AI Strategy Leader, R&D

Samsung Research America•Mountain View, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Samsung Research America (SRA) is seeking a visionary AI Strategy Leader to spearhead the organization’s AI initiatives for 2026 and beyond. This role involves translating emerging AI trends, such as agentic systems, advanced reasoning, embodied AI, and efficient models, into actionable strategies that enhance competitive advantage, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. The AI Strategy Leader will act as a liaison between new technologies, business goals, and responsible deployment, ensuring AI projects deliver tangible results while managing risks. This is a strategic leadership position requiring a blend of deep AI knowledge, business acumen, and change management skills. The Emerging Technology (ET) team contributes to Samsung Research America's fundamental research by developing business cases, product roadmaps, identifying industry partnerships, driving proof-of-concept development, and conducting competitive analysis. The team's thought leadership is supported by thorough diligence and data analytics, and they collaborate with various SRA labs, including those focused on mobile, computer vision, AI, 6G communications, and digital health. The team actively monitors and advocates for Samsung's investments in areas like efficient models, multimodal AI, agentic security, agentic systems, physical AI, and AI ethics and governance.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field or equivalent combination of education, training and experience
7+ years in AI strategy, digital transformation, technology consulting, or related roles, with proven success leading AI initiatives from strategy to measurable deployment
Demonstrated experience in at least two of the following: agentic systems, advanced reasoning techniques, multimodal/physical AI, or AI governance at enterprise scale
Strong AI/ML fluency — you can evaluate architectures, assess research, and challenge technical assumptions without writing production code yourself
Strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, architectures (e.g., transformers, RLVR), tools, and trends without needing to code production models.
Hands-on prototyping experience is a plus
Exceptional at gap analysis, competitive intelligence, roadmap prioritization, and building data-driven business cases
Proven ability to influence executives, facilitate cross-functional teams, and present complex ideas clearly to non-technical audiences
Deep knowledge of AI safety, interpretability, bias mitigation, and regulatory landscapes
Highly curious, adaptable, systems-oriented, and results-driven; thrives in ambiguity and fast-paced environments

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with AI evaluation frameworks, synthetic data, context engineering, or physical AI/robotics integration
Background in top-tier consulting (e.g., McKinsey, BCG, Accenture) or scaling AI at a tech-forward company
Familiarity with the product ecosystem of Samsung Electronics

Responsibilities

Create and maintain a multi-year AI roadmap aligned with business goals across consumer electronics, B2B services, health tech and internal operations
Identifying high-value use cases across functions (e.g., agentic orchestration and automation workflows, embodied/physical AI, efficient small models, inference-time scaling, or advanced reasoning for decision support) and make clear, evidence-based recommendations on what to pursue, defer, or ignore
Build compelling business cases for high-ROI AI initiatives: identify the opportunity, quantify the value, define success metrics, and secure executive sponsorship
Translate strategy into action by working with product, engineering, and data science teams to integrate AI into core workflows and products
Conduct structured pilots and proof-of-concepts; define clear go/no-go criteria and graduation paths from POC to enterprise deployment
Evaluate and negotiate with external AI vendors, platforms, and research partners to accelerate Samsung's capabilities
Stay at the forefront of AI research and market developments; evaluate emerging technologies for relevance and feasibility
Proactively develop governance frameworks that allow Samsung to move fast without creating unacceptable safety, legal, or reputational risk
Champion responsible AI practices, including bias mitigation, interpretability, regulatory compliance, data privacy, and environmental sustainability
Serve as a translator: make complex AI concepts accessible to non-technical executives and make business priorities concrete for technical teams
Mentor internal teams and help establish a culture where AI adoption is the default, not the exception; facilitate workshops and translate technical concepts into actionable business language