Senior Digital Specialist – Trustworthy AI (with Cybersecurity)

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank Group's Digital & AI Vice Presidency (D&AI VPU) leads the institution's work on digital transformation and artificial intelligence. As AI systems become increasingly embedded in public services, financial systems, infrastructure planning, and humanitarian response, the imperative to ensure those systems are safe, fair, accountable, and aligned with human rights has never been greater. Trustworthy AI — encompassing principles of transparency, explainability, fairness, robustness, privacy, and accountability — is now a strategic priority for the World Bank Group in its advisory and operational engagements with client countries. At the same time, the security of AI-enabled systems is inseparable from their trustworthiness. Cybersecurity risks, including adversarial attacks, model poisoning, data breaches, and system vulnerabilities, pose direct threats to the integrity and reliability of AI deployments in development contexts. To advance this agenda, the D&AI VPU is seeking a Senior Digital Specialist with deep expertise in trustworthy AI and a solid foundation in cybersecurity. The specialist will lead and contribute to analytical work, operational support, policy dialogue, and knowledge generation across the Bank's global portfolio.

Requirements

Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Information Security, Data Science, Public Policy, or a closely related discipline.
A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience in AI, machine learning, or digital technology, with demonstrated specialization in at least three of the following areas: AI ethics and fairness, explainable AI, AI risk management, AI governance and regulation, algorithmic auditing, or responsible AI deployment.
Demonstrated experience applying cybersecurity principles in the context of digital systems, with at least foundational working knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27001) and an understanding of how security risks intersect with AI systems.
Deep technical knowledge of machine learning algorithms, AI model development pipelines, and common failure modes of AI systems.
Proficiency in AI fairness metrics, bias detection techniques, and explainability methods (e.g., SHAP, LIME, attention mechanisms).
Familiarity with international AI governance frameworks and standards, including OECD AI Principles, EU AI Act, NIST AI Risk Management Framework, and ISO/IEC 42001.
Working knowledge of cybersecurity concepts relevant to AI, including adversarial machine learning, data governance and privacy (e.g., GDPR, differential privacy), secure model deployment, and cloud security fundamentals.
Ability to assess and design AI governance structures including algorithmic impact assessments, audit processes, human oversight mechanisms, and redress systems.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate complex technical and policy challenges.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-specialist audiences, including senior government officials and policymakers.
Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural, multidisciplinary team environment and to build consensus across diverse stakeholders.
High level of integrity, discretion, and professional judgment.

Nice To Haves

A combination of technical and policy expertise is highly desirable.
Experience working in or advising government institutions, international organizations, or development finance institutions on AI or digital policy is strongly preferred.
Experience in low- and middle-income country contexts, including work in fragile or resource-constrained environments, is an asset.
Track record of producing high-quality analytical work, knowledge products, or policy guidance on trustworthy AI or related topics.
Proficiency in an additional World Bank working language (French, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, or Chinese) is an advantage.
Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
Responsibly leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.
Bring experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts and are encouraged to highlight relevant experience in their application materials, where applicable.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of frameworks, toolkits, methodologies, and standards for the assessment and implementation of trustworthy AI systems in development contexts, covering fairness, accountability, transparency, explainability, and robustness.
Conduct and oversee technical assessments of AI systems deployed or under consideration in client country operations, identifying risks related to bias, opacity, data integrity, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
Provide authoritative technical guidance on AI risk management, including threat modeling for AI systems, adversarial robustness testing, and the intersection of AI safety and cybersecurity.
Contribute to cutting-edge research and knowledge products on topics such as algorithmic auditing, AI governance frameworks, secure AI deployment in low-resource environments, and emerging regulatory approaches.
Provide technical inputs into the preparation, appraisal, supervision, and evaluation of World Bank lending operations and technical assistance programs with AI components across sectors (health, education, social protection, finance, agriculture, public administration, etc.).
Serve as a task team member or co-TTL on select projects with significant trustworthy AI and digital security dimensions, ensuring that technical standards and safeguards are embedded into project design and implementation arrangements.
Support borrowing countries in developing national AI strategies, AI governance frameworks, and regulatory environments that promote innovation while mitigating risk.
Advise on the procurement, piloting, and oversight of AI systems in the public sector, including the design of government accountability mechanisms and civil society engagement frameworks.
Advise on private-sector AI solutions in the context of WBG investments or advisory operations, including AI acceleration programs.
Apply foundational knowledge of cybersecurity principles — including information security management, identity and access management, network security, secure software development lifecycles, and incident response — to the assessment and design of AI-enabled systems.
Advise on cybersecurity risks specific to AI deployments, including data poisoning, model inversion attacks, adversarial examples, and the vulnerabilities introduced by third-party AI providers and cloud infrastructure.
Collaborate with the WBG's cybersecurity teams and relevant global partners to ensure AI systems in client operations meet internationally recognized security standards (e.g., NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, OWASP AI Security and Privacy Guide).
Support clients in developing institutional capacity for AI-specific cybersecurity governance, including the integration of AI risk into national cybersecurity strategies.
Engage in high-level policy dialogue with government counterparts, regulatory authorities, civil society, and the private sector on the governance of AI and digital technologies.
Represent the World Bank Group in relevant international forums, working groups, and multi-stakeholder platforms focused on AI ethics, trustworthy AI standards, and digital governance (e.g., GPAI, OECD, ITU, G20 Digital Economy Working Groups).
Provide strategic advice to client governments on the design and implementation of AI regulatory frameworks, ethics guidelines, and institutional oversight mechanisms.
Facilitate dialogue between technical, legal, and policy stakeholders to bridge gaps between AI governance theory and implementation practice.
Lead the development and dissemination of knowledge products including policy notes, working papers, operational guidance notes, e-learning modules, and toolkits on trustworthy AI and AI cybersecurity.
Design and deliver capacity-building programs, workshops, and training sessions for client country officials, World Bank task teams, and development practitioners.
Contribute to the D&AI VPU's global communities of practice and knowledge platforms, fostering peer learning and cross-regional exchange on AI governance.
Mentor junior staff and consultants within the unit, contributing to team learning and professional development.
Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with leading academic institutions, standards bodies, civil society organizations, and bilateral and multilateral partners working on trustworthy AI.
Contribute to the development of concept notes and proposals for trust-funded and co-financed programs related to AI governance and digital security.
Engage with the private sector, including AI developers and platform providers, to promote responsible AI practices and build awareness of development context needs.