AI Research Leader - Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources

RTI International is an independent, scientific research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with technical and science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach-one that integrates expertise across social, statistical, data, and laboratory sciences, engineering, and other technical disciplines to solve the world's most challenging problems.

We believe in the promise of science and technical solutions, and we push ourselves every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses in the US and around the world. If you are looking for the opportunity to make a real difference, RTI is the place for you.

RTI International, one of the largest global independent scientific research organizations, is seeking an AI Research Leader in energy, environment, and natural resources who can develop and apply the best in AI (including machine learning, generative AI and natural language processing methods and tools) to solve key challenges and unlock new opportunities.

Our work serves a broad portfolio of clients including federal, state, and local governments, non-profit foundations, and commercial organizations. This role is deeply aligned to RTI's mission to address the world's most critical problems with science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future.

This role sits at the very frontier of transformational research into modeling complex ecosystems to address key challenges in energy use (including as they relate to data centers), pollution, food production, clean water, and the interaction between those. This position will work with a talented team of engineers, data analysts, physicists, chemists, and environmental scientists, among other disciplines.

This position offers flexibility to be based at our headquarters in Research Triangle Park, NC, or to work remotely.

We offer:

• The opportunity to shape the scientific direction of a program of innovation research while having direct impact on people's lives.

• A highly collaborative, mutually supportive, scientifically grounded, and mission driven environment.

• A deep interdisciplinary bench of scientists, experts, and specialists who are committed to improve the human condition in everything we do.

• An unparallelled commitment to development, growth, integrity, science, and excellence.

• Set a compelling vision, develop a strategic research and development agenda, and collaborate with staff, peers, and senior leadership to develop and apply AI advancements in our energy and environment business portfolios.
• Lead and contribute to research and development projects (e.g., grants, contracts), including high-quality execution, providing expert consult, solutioning, and dissemination. Actively seek out opportunities to improve quality and efficiency through AI and automation.
• Provide strategic leadership in vetting and qualifying business and proposal development activities.
• Play a key role in and lead proposals including solution and design, consultation with experts, partners, and clients, and planning, writing, and oral presentation.
• Contribute to the field through a mix of refereed journal articles and book chapters, conference presentations and proceedings, (social) media posts and engagement, technical contributions (e.g., open-source software), webinars, scientific/advisory committees, service roles, and external collaborations.
• Maintain and continuously grow a network of experts, clients, partners from universities and other organizations, and internal collaborators.
• Mentor mid- and junior-level staff in technical methods, scientific stature, project leadership, professional development, business development, and consulting.

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD with at least 8 years of experience with the application of data sciences, AI, and advanced modeling in the energy/environment space. An equivalent of a Master's degree with 12 years of experience or Bachelor's degree with 15 years of experience may be substituted for a PhD.
• Track record of successfully leading complex projects and multidisciplinary functional teams.
• Well versed in R and/or Python, common development and run environments, and common database software.
• Record of contributions to the field.
• High level of initiative, integrity, collaboration, empathy, and creativity. Must have a learning and growth mindset.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including negotiation. Strong listening skills.
• Ability to build trust and consensus across a wide range of audiences.
• To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B visa status, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD preferred.
• NLP and Generative AI experience.
• Experience with a wide range of data types (e.g., real world evidence, geospatial data, biometric data) and project types.
• Peer-reviewed journal articles, patents, and conference proceedings.
• Record of obtaining external funding and successful business development preferred.
• Significant record of mentoring and developing staff.

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

For Applicants in Massachusetts Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.