AI Studio Community & Research Lead

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

19h•$75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Enterprise Technology’s AI Studio is the university’s hub for applied AI exploration, responsible adoption, and community building. The AI Studio Community & Research Lead is a faculty-facing, program-building role at the center of UT Austin’s effort to help the campus understand, adopt, and use AI thoughtfully. This position designs and runs the programs that connect faculty with AI tools, expertise, and each other through fellowships, events, workshops, and embedded research partnerships. The role serves as a natural bridge between the faculty research community and UT.AI Studio’s broader ecosystem, including the UT.AI Academy’s student talent development program, creating pathways that connect faculty AI engagement with the next generation of AI practitioners being trained on campus.

Requirements

Advanced degree (master’s or doctorate) in a field demonstrating engagement with technology in research or instructional contexts.
Demonstrated experience building and sustaining faculty- or scholar-facing programs, communities, or initiatives.
Practical, hands-on experience with AI tools applied to research, teaching, or scholarship, not just theoretical familiarity.
Strong event and program management skills; track record of running recurring series from concept through execution.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills; comfortable presenting to and convening groups of faculty peers.
Demonstrated experience identifying and pursuing external funding opportunities; grant writing experience with NEH, NSF, or comparable funders is required.
U.S. Citizen, resident, or officially recognized asylee - Applicant selected will be subject to government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information at the level appropriate to the project requirements of the position.
Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Experience in digital humanities, digital scholarship, or academic technology in a higher education setting.
Experience with AI ethics frameworks and responsible AI principles as applied in academic contexts.
Experience with immersive or emerging technologies (XR, VR, AR) applied in research or pedagogical contexts.
Familiarity with Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) or game-based learning research communities.

Responsibilities

Engagement & Research Support: Serve as the primary point of contact between the AI Studio and UT’s faculty community, building trust-based relationships across colleges and disciplines. Conduct ongoing faculty listening and needs assessment to shape Studio programming and communicate gaps back to ET leadership. Develop and maintain a network of faculty champions and early adopters who help pilot new tools and share outcomes with peers. Provide consultative support to faculty and research teams exploring AI applications in their scholarly work, including human-AI collaboration, archival research, data analysis, and computational approaches to humanities and social science questions.
ET Fellows: AI Studio Fellowship Track: Design and own the AI Studio Fellowship track within ET Fellows: cohort structure, selection criteria, application process, program milestones, mentorship model, and public showcase of fellow outcomes. Recruit and support faculty fellows developing AI-enhanced research or teaching projects, providing hands-on guidance throughout the fellowship term. Track and report fellow outcomes to ET leadership and institutional stakeholders; use cohort findings to continuously improve the program and make the case for sustained investment. Coordinate with ET Fellows program leadership to align the AI track with shared program identity, evaluation frameworks, and cross-track programming where appropriate.
Events & Programming: Own the AI Studio’s public programming calendar: recurring workshop series, speaker events, working sessions, showcases, and cross-campus convenings. Design programming that serves a range of faculty needs, from introductory awareness to advanced application, and is explicitly inclusive of humanities, social science, and professional school audiences alongside STEM. Handle full event logistics, including scheduling, facilitation, communications, and post-event follow-up, with a consistent standard of quality and follow-through.
Perform other related functions as assigned: Build and maintain partnerships with peer institutions, industry collaborators, and national organizations to bring external expertise and perspective to UT’s AI community. Connect researchers with relevant ET resources, tools, and technical staff; serve as an informed translator between faculty needs and ET capabilities.

Benefits

Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan)
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Training and conference opportunities
Tuition assistance
Athletic ticket discounts
Access to UT Austin's libraries and museums
Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Capital metro buses with staff ID card