Job Description
Your Role
You are a visionary technical leader with deep expertise in artificial intelligence and a passion for applying that knowledge to improve education for all. You have a strong point of view on how emerging AI can reshape the future of education and economic mobility, particularly for communities that have been historically underserved. As the Senior Officer for AI Innovation and Access, you will define and drive our AI strategy, ensuring that ground breaking technologies are not only implemented with technical precision but also aligned with our commitment to equity and transformative social impact. This is a unique opportunity for an early-to-mid career professional who is eager to make a significant, long-lasting contribution to the trajectory of AI progress and then move on to shape its next frontier.
This role is uniquely positioned for passionate AI talent looking to make a profound impact early in their career. If you are passionate about harnessing AI to redefine the future of education and economic opportunity for all, we invite you to join us at the Gates Foundation. Together, we will drive innovation that not only pushes the boundaries of technology but also ensures that its benefits are shared broadly across society.
This new role is a 24-month limited term employment position with competitive salary and foundation provided benefits. Relocation is available to Seattle, WA (our preferred location) or Washington, DC for the hired candidate.
What You’ll Do
Vision & Strategic Leadership
- Shape the Future of AI in Education: Articulate a bold vision for how AI innovations—such as large language models, AI agents, and knowledge graphs—can transform education and economic mobility, driving equitable outcomes.
- Technical Strategy: Provide technical leadership by tracking AI progress in detail, vetting emerging technologies, and maintaining an in-depth understanding of pioneering AI research and applications.
Technical Evaluation & Implementation
- Advanced AI Solutions: Lead the evaluation and implementation of advanced AI technologies, ensuring robust technical feasibility, correctness, and scalability.
- Responsible Frameworks: Design and oversee frameworks for responsible AI deployment that prioritize fairness, transparency, and inclusivity.
Collaborative Partnerships & Ecosystem Building
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with program teams across the US Programs to identify high-impact opportunities for AI innovation, ensuring seamless integration into education and economic mobility initiatives led by those teams.
- External Coalitions: Forge and nurture partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, academic institutions, and leading AI research centers to build a more open and accessible AI ecosystem.
- Partner Engagement: Cultivate high-trust relationships with key partners to ensure that our AI solutions are both technically robust and aligned with real-world needs.
AI Research & Development Pipeline Management
- Portfolio Leadership: Design and manage a diverse portfolio of AI initiatives and cross-cutting investments that directly tackle educational and economic disparities.
- Due Diligence & Impact Metrics: Lead rigorous technical due diligence for AI investments and partnerships while developing innovative frameworks to measure the impact of AI interventions.
- Ethical & Community-Centric Design: Develop and implement strategies to mitigate algorithmic bias and foster community engagement, ensuring that AI development is participatory and ethically grounded.
- Internal Consulting: Provide technical consulting support to internal teams, translating complex AI capabilities into actionable, high-impact solutions.
Your Experience Educational Background: Advanced degree in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or a related field or equivalent experience working in an applied AI setting.
Technical Expertise:
- Extensive experience in AI development and implementation, with deep knowledge of modern AI technologies, including large language models, generative AI, deep learning architectures, AI agents, and cognitive systems.
- Proficient in MLOps and AI system deployment with a strong track record in translating complex AI capabilities into practical applications.
Leadership & Impact:
- Demonstrated experience in leading technical teams, managing complex projects, and driving initiatives that yield measurable social impact.
- A strong portfolio evidencing your commitment to equity and the transformative potential of technology.
Core Competencies:
- Technical Excellence: Mastery of AI technologies and the ability to rigorously evaluate technical solutions.
- Strategic Vision: Capability to identify and articulate high-impact AI opportunities in education and economic mobility.
- Collaborative Leadership: Proven success in building and leading cross-functional teams and external coalitions.
- Equity & Communication: A deep commitment to fairness in technology and an exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
*Applicants for this role will only be considered if they are able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
*Application deadline - 5 PM Pacific Time on Monday, March 31, 2025 - applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
