Information Systems Specialist (AI Literacy and Training Lead)

University of Waterloo•Waterloo, ON

16d•CA$85,980 - CA$119,422•Hybrid

About The Position

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day. Reporting to the Director, AI Innovation and Systems Development, the AI Literacy and Training Lead is an Information Systems Specialist role focused on the adoption, enablement, and responsible use of AI-enabled information systems and services at the University of Waterloo. The incumbent supports the AI Discovery Lab, the campus-facing front door for AI questions, ideas, training needs, and responsible adoption support. This role develops and delivers practical AI training, workshops, office hours, documentation, guidance, and reusable learning materials that help staff, teams, and leaders understand how to use AI tools appropriately and effectively in University contexts. The role works with technical teams, campus partners, service owners, and governance partners to translate emerging AI capabilities, institutional guidance, pilot learnings, and recurring user needs into accessible training and adoption supports.

Requirements

University degree in a related discipline, or equivalent education and experience.
Relevant disciplines may include information systems, computer science, education, instructional design, communications, business analysis, public administration, or a related field.
Experience designing and delivering training, workshops, enablement programs, user adoption supports, or professional learning.
Experience explaining technical or complex concepts to non-technical audiences.
Experience developing documentation, guides, knowledge base content, presentations, FAQs, or other user-facing support materials.
Experience supporting technology adoption, service improvement, change enablement, business systems support, or information systems initiatives.
Experience working with technical teams, service owners, business stakeholders, and cross-functional partners.
Practical understanding of generative AI tools, common AI use cases, risks, limitations, and responsible-use considerations.
Strong facilitation, presentation, and written communication skills.
Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to a variety of audiences.
Ability to create clear, practical, and accessible training and guidance materials.
Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent activities and stakeholder needs.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify recurring needs and convert them into reusable guidance or learning resources.
Strong service orientation and ability to build positive working relationships with campus clients, IST colleagues, and partner teams.
Ability to work with ambiguity and help create structure where practices, tools, and expectations are still emerging.
Understanding of privacy, security, data handling, accessibility, copyright, accuracy, bias, and human oversight considerations as they relate to AI use.

Nice To Haves

Experience with generative AI tools, AI-enabled productivity tools, or emerging technology adoption is preferred.
Experience in higher education, public sector, or a large complex organization is an asset.
Familiarity with Microsoft 365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT Enterprise, or similar AI tools is an asset.
Experience with SharePoint, Confluence, Jira Service Management, knowledge management tools, learning platforms, or similar systems is an asset.

Responsibilities

Develop and deliver practical AI literacy programming for University audiences, including workshops, office hours, demonstrations, awareness sessions, and team-specific training.
Design learning supports for users with different levels of AI readiness, from those who are new to AI to early adopters seeking practical guidance.
Explain AI capabilities, limitations, risks, and responsible-use expectations in clear, audience-appropriate language.
Create and maintain reusable AI guidance, quick-start guides, FAQs, checklists, examples, presentation materials, and other user-facing support resources.
Convert recurring questions, pilot learnings, and responsible-use expectations into reusable learning assets.
Contribute to AI Discovery Lab web, knowledge base, or service catalogue content as required.
Support onboarding, training, and adoption activities for approved, pilot, or emerging AI-enabled tools and services.
Develop user guidance for AI tool pilots, including coding assistants, enterprise AI assistants, productivity tools, or AI-enabled workflow solutions.
Gather user feedback to identify barriers, learning needs, support gaps, and opportunities to improve adoption.
Help users understand privacy, security, data sensitivity, copyright, accessibility, bias, accuracy, and human oversight considerations related to AI use.
Work with privacy, information security, data governance, procurement, legal, accessibility, records management, and other partners as needed to align training and guidance materials.
Help users understand when an AI use case may require additional review, escalation, or support.
Support AI Discovery Lab events, demonstrations, engagement activities, and communities of practice.
Track training activity, participation, feedback, recurring questions, and adoption themes.
Use feedback and service data to improve training materials, workshops, office hours, and guidance.
Contribute training and adoption insights to the AI Discovery Lab service model and AI innovation portfolio.