Sr Director Analyst - Physical AI Safety & Security
About The Position
This is an individual contributor role, based remotely in North America. When you join Gartner, you’ll be part of a team that values curiosity, expert insights, bold ideas, and intellectual courage, while driving partnerships with global organizations to make the right decisions on their key initiatives. Through constant learning, discovery, innovation, and collaboration, you’ll not only help clients accomplish their mission-critical priorities but also grow your career and the scope of your impact across industries. If you’re always looking for what’s next in business and technology, Gartner is looking for you. Gartner Analysts are industry thought leaders who create must-have insights, market predictions and best practices for world-leading organizations. A Senior Director Analyst is a leader at Gartner and within their area of emerging technology research, making them a trusted source of guidance and advice for clients. As the subject matter expert, a Senior Director Analyst produces innovative, pragmatic and provocative written content, and is a decision-maker and leader of cross-team and cross-practice initiatives. They also engage with clients directly through virtual and in-person interactions, meetings, conferences and industry events. The Senior Director Analyst will challenge clients to reframe their thinking across key initiatives, interpret contextual realities and propose new ways to obtain data to solve complex problems and improve client performance.
Requirements
- 12+ years of relevant field or industry experience
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; Graduate degree preferred
- Deep understanding of emerging AI enabled software development tools and Agent technologies, markets, costs, and providers
- Recent experience in bringing AI-driven solutions to market
- A strong focus on detail and ability to understand the requirements of complex systems that call for an all-new approach to cybersecurity
- Critical thinking, curiosity, and self-motivation to discover and make sense of early emerging technology signals
- Strong written and verbal proficiency, analytical, and presentation skills
- Executive presence with the ability to engage C-level provider and end-user clients and respond effectively to questions to quickly build rapport
- Relentless drive to understand emerging technologies and their implications, comfortable operating at the frontier of knowledge where answers are uncertain
- Strong foundational understanding of AI risk management
Nice To Haves
- Understanding of the rapidly emerging field of physical AI
- Experience working across multiple industry sectors such as defense, logistics, real estate (facilities management), and/or manufacturing
- Strong understanding of human resource management and a vision for how agents (both physical and digital) may augment/replace human capabilities in the future
- Prior experience managing research projects or complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives that call for a high level of attention to detail on safety and security
- Hands-on experience developing, deploying, or operating AI-driven solutions
- Experience with emerging areas such as agentic AI, world models, reasoning models, robotics, or autonomous weapons policy
- Publications in large enterprise reports, periodicals, or industry publications.
- Multilingual capabilities
Responsibilities
- Lead research initiatives on emerging AI safety and security topics with a focus on the convergence of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, robotics and other physical AI solutions that interact with and transform the physical world
- Develop and execute comprehensive research agendas covering AI safety and security for the physical AI ecosystem, including AI-driven autonomous systems, agentic systems, sensor technologies, robotics, and AI-hardware integration
- Serve as a primary authority on physical AI safety and security technologies and related market dynamics, to deliver insights that inform strategic decisions, investment priorities, and physical AI-related product/service recommendations.
- Identify AI-related emerging trends, breakthrough technologies, and potential disruptions before they become mainstream
- Lead primary research initiatives including expert interviews, technical assessments, case study development, and both qualitative and quantitative analysis of emerging market technologies and trends
- Analyze the competitive landscape across emerging physical AI business use cases and applications, tracking key players from startups to established companies
- Assess AI technology readiness levels, commercialization pathways, and adoption barriers across different sectors
- Evaluate geopolitical dimensions of physical AI development, including international competition, export controls, and regulatory frameworks
- Author authoritative research papers and briefings on physical AI trends, opportunities, and implications
- Present research findings to diverse audiences including C-level executives, product leaders, investors, and technical communities
- Support and help build Gartner’s reputation as the global authority on AI
- Cultivate relationships with researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry practitioners in the physical AI ecosystem
- Synthesize perspectives from technical experts, end users, and specialists in and facilitate dialogue between stakeholders with different perspectives on physical AI safety and security
Benefits
- world-class benefits
- highly competitive compensation
- disproportionate rewards for top performers
- hybrid work environment
- flexibility and support
- generous PTO
- 401k match up to $7,200 per year
- opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
