Executive Director of Artificial Intelligence

Position Information

Information Technology Solutions at UC Riverside is seeking a strategic and technical Executive Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to lead our artificial intelligence and data science initiatives. The ideal candidate is a proactive leader who can act as a technical strategist and a hands-on expert. You will partner with leaders across ITS and our campus to bring high-impact projects to life. As a key technical leader, you will be responsible for building and mentoring a team of AI professionals and serving as a technical enabler for our development teams. You will drive the adoption of AI across our campus by empowering teams to integrate AI capabilities into their work, whether it's embedded within custom applications, reporting, or intelligent agents. Your work will involve having a constant pulse on solutioning to embed AI within existing products, processes, and initiatives. This is a unique opportunity to shape our AI capabilities and build a culture of innovation by turning challenges into powerful, AI-driven solutions.

This position is classified as predominantly remote with occasional visits to campus as needed. Working hours will be based on Pacific Standard Time (PST). The full salary range for the Executive Director of Artificial Intelligence is $126,700 - $248,700 annually. However, the pay scale for this position is up to $230,000 annually. We base salary offers on a variety of considerations, such as education, licensure and certifications, experience, and other business and organizational needs. Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a UCR staff position. Currently, UCR is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff. As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Requirements

Educational Requirements

• Degree: Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training. Requirement: Required
• Degree: Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related quantitative field. Requirement: Preferred

Experience Requirements

• 8 - 13 years of related experience.
• Solid understanding of machine learning models, data science methodologies, and generative AI concepts.
• Proficiency in programming languages like Python and experience with relevant AI/ML frameworks. Vertex AI experience a plus.
• Demonstrated experience with product management, including requirements gathering, roadmap development, and stakeholder management.
• Proven experience translating high-level business needs and user requirements into detailed, actionable technical specifications and user stories for development teams.
• Experience in a higher education or public sector environment.
• Experience with data quality and data governance best practices.

Minimum Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with executive-level management on a regular basis.
• Familiarity with data quality and governance issues and requirements.
• Expert knowledge of data management systems, practices and standards.
• Thorough knowledge of relevant rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to work with others from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information to technical and non-technical personnel at various levels in the organization.
• Self-motivated and works independently and as part of a team. Demonstrates problem-solving skills. Able to learn effectively and meet deadlines. Strong organizational skills.
• Expert analytical and design skills, including the ability to abstract information requirements from real-world processes to understand information flows in computer systems.
• Ability to represent relevant information in abstract models. Critical thinking skills and attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to prepare models at varying levels of detail, such as broad conceptual and planning models as well as detailed logical designs or dimensional models.
• Expert skill in logical data design, data integration and the specification of data services.
• Good negotiation and influencing skills.
• Demonstrated service orientation skills.
• A talent for identifying the root cause of user problems and framing them in a way that allows for effective AI and data-driven solutions.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to inspire and educate diverse audiences.
• A proactive and collaborative leader who can work across departments to build consensus and drive change.
• The ability to listen and speak with users and stakeholders in a clear, non-technical way to truly understand their challenges and needs.
• A servant leader mindset, with a passion for coaching, mentoring, and empowering others to succeed.

Additional Information

In the Heart of Inland Southern California, UC Riverside is located on nearly 1,200 acres near Box Springs Mountain in Southern California; the park-like campus provides convenient access to the vibrant and growing Inland region. The campus is a living laboratory for the exploration of issues critical to growing communities' air, water, energy, transportation, politics, the arts, history, and culture. UCR gives every student, faculty and staff member the resources to explore, engage, imagine and excel.

UC Riverside is recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse research universities in the country boasting several key rankings of which we are extremely proud.

UC Riverside is proud to be ranked No. 12 among all U.S. universities, according to Money Magazine's 2020 rankings, and among the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, according to the 2019-20 Center for World University rankings. UC Riverside is the top university in the United States for social mobility. - U.S. News 2020 UCR is a member of the University Innovation Alliance, the leading national coalition of public research universities committed to improving student success for low-income, first-generation, and students of color. Among top-tier universities, UC Riverside ranks No. 2 in financial aid. - Business Insider 2019 Ranked No. 2 in the world for research, UCR's Department of Entomology maintains one of the largest collections of insect specimens the nation. - Center for World University Rankings UCR's distinguished faculty boasts 2 Nobel Laureates, and 13 members of the National Academies of Science and Medicine.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under state or federal law. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.

For information about our generous employee benefits package, visit: Employee Benefits Overview

Job Description Details

Generic Scope

Recognized organization-wide expert. Has significant impact and influence on organizational policy and program development. Regularly leads projects of critical importance to the organization; these projects carry substantial consequences of success or failure. May direct programs with organization-wide impact that include formulating strategies and administering policies, processes, and resources. Significant barriers to entry exist at this level.

Custom Scope

Having wide-ranging experience, applies data/information management concepts and campus/medical center/OP objectives to resolve issues, up to and including the most complex, with campus/medical center/OP-wide, institution-wide and/or multi-institutional impact. Formulates strategies and works on issues, up to and including the most complex, with little or no campus/medical center/OP precedent where analyses of situations, information or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. Selects methods, techniques and evaluation criteria to obtain results. Internal and external contacts often pertain to campus/medical center/OP plans and objectives. Is considered a subject matter expert at campus/medical center/OP and often recognized as an expert externally in the field or industry. Develops conceptual and logical data models with campus/medical center/OP-wide, institution-wide and/or discipline-wide scope.

Department Custom Scope

The Executive Director of Artificial Intelligence will lead Information Technology Solutions' (ITS) artificial intelligence and data science initiatives. The incumbent is a proactive leader who can act as a technical strategist and a hands-on expert. This position will partner with leaders across ITS and the UCR campus to bring high-impact projects to life. As a key technical leader, the incumbent will be responsible for building and mentoring a team of AI professionals and serving as a technical enabler for ITS' development teams. The position will drive the adoption of AI across UCR by empowering teams to integrate AI capabilities into their work, whether it's embedded within custom applications, reporting, or intelligent agents. This role will involve having a constant pulse on solutioning to embed AI within existing products, processes, and initiatives.

Key skills/competency

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy
• Data Science Leadership
• Machine Learning Models
• Generative AI Concepts
• Python Programming
• AI/ML Frameworks
• Product Management
• Data Governance
• Team Leadership & Mentoring
• Technical Strategy