Section Lead, Virtual Assistant Development

As China is evolving into a key market for intelligent mobility, we are looking for an experienced section leader who shares the passion for building next-generation AI-powered virtual assistant experiences in Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Located in Beijing, our Virtual Assistant team drives the design, development, and integration of in-car voice interaction and conversational AI capabilities for both China-specific and global Mercedes-Benz products. As section lead of Virtual Assistant Development, you will be leading a section that is end-to-end responsible for developing the intelligent voice assistant system, including large language model (LLM) integration, natural language understanding (NLU), dialogue management, speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), wake word detection, and cloud-edge orchestration. As a leader you will also be responsible for translating high-level product and AI strategy to your section members, managing the transition from supplier-dependent to in-house self-developed solutions, and taking care of task assignment and individual growth of the people. · Bachelor's or Master's degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, or a related technical field. · Proven track record in leading teams focused on the development of virtual assistant, conversational AI, or voice interaction systems within automotive or consumer electronics domains. · Deep understanding of modern AI/ML technologies, including large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), prompt engineering, and AI agent frameworks. · Comprehensive knowledge of voice technology stack: automatic speech recognition (ASR), natural language understanding (NLU), dialogue management, text-to-speech (TTS), wake word detection, and acoustic front-end processing. · Hands-on experience with cloud-edge hybrid architectures for real-time voice processing and AI inference in resource-constrained automotive environments. · Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, or Java, with experience in ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) and LLM deployment pipelines. · Strong understanding of software development methodologies, CI/CD practices, and ASPICE-compliant development processes. · Experience managing supplier relationships and driving make-or-buy decisions for AI technology components. · Demonstrated ability to leverage data-driven approaches (telemetry, user behavior analytics, A/B testing) to drive continuous improvement in voice assistant quality and user satisfaction. · Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a track record of successfully delivering complex AI-powered products from concept to mass production. · Excellent communication and collaboration skills, facilitating seamless interaction with cross-functional teams, HQ stakeholders, and external partners. · Fluent in English, capable of articulating technical complexities concisely and effectively. Mandarin proficiency required. · Demonstrated self-reliance, a strong team-oriented mindset, and exceptional people leadership skills, fostering a collaborative, innovative, and results-driven engineering culture.