Principal Research Scientist VIII/Director of AI for Science

Principal Research Scientist VIII/Director of AI for Science

Apply now Job no: 504033

Department: Earth System Science Center

Work type: Staff Full-time Exempt

Location: Alabama

Categories: Research - Other

Purpose of the Position:

We are seeking an internationally recognized Principal Research Scientist VIII/Director of AI for Science to lead strategic research and innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence, Earth and space sciences, scientific data systems, and open science. The successful candidate will drive transformational initiatives spanning AI foundation models, large-scale scientific computing, data-intensive science, scientific knowledge systems, and cross-agency research collaboration. The selected candidate will support the Office of Data Science and Informatics (ODSI) within the Lab for Applied Science (LAS) under the Earth System Science Center (ESSC) at UAH.

This role requires a visionary scientific leader with demonstrated success building multidisciplinary programs, managing complex research portfolios, forging public-private partnerships, and translating emerging technologies into operational scientific capabilities.

The Director of AI for Science will shape institutional research strategy, lead high-impact R&D initiatives, mentor scientific teams, and represent the organization nationally and internationally across scientific, government, academic, and industry communities.

The ideal candidate is a nationally visible scientific leader who combines deep technical expertise with strategic organizational leadership. They should possess a demonstrated ability to build transformative scientific programs from concept to enterprise scale, lead cross-functional teams in highly collaborative research environments, translate emerging AI technologies into mission-relevant scientific capabilities, and advance scientific innovation while maintaining rigorous standards for trust, reproducibility, and openness.

Duties / Responsibilities:

• Define and execute a long-term research vision for AI-enabled scientific discovery across Earth, climate, atmospheric, environmental, and space sciences.
• Lead development of enterprise-scale AI strategies, including foundation models, scientific machine learning, large language models, and agentic AI systems for science.
• Establish institutional priorities and roadmaps for AI for Science, scientific data systems, and computational research infrastructure.
• Lead and manage a diverse portfolio of federally funded research and technology programs.
• Build and oversee multidisciplinary teams consisting of scientists, engineers, data scientists, software developers, and external collaborators.
• Identify and secure new funding opportunities through federal agencies, industry partnerships, and collaborative initiatives.
• Establish and manage strategic collaborations with federal agencies, academia, industry, and international organizations.

Minimum Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, Computer Science, Data Science, Earth Science, Physics, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• Minimum 13.5 years of full-time verifiable work experience.
• 15+ years of progressively responsible research leadership experience.
• Internationally recognized expertise in AI for Science, Earth and space science informatics, scientific data systems, or scientific machine learning.
• Demonstrated success leading large multidisciplinary research programs and distributed technical teams.
• Proven experience managing multimillion-dollar research portfolios and complex federally funded initiatives.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed scientific journals and conferences.
• Demonstrated success building strategic partnerships across government, academia, and industry.
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive-level communication skills.

Desired Qualifications: Published Salary (if available):

Advertised: Jun 24 2026 Central Daylight Time

Applications close:

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Current Opportunities

Position Location Closes Principal Research Scientist VIII/Director of AI for Science Alabama We are seeking an internationally recognized Principal Research Scientist VIII/Director of AI for Science to lead strategic research and innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence, Earth and space sciences, scientific data systems, and open science. The successful candidate will drive transformational initiatives spanning AI foundation models, large-scale scientific computing, data-intensive science, scientific knowledge systems, and cross-agency research collaboration. The selected candidate will support the Office of Data Science and Informatics (ODSI) within the Lab for Applied Science (LAS) under the Earth System Science Center (ESSC) at UAH. This role requires a visionary scientific leader with demonstrated success building multidisciplinary programs, managing complex research portfolios, forging public-private partnerships, and translating emerging technologies into operational scientific capabilities. The Director of AI for Science will shape institutional research strategy, lead high-impact R&D initiatives, mentor scientific teams, and represent the organization nationally and internationally across scientific, government, academic, and industry communities. The ideal candidate is a nationally visible scientific leader who combines deep technical expertise with strategic organizational leadership. They should possess a demonstrated ability to build transformative scientific programs from concept to enterprise scale, lead cross-functional teams in highly collaborative research environments, translate emerging AI technologies into mission-relevant scientific capabilities, and advance scientific innovation while maintaining rigorous standards for trust, reproducibility, and openness.

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