CAVA
Senior Manager AI Enablement and Data Science (Washington)
CAVA, Washington, District Of Columbia, United States, 20022
Company Profile:
At CAVA we make it deliciously simple to eat well and feel good every day. We are guided by a Mediterranean heritage thats been perfecting how to eat and live for four thousand years. We prioritize authenticity, curiosity, and the pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We are working towards something
big , together.
We foster a culture built on five core values: Generosity First, Always:
We lead with kindness. Our best work happens when we act in service of others. Constant Curiosity:
We are eager to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious. Act with Agility:
We welcome change; its the only constant. We embrace, adjust, and adapt. Passion for Positivity:
We greet each day with warmth and possibility. Collective Ambition:
We have high aspirations that are achieved when we work together with a shared purpose.
Sr Manager
AI Enablement & Data Science
We are seeking an experienced and visionary leader to drive our AI Enablement and Data Science initiatives. This role will oversee the strategy, execution, and adoption of AI and data science solutions across the organization, empowering business teams through advanced analytics, scalable AI capabilities, and data-driven decision-making. You will build and lead a high-performing team, partnering with business stakeholders to unlock value from data and accelerate our AI maturity. The Sr Manager of AI Enablement & Data Science will work with engineers to design, develop, and deploy AI-driven solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the quick-serve restaurant industry. This role requires deep technical expertise in AI, machine learning, and data science, combined with a practical understanding of QSR operations, such as supply chain management, customer behavior analysis, and operational efficiency. The ideal candidate will bridge technical innovation with business impact, delivering scalable solutions that improve guest experience, streamline processes, and drive profitability.
What Youll Do:
Strategy and Leadership: Define and execute the AI/ML/Gen AI technical direction, vision, and roadmap ensuring alignment with strategic goals Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives, translating complex data science topics into business language Lead cross-functional AI Council to ensure compliance with data privacy, security, and ethical AI standards and identify high-value AI use cases and prioritize investments Establish frameworks, platforms, and reusable assets to democratize AI and make it accessible across business units Develop team strategy Model Development : Oversee the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models and algorithms to solve QSR-specific challenges, including: Predictive analytics for inventory and supply chain optimization. Customer segmentation and personalized recommendation systems for drive-thru, mobile apps, and loyalty programs. Real-time analytics for operational efficiency, such as staffing optimization and queue management. Natural language processing (NLP) Data Infrastructure : Collaborate with IT and engineering teams to build and maintain robust data pipelines, ensuring high-quality, real-time data availability for AI applications. Practical Application : Translate complex AI models into actionable insights and tools that non-technical stakeholders (e.g., restaurant managers, marketing teams) can leverage to improve decision-making. Stay at the
forefront of AI and data science
advancements, evaluating their potential applications to our business and presenting your findings to senior leadership. Oversee the entire data science lifecycle , from data collection and cleaning to model development, deployment, and performance monitoring on the Databricks platform. Develop and maintain
a robust data infrastructure on AWS and Databricks to support our AI and data science initiatives.
The Qualifications: 10+ years of hands-on experience in data science and machine learning. 5+ years people leadership experience with the ability to hire, develop, and build high-performing teams. Proven experience with the Databricks platform for large-scale data engineering, analytics, and machine learning. Excellent executive communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels Experience with big data tools (e.g., Hadoop, Spark, Databricks) and data pipeline orchestration (e.g., Airflow, Kafka). Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, Scala, or SQL. Expertise in developing and deploying machine learning models, including supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, and NLP. Strong understanding of data engineering principles, including ETL processes and database management. Familiarity with real-time analytics and edge computing for IoT applications in restaurants (e.g., smart kitchen equipment). Masters degree or PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Data Science, or related quantitative field desired, or bachelors degree in quantitative disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
Physical Requirements: Ability to maintain stationary position to be able to operate a computer and other office equipment Must be able to identify, analyze and assess details For certain positions, must be able to occasionally move or transport items up to 50 pounds Ability to communicate with others and exchange information accurately and effectively Constantly positions self and move about to support ordinary restaurant or food production support or office operations, as applicable Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner
What we offer: Competitive salary, plus bonus and long-term incentives* Early Wage Access! Unlimited PTO, paid parental leave, plus paid opportunities to give back to the community Health, Dental, Vision, Telemedicine, Pet Insurance plus more! 401k enrollment with CAVA contribution Company-paid STD, LTD, Life and AD&D coverage for salaried positions* Free CAVA food Casual work environment The opportunity to be on the ground floor of a rapidly growing brand All exempt and non-exempt employees are eligible for benefits. Benefits are effective on the 1st of the month following 30 days of service, and you have until the day before the effective date to enroll. A new hire can enroll in our benefit program by selecting a link that is emailed directly to the new hire at their personal email address once hired Please note that visa sponsorship is not available. The compensation range posted includes total cash
*Indicates qualifying eligible positions only
CAVA
Joining A culture, not a concept
This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the duties and responsibilities of the position, and such duties and responsibilities may change without notice. As an equal opportunity employer, CAVA considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information or any other characteristic or protected classes as defined by federal, state, or local law.
big , together.
We foster a culture built on five core values: Generosity First, Always:
We lead with kindness. Our best work happens when we act in service of others. Constant Curiosity:
We are eager to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious. Act with Agility:
We welcome change; its the only constant. We embrace, adjust, and adapt. Passion for Positivity:
We greet each day with warmth and possibility. Collective Ambition:
We have high aspirations that are achieved when we work together with a shared purpose.
Sr Manager
AI Enablement & Data Science
We are seeking an experienced and visionary leader to drive our AI Enablement and Data Science initiatives. This role will oversee the strategy, execution, and adoption of AI and data science solutions across the organization, empowering business teams through advanced analytics, scalable AI capabilities, and data-driven decision-making. You will build and lead a high-performing team, partnering with business stakeholders to unlock value from data and accelerate our AI maturity. The Sr Manager of AI Enablement & Data Science will work with engineers to design, develop, and deploy AI-driven solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the quick-serve restaurant industry. This role requires deep technical expertise in AI, machine learning, and data science, combined with a practical understanding of QSR operations, such as supply chain management, customer behavior analysis, and operational efficiency. The ideal candidate will bridge technical innovation with business impact, delivering scalable solutions that improve guest experience, streamline processes, and drive profitability.
What Youll Do:
Strategy and Leadership: Define and execute the AI/ML/Gen AI technical direction, vision, and roadmap ensuring alignment with strategic goals Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives, translating complex data science topics into business language Lead cross-functional AI Council to ensure compliance with data privacy, security, and ethical AI standards and identify high-value AI use cases and prioritize investments Establish frameworks, platforms, and reusable assets to democratize AI and make it accessible across business units Develop team strategy Model Development : Oversee the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models and algorithms to solve QSR-specific challenges, including: Predictive analytics for inventory and supply chain optimization. Customer segmentation and personalized recommendation systems for drive-thru, mobile apps, and loyalty programs. Real-time analytics for operational efficiency, such as staffing optimization and queue management. Natural language processing (NLP) Data Infrastructure : Collaborate with IT and engineering teams to build and maintain robust data pipelines, ensuring high-quality, real-time data availability for AI applications. Practical Application : Translate complex AI models into actionable insights and tools that non-technical stakeholders (e.g., restaurant managers, marketing teams) can leverage to improve decision-making. Stay at the
forefront of AI and data science
advancements, evaluating their potential applications to our business and presenting your findings to senior leadership. Oversee the entire data science lifecycle , from data collection and cleaning to model development, deployment, and performance monitoring on the Databricks platform. Develop and maintain
a robust data infrastructure on AWS and Databricks to support our AI and data science initiatives.
The Qualifications: 10+ years of hands-on experience in data science and machine learning. 5+ years people leadership experience with the ability to hire, develop, and build high-performing teams. Proven experience with the Databricks platform for large-scale data engineering, analytics, and machine learning. Excellent executive communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels Experience with big data tools (e.g., Hadoop, Spark, Databricks) and data pipeline orchestration (e.g., Airflow, Kafka). Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, Scala, or SQL. Expertise in developing and deploying machine learning models, including supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, and NLP. Strong understanding of data engineering principles, including ETL processes and database management. Familiarity with real-time analytics and edge computing for IoT applications in restaurants (e.g., smart kitchen equipment). Masters degree or PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Data Science, or related quantitative field desired, or bachelors degree in quantitative disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
Physical Requirements: Ability to maintain stationary position to be able to operate a computer and other office equipment Must be able to identify, analyze and assess details For certain positions, must be able to occasionally move or transport items up to 50 pounds Ability to communicate with others and exchange information accurately and effectively Constantly positions self and move about to support ordinary restaurant or food production support or office operations, as applicable Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner
What we offer: Competitive salary, plus bonus and long-term incentives* Early Wage Access! Unlimited PTO, paid parental leave, plus paid opportunities to give back to the community Health, Dental, Vision, Telemedicine, Pet Insurance plus more! 401k enrollment with CAVA contribution Company-paid STD, LTD, Life and AD&D coverage for salaried positions* Free CAVA food Casual work environment The opportunity to be on the ground floor of a rapidly growing brand All exempt and non-exempt employees are eligible for benefits. Benefits are effective on the 1st of the month following 30 days of service, and you have until the day before the effective date to enroll. A new hire can enroll in our benefit program by selecting a link that is emailed directly to the new hire at their personal email address once hired Please note that visa sponsorship is not available. The compensation range posted includes total cash
*Indicates qualifying eligible positions only
CAVA
Joining A culture, not a concept
This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the duties and responsibilities of the position, and such duties and responsibilities may change without notice. As an equal opportunity employer, CAVA considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information or any other characteristic or protected classes as defined by federal, state, or local law.