AI Specialist
Boston, MA
Operations /
Hybrid
Job Title: AI Specialist
Location: Boston, MA (Onsite/Hybrid)
Department: Operations/Technology
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
About Downeast Cider House: At Downeast Cider House, we believe in making unfiltered, full-bodied cider the right way — no shortcuts, no compromise. We’re as passionate about innovation as we are about craft, and we’re looking for someone who can help us take our operations to the next level through the smart use of AI.
Role Overview: This is an exploratory role. We don't know much about AI, but see big opportunity. We're hiring an AI Specialist to assess, recommend, and implement AI-driven solutions across departments to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability. This person will work cross-functionally with Operations, Finance, Sales, Production, and People teams to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks and build automations or AI tools that streamline our workflows.
Key Responsibilities:
Evaluate current business processes across departments to identify areas for AI-driven automation and efficiency gains.
Partner with stakeholders to understand team-specific pain points and create tailored AI or automation solutions.
Design, test, and implement solutions using tools like Python, low/no-code platforms, RPA (e.g. UiPath), or commercial AI APIs (e.g. OpenAI, Google Cloud AI, etc.).
Monitor solution performance, report ROI, and continuously optimize based on user feedback and business goals.
Stay up-to-date on AI trends and emerging technologies to proactively introduce new tools or capabilities.
Provide training and documentation to help internal teams adopt and scale the solutions.
Qualifications:
2–5 years of experience in data science, AI implementation, process automation, or a related field.
Proven ability to work cross-functionally and translate business needs into technical solutions.
Hands-on experience with automation tools, AI APIs (e.g. GPT, Vision, etc.), and scripting languages like Python.
Familiarity with business operations in a manufacturing, beverage, or consumer goods environment is a plus.
Excellent communication, project management, and problem-solving skills.
Curious, self-directed, and motivated by finding elegant solutions to messy problems.
Nice-to-Haves:
Experience with ERP systems (e.g. PLEX) or CRM platforms.
Exposure to SQL, Power BI/Tableau, or other analytics platforms.
Background in process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.).
Why You’ll Love Working Here:
You’ll have the freedom to shape this function and make a big impact.
Work with a passionate, hard-working, and fun team that values innovation and growth.
Competitive compensation, great benefits, and, of course, plenty of cider.
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, conducted after a conditional job offer has been made. Candidates will have the opportunity to review and respond to any findings.
About Downeast Cider
We aspire to build an enduring company with a world-class brand, known as an extraordinary place to work. It’s been 15 years since our first batches of unfiltered cider were fermented in the dorms of Bates College, Maine, and while we’ve gained 125 new teammates and 1.6 million cases of tasty drinks - with a growing assortment beyond cider - we remain 100% founder-owned. We’re a scrappy team that enjoys the hard work of creating a company because we get to work on fun things with people we like. We like to hire the way we like our cider, unfiltered. With the understanding that we can learn and grow from each other’s differences, we are proud to hire regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, or anything else that makes us who we are.
