teams including: hybrid work, adaptable hours, Summer Flex Fridays, Focus Fridays, and an annual companywide well‑being day to promote revitalization and success.

Zebra Technologies leverages AI technology to evaluate job applications using objective, job‑relevant criteria. This approach enhances efficiency and promotes fairness in the hiring process. However, every decision regarding interviews and hiring is made by our dedicated team, because we believe people make the best decisions about people. For more on how we use technology in hiring and how we process applicant data, see our Zebra Privacy Policy.