Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Engineer Specialist

Job Description

• Designing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive enterprise AI risk management and governance framework.
• Establishing policies, standards, and approval processes governing AI and advanced analytics use cases.
• Leading or co-chairing an internal AI Governance Council which reviewed, prioritized, and approved AI initiatives.
• Ensuring consistent lifecycle oversight for AI systems from concept and procurement through deployment and retirement.
• Identifying, assessing, monitoring, and mitigating AI-related risks including algorithmic bias, model drift, explainability, data quality issues, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, operational risk, legal exposure and reputational risk.
• Oversight of AI risk assessments, model impact assessments, and control testing activities.
• Establishing escalation, incident response, and remediation protocols for AI-related issues.
• Partnering with Legal, Privacy, Records Management, and Compliance teams to ensure AI systems comply with Texas state laws, federal regulations, public records requirements, privacy protections, and civil rights obligations.
• Monitoring emerging AI-related laws, regulations, and standards and assess their impact on agency operations.
• Serve as a senior advisor to executive leadership on AI governance risk and regulatory readiness.
• Championing ethical AI principles including fairness, accountability, transparency, human oversight, and explainability.
• Ensuring AI use does not result in unfair or opaque regulatory outcomes, particularly in permitting, inspections, and enforcement.
• Supporting mechanisms for public transparency and defensibility where AI contributes to regulatory decisions.
• Collaborating closely with the Information Resources Manager, Deputy Director of Information Resources, Chief Data Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, and program area Directors.
• Influencing enterprise technology and data strategy by embedding AI risk considerations into planning and investment decisions.
• Acting as a trusted executive partner balancing innovation enablement with responsible risk management.
• Developing and delivering executive and workforce training on responsible AI use and risk awareness.
• Promoting a culture of ethical, risk-aware innovation across scientific, regulatory, and administrative teams.
• Providing guidance to program teams on acceptable and prohibited uses of AI technologies.