Business Technology and Automation Specialist (Remote)

About Sperry: Sperry Rail is on a mission-critical journey to revolutionize the Rail Flaw Detection industry. Through the continuous development of cutting-edge diagnostic technologies and AI-assisted analysis, we are transforming railway safety worldwide. Our global engineering teams work collaboratively to develop step-change technologies that define Sperry as the unparalleled market leader. For nearly a century, we have repeatedly modernized and improved rail diagnostics through our relentless pursuit of improvement. Determined is an understatement. We are obsessed with advancing science and raising the bar on what’s possible with our ever-improving suite of products and service offerings. Emboldened through the shared values of honesty, accountability, passion, integrity, and teamwork, we are driven by the challenge and bridging concepts with fruition. Each technologist entering Sperry imprints themselves into our brand and further galvanizes a culture of innovation and advancement. Allow us to be clear, Thought Leaders are welcome! We are agile and hungry and invite those with similar passions to join us in challenging the status quo and bringing new ideas to the market. Fast-paced, high-touch with a distinct sense of purpose. We offer more than a job; we offer an opportunity to be part of something different. Role Summary The Business Technology and Automation Specialist partners with business and operational teams to find friction, improve workflows, and deliver practical technology-enabled solutions. The role combines business analysis, process improvement, business systems, data, automation, and AI-assisted development to turn emerging needs into scalable, measurable improvements. You will be a hands-on builder who is equally comfortable learning how the business works, shaping a solution with stakeholders, and delivering a usable first version. This is not a traditional business analyst, systems administration, or full-time software development position. It is a cross-functional business technology role focused on improving how the organization operates through connected platforms, better data, thoughtful automation, and disciplined execution. The seat is deliberately structured as a high-impact individual contributor role with an accelerated path to Senior Specialist. We run a formal capability review roughly six months after hire, and advancement is based on demonstrated results rather than tenure. What We Expect From You We expect an exceptional level of drive and ambition. You think beyond today's work to what the team and organization need next, champion bold ideas, and see them through. Your hunger is infectious – it inspires those around you to aim higher. This role requires curiosity and humility in equal measure. You are willing to spend time with the people doing the work, you challenge assumptions constructively, and you are comfortable being told your first version is wrong. Strong interpersonal skills are important. You will work with both business and technical audiences, often translating between them, and you will need to build trust with people who have been burned by technology projects before. You should be comfortable working independently, managing a varied portfolio of priorities, exercising sound judgment, and escalating appropriately rather than either stalling or overreaching. Priorities will change and you should be comfortable with that. You should be able to work from an ambiguous request to a clearly defined and delivered outcome – and to keep going past the prototype. Moving work from idea through adoption is the job; stopping at analysis is not. Key Responsibilities Business discovery and process improvement • Partner with functional and operational teams to understand goals, pain points, constraints, and currentstate workflows • Facilitate discovery sessions, map processes, clarify requirements, and identify root causes rather than simply automating an inefficient process • Prioritize opportunities based on business value, effort, risk, adoption, and alignment with business objectives • Translate business language into clear solution requirements, user stories, process designs, and measurable outcomes Solution design and delivery • Design and deliver practical solutions using business platforms, low-code tools, workflow automation, reporting, AI-assisted development, and lightweight custom applications where appropriate • Develop prototypes and minimum viable solutions quickly, validate them with users, and improve them through iterative delivery • Configure forms, workflows, dashboards, alerts, approvals, and integrations that reduce friction and improve visibility • Coordinate with internal technology teams, external partners, and vendors when deeper infrastructure, development, security, or product expertise is required Data, reporting, and integration • Create or enhance dashboards, reports, and operational views that provide trusted and actionable information • Understand data sources, definitions, ownership, quality issues, and dependencies across business systems • Support data transformation, API-based integration, and workflow connectivity, escalating complex architecture or engineering needs appropriately • Promote consistent data definitions, traceability, and responsible use of information Automation and applied AI • Identify repeatable tasks and decisions that can be improved through automation or AI-enabled tools • Use AI responsibly to accelerate analysis, prototyping, development, documentation, testing, and user support • Evaluate emerging tools pragmatically, balancing potential value against security, maintainability, governance, and adoption • Create reusable automation patterns rather than isolated one-off solutions wherever practical Implementation, adoption, and continuous improvement • Plan and support testing, rollout, training, communication, and transition into sustainable ownership • Measure whether delivered solutions produce the intended business outcome, and adjust when they do not • Maintain clear documentation for workflows, solution logic, data definitions, dependencies, and support expectations • Communicate progress, risks, decisions, and next steps clearly Required Skills & Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in information systems, computer science, business technology, engineering, analytics, or a related field; equivalent practical experience will be considered • Demonstrated experience solving business or operational problems through process improvement, technology, data, or automation • Strong analytical skills and the ability to work from an ambiguous request to a clearly defined and delivered outcome • Working understanding of software, databases, APIs, integrations, reporting, and modern development concepts • Ability to learn new platforms quickly and use AI-assisted, low-code, or automation tools effectively • Strong written and verbal communication skills across business and technical audiences • Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, and operate independently with appropriate escalation • A collaborative, team-first mindset aligned with our values of being Humble, Hungry, and Smart Desirable Skills • Experience in an industrial, transportation, maintenance, manufacturing, or other operationally complex environment • Experience across multiple business technology platforms, with an understanding of how systems, data, workflows, and people come together to support business operations • Hands-on experience with Power BI or similar reporting tools, Microsoft Power Platform or comparable automation tools, SQL, APIs, scripting, or AI-assisted application development • Experience leading cross-functional initiatives from discovery through implementation and adoption • Experience working with external software vendors, implementation partners, or managed service providers Your First Year • Learn the organization's major workflows, systems, stakeholders, data sources, and recurring operational friction points • Deliver several visible, measurable improvements across more than one business function • Establish a repeatable approach for discovery, prototyping, testing, deployment, documentation, and benefits measurement • Support improvements to business reporting, workflow automation, platform adoption, and cross-system coordination • Build a prioritized pipeline of opportunities and help distinguish quick wins from larger platform or integration initiatives