Lead AI Research Scientist II - Digital Safety Research Institute

UL Research Institutes • Evanston, IL

1d • Remote

About The Position

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lead AI Research Scientist II at UL Research Institutes. This is a remote based opportunity. The Lead AI Research Scientist II directs advanced research across specialized areas including natural language processing (NLP); computer vision (CV), signal processing (SP), and AI reasoning. This role leads AI safety research including literature surveys, AI safety experimental design, AI/software engineering, data acquisition, data analysis, and documentation necessary to execute comprehensive experimental studies. The Lead AI Research Scientist II defines concepts and criteria to resolve major problems in current programs or approaches. Projects require substantial knowledge of state-of-the-art AI and software engineering principles and theories and use professional concepts and procedures to solve a wide range of research-based problems. UL Research Institutes: At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge. Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Digital Safety teams who conduct the research required to produce that knowledge and put into practice. Digital Safety Research Institute: The Digital Safety Research Institute (DSRI) addresses unresolved safety risks and emerging dangers in the world’s digital ecosystem. We aim to help protect people from unwanted access to personal devices and privacy, algorithm, and disinformation threats by working to create a new digital safety ecosystem. DSRI is committed to sharing digital safety insights, collaborating with key stakeholders, and offering extensive outreach and education to help support safer digital environments for people everywhere.

Requirements

• Demonstrated general knowledge of AI and software engineering disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience securing research funding through competitive proposal development.
• Demonstrated ability to write and win proposals for leading research workshops.
• Demonstrated ability to attract invitations to give keynote presentations.
• Excellent communication skills required.
• Advanced AI engineering, software engineering, and data analysis skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with research scientists, engineers, team members, and external partners to deliver research outcomes.
• Ability to publish research results at leading academic conferences.
• PhD in Computer Science with a focus in the applicable AI area of specialty plus 8 or more years of directly related research experience; or Master’s degree in Computer Science (with a focus in the applicable AI area of specialty) plus 10 or more years of directly related research experience; or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (with a focus in the applicable AI area of specialty) plus 12 or more years of directly related research experience.

Responsibilities

• Formulate, design, and manage independent test and evaluation research programs to protect the public from AI systems harms – focusing on testing systems enabling the most public harm.
• Lead and contribute to the development of competitive research proposals, including using the Heilmeier criteria to define scope, methodology, and deliverables, to secure funding for independent AI test and evaluation research programs.
• Serve as a principal investigator for Digital Safety’s’ independent test and evaluation research programs in their specialty area.
• Apply intensive and diverse knowledge of technology and AI/software engineering concepts to execute and manage specific research programs.
• Analyze experimental results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions, and evaluates technical specifications and factors related to process or design objectives.
• Plan, design, and complete initial and follow-up procedures as needed to validate the testing and evaluation results.
• Plan, design, and execute research challenges, using and improving DSRI’s evaluation tools, to lead their AI specialty community to solve problems of importance to transition partners.
• Propose and host workshops at leading research conferences in AI safety where research challenge winning methods and their comparative results are discussed to move the field forward in producing results that can have impact in public safety.
• Stay ahead of changing technologies in the field by reading papers and scientific publications and attending academic conferences.
• Contribute to and/or lead other department specific and cross-functional initiatives.

Benefits

• bonus compensation
• comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
• generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay
• additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment
• flexible working arrangements
• paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree