Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specialist

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Position Description Title Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specialist

Products Digital

Locations:

Christchurch/Wellington/Auckland

Reports to:

Software Development Manager

Direct Reports:

N/A

Indirect Reports:

N/A

Date:

March 2026

Overview Airways International Ltd (AIL) is the commercial arm of Airways New Zealand – providing air traffic services training, simulation & selection solutions, aeronautical information management, flight procedures and aviation consultancy services to the global aviation industry. As pioneers and market leaders, we partner with some of the best in the industry to develop and deliver world-leading products and services.

Business Unit Purpose

Product (Digital) creates and maintains our suite of software products used within New Zealand and sold abroad, including TotalControl (tower and surveillance/radar simulation), SureSelect (ATC selection tools), and AirShare (Uncrewed traffic management system), and FlightYield for revenue management, as well as exploring and developing new product ideas.

Purpose of the Position

The AI Specialist is responsible for researching, evaluating, and implementing modern Artificial Intelligence technologies that enhance the capability, efficiency, and competitiveness of Airways' Digital Products portfolio. The role focuses on identifying practical, high-value opportunities for AI to improve both customer-facing products and internal engineering processes, ensuring that all AI initiatives align with Airways' security, privacy, and governance requirements.

As the central subject-matter expert on applied AI within the Digital Products team, the AI Specialist works closely with developers, product managers, and leadership to explore and validate emerging technologies. This includes prototyping AI-enabled features, assessing their feasibility and operational impact, and guiding their integration into products such as TotalControl, SureSelect, OnTrac, and AirShare. The role also supports the adoption of AI-assisted development tools and practices that improve productivity, quality, and consistency across the engineering function.

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A key part of the position involves contributing to Airways' AI strategy and governance frameworks, ensuring responsible, secure, and aviation-appropriate use of AI technologies. The AI Specialist provides expert advice on opportunities, risks, and implementation approaches, helping the organisation navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape while maintaining compliance with regulatory and industry standards.

General

Your general duties include those outlined in this position description and may be reviewed and updated from time to time in consultation with you. You will also be required to undertake any other duties that are within your ability to perform, if asked to do so. Key Areas of Accountability

Artificial Intelligence Innovation

Identify opportunities where AI can improve the functionality, usability, or operational efficiency of Airways' products.

Research and evaluate emerging AI technologies, including large language models, machine learning frameworks, and AI-assisted development tools.

Prototype and validate AI-enabled features, assessing feasibility, performance, risks, and operational impact.

Design and run structured experiments and proof-of-concepts to test the value of new AI capabilities.

Collaborate with development teams to integrate AI solutions into the Digital Products portfolio.

Ensure AI implementations are robust, secure, maintainable, and appropriate for aviation-related environments.

Ensure AI solutions are cost-effective and aligned with product strategy and organisational standards.

Proven experience in working with sophisticated voice processing AI services.

AI Tooling for Engineering Productivity

Research and introduce AI tools that enhance the efficiency of developers, testers, and data specialists.

Evaluate AI-assisted coding, debugging, documentation, and analysis tools.

Develop guidelines and best practices for secure and effective use of AI tools across the team.

Provide training and support to staff adopting AI-enabled workflows.

Measure and demonstrate productivity improvements resulting from AI adoption.

AI Strategy and Governance

Provide subject-matter expertise to support the development and refinement of Airways' AI policies and governance frameworks.

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Ensure AI tools and technologies comply with security, privacy, and regulatory requirements.

Assess risks related to data exposure, intellectual property, and model usage.

Advise leadership on responsible AI usage and strategic opportunities within the aviation software context.

Product Innovation

Collaborate with Product Management and Development teams to identify AI-driven product enhancements.

Support the design of intelligent features such as automation, predictive capabilities, natural language interfaces, and data-driven insights.

Ensure AI features enhance usability and deliver measurable value to customers.

Lead early-stage exploration and concept development for AI-enabled product ideas.

Relationships

Build professional relationships at all levels to foster collaborative working.

Work with developers, testers, product managers, and data specialists to implement AI-enabled capabilities.

Provide guidance and technical advice to stakeholders regarding AI technologies and their practical application.

Maintain awareness of industry trends, research, and best practices in applied AI.

Quality Control

Ensure AI implementations meet AIL development principles, processes, and quality standards.

Ensure AI features are reliable, maintainable, and appropriately validated.

Ensure that AI systems do not introduce unacceptable operational or safety risks.

Ensure documentation is maintained for AI components and tools introduced into the organisation.

Self-Development

Develop and maintain deep knowledge of modern AI technologies and industry trends.

Develop a strong understanding of AIL products and services.

Monitor own performance and seek development opportunities to improve performance.

Implement agreed development plans within agreed timeframes.

Health & Safety

Responsible for proactively demonstrating Airways/AIL Safety values.

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Responsible for working in a safe manner and striving for continuous improvement in health & safety throughout the business.

Responsible for ensuring Airways/AIL security is maintained at all times.

Proactively raise health or safety issues in line with the Safety Management System.

Report errors, hazards, and risks as required by the Safety Management System.

Participate in any safety or security audits as required

Values

Embrace the company values.

Travel Requirement

Work may be required in other locations within NZ / internationally to perform the duties of the role.

Budget

NIL

Financial Delegation

NIL

Contractual Delegation

NIL

Legislative Owner

NIL

Key Relationships / Customers Nature of Relationship

Internal

Software Development Manager

Reports to and provides strategic input

Software Development Team

Work collaboratively with to implement AI solutions

Head of Product (Digital)

Key stakeholder

Product Management Team

Work collaboratively with

External

Technology Partners

Evaluate AI platforms and tools

Customers

Support development of innovative AI-enabled product capabilities

Formal Qualifications / Training / Experience Required Desirable

Relevant tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science or similar.

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Proven experience in modern AI tools and platforms

Experience integrating AI capabilities into software systems

Experience evaluating and implementing developer productivity tools

Strong understanding of software development practices

Experience working within agile development environments

Experience with machine learning frameworks, LLM APIs, or AI model integration

Experience working with complex or technical software products

Key Competencies / Skills / Knowledge Required Desirable

Strong analytical and research skills in emerging technology

Ability to identify practical applications of AI technologies

Excellent ability to prioritise complex tasks, manage competing priorities, and proactively drive quality initiatives across multiple projects.

Advanced communication and influencing skills, capable of engaging senior stakeholders and leading cross-functional discussions on the use of AI

Our Values – Demonstrates the Airways / AIL Values consistently and naturally, showing a personal commitment to value Safety, Each Other, Excellence and Success; consistently exhibits behaviours that inspire understanding of and commitment to these values.

Planned & Organised - Develops and oversees realistic plans to ensure deadlines are met; ensures all resources available to implement the plan; continually reprioritises as new work comes in, based on criteria and information from the customer; works on a number of jobs simultaneously without any dropping off.

Advanced Problem Solving – Applies analytical and strategic thinking to resolve complex quality issues; leverages data-driven insights; identifies systemic risks and implements sustainable solutions.

Leadership Communication – Communicates with clarity and authority; adapts messaging for technical and executive

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audiences; influences decision-making and champions quality initiatives across the organisation.

Customer & Partnership Focused - Builds long-term, strategic and sustainable relationships with customers / partners; understands the customer's business and requirements; manages expectations and builds respect; measures performance against customer targets; delivers on promises to customers and personally commits to resolving customer issues; inspires a customer-centric approach across AIL.

Leads Change - Builds and communicates the need for change; draws on people with previous experience or skills who can support the process; implements continuous improvement.

Accountable – Makes decisions and is accountable; consults with people; accesses information and analyses facts from a broad viewpoint; balances the needs of stakeholder triangle; has confidence in decisions; identifies core principles and applies them consistently to decisions.

Management Advisory: Acts as the primary advisor to the Head of Product on developments and improvements related to AI

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