What We Do:

Uptake is a Chicago-based predictive analytics SaaS platform provider that empowers major industry leaders to optimize performance, reduce asset failures and enhance safety. We work across industries that power the world, from planes and trains to healthcare and agriculture. Our leading platform for industrial data leverages machine learning, advanced data science and state-of-the-art security combined with the expertise of our industrial partners. The result is a powerful platform that identifies problems before they occur, saving time, money, and lives. 

What you'll do:

The Associate of Innovations and Strategic Initiatives will be driving and supporting the initiatives that will most impact Uptake’s growth. You will be identifying opportunities to expand Uptake’s core capabilities, developing project plans and driving cross-functional teams forward towards execution. These opportunities are diverse and open-ended ranging from development of new capabilities (e.g., weather analytics), leveraging emerging technologies (e.g., blockchain, AR/VR) and expansion to new markets (e.g., entry into precision agriculture).

Responsibilities:

• Work with the leadership team (industry leads, data science, engineering) to source, assess, prioritize and drive execution of projects
• Develop business cases and present to executive stakeholders to make recommendations on investment decisions
• Drive impact to Uptake’s product/commercialization roadmaps
• Manage cross functional teams (including data science, engineering, subject matter experts and external contractors) to drive execution on several, high priority technical innovation projects

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from a top university
• 2-4 years of relevant work experience, preferably in consulting, venture capital, technology-focused corporate development and strategy, or product development
• Strong interest in or experience in software development technology and data science
• Strong project management skills, including a proven ability to think through all aspects of a process and manage long-term projects
• Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical ability, along with excellent business judgment
• Driven, self-starter with a passion for excellence and an ability to work under minimal supervision
• Ability to influence stakeholders across the organization and drive project delivery with both direct and indirect authority
• Experience doing industry research, completing competitive landscaping and comparisons, and building project plans
• Experience interacting with senior audiences and executives