AI Manager

ZipStaff•Phoenix, AZ

6d•Onsite

About The Position

ZipStaff is hiring an experienced AI Manager for a state government agency to lead artificial intelligence initiatives from strategic framing through scalable, responsible deployment. The role oversees a team of AI engineers, business analysts, and operations specialists; translates business goals into technical requirements; manages model lifecycles; and ensures AI systems deliver measurable impact while meeting ethical and regulatory requirements. This is an on-site, seven-month W2 contract in Phoenix, Arizona, starting November 30, 2026. Candidates selected for an interview must complete a mandatory identity verification process.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Statistics, or a related technical field.
At least 5 years of experience in data science, machine learning, or AI engineering, including at least 2 years in a leadership or management capacity.
Hands-on Microsoft OpenAI experience.
Deep understanding of AI/ML architectures, MLOps lifecycles, and modern frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, LangChain, or cloud AI services on AWS, GCP, or Azure.
Proven record of delivering complex technical projects on time and within budget using Agile or traditional project management methodologies.
Ability to explain complex algorithmic concepts clearly to executive leadership, product teams, and clients.
Hands-on experience designing and delivering generative AI/LLM solutions, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and prompt engineering.
Experience with cloud AI platforms such as Azure Machine Learning and Azure OpenAI Service.
Working fluency in Python and SQL, and a strong grounding in responsible AI principles.
Ability to work on-site in Phoenix, Arizona.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Statistics, or a related technical field.
Experience with AI governance, bias testing, and data privacy compliance in a regulated or public-sector environment.
Experience hiring and building AI/ML teams.
Relevant certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate or PMP.
Strong stakeholder and vendor management experience.
Familiarity with AI risk and data privacy frameworks such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF).

Responsibilities

Define the roadmap, scope, and objectives for enterprise AI and machine learning initiatives.
Bridge technical teams—including data science, MLOps, and software engineering—and non-technical business stakeholders.
Hire, mentor, and manage AI/ML specialists, providing coaching, performance management, and career development.
Oversee AI model operations from deployment through monitoring, data drift tracking, and retirement.
Coordinate risk assessments, model validation, bias testing, and data privacy compliance.
Track operational metrics, including latency, model availability, accuracy, and business ROI.