AI Specialist

Position Overview Join the IT team at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory as an AI Specialist within our AI/Cloud Services team. We are seeking a highly skilled, collaborative, and motivated professional with experience designing and operationalizing artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions across Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and hybrid on-premises environments. In this role, you will help establish and expand SLAC’s enterprise AI capabilities in support of scientific research, accelerator operations, and administrative functions. You will work closely with researchers, business stakeholders, data scientists, software engineers, cybersecurity, DevOps engineers, and cloud platform teams to translate complex needs into secure, scalable, and sustainable AI solutions. The successful candidate will combine hands-on technical expertise with strong communication, consulting, and problem-solving skills. You will help teams move from experimentation and proofs of concept to reliable production services, while promoting reusable platforms, responsible AI practices, and appropriate governance. Because SLAC’s AI and cloud capabilities continue to evolve, this position requires someone who is comfortable working through ambiguity, evaluating emerging technologies, and helping colleagues develop their skills. Your specific responsibilities will include: Lead the end-to-end development and operationalization of AI and machine learning solutions across AWS, GCP, and hybrid environments, including problem definition, data ingestion, feature engineering, model development, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and lifecycle management. Partner with researchers, business stakeholders, data scientists, software engineers, cybersecurity, and platform teams to understand requirements and translate them into scalable, secure, cost-effective, and supportable AI solutions. Design and implement data pipelines, orchestration workflows, model-training environments, evaluation processes, and deployment architectures using cloud-native services. Use AWS services such as Amazon Bedrock, SageMaker, EC2, S3, Glue, Lambda, Athena, Redshift, Step Functions, and related analytics, security, and monitoring services. Use Google Cloud services such as Vertex AI, Gemini, BigQuery, Cloud Storage, Dataflow, Dataproc, Cloud Run, Cloud Functions, Pub/Sub, and related analytics, security, and monitoring services. Develop and support generative AI solutions, including retrieval-augmented generation, enterprise search, prompt management, model routing, model evaluation, guardrails, and AI agents and workflows. Evaluate and optimize traditional machine learning and generative AI models for accuracy, reliability, latency, scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness. Establish MLOps and LLMOps capabilities, including source control, infrastructure as code, CI/CD, automated testing, model and prompt versioning, evaluation, observability, drift detection, logging, alerting, and rollback procedures. Design solutions that integrate cloud AI services with SLAC’s on-premises infrastructure, enterprise applications, scientific data sources, identity systems, networking, and security services. Apply cloud architecture and security best practices, including identity and access management, least-privilege access, encryption, secrets management, network segmentation, data protection, audit logging, compliance, resilience, and cost governance. Help develop reusable AI platforms, reference architectures, templates, APIs, and shared services that enable SLAC teams to innovate without creating unnecessary duplication or isolated solutions. Work with cybersecurity, privacy, legal, data owners, and governance stakeholders to assess data sensitivity, third-party model usage, information-sharing requirements, intellectual property considerations, and other AI-related risks. Promote responsible AI practices, including transparency, human oversight, explainability, fairness, accountability, privacy, security, and appropriate documentation of model limitations. Conduct technical evaluations and proofs of concept for emerging AI/ML technologies and provide clear recommendations based on business value, scientific value, risk, supportability, interoperability, and total cost of ownership. Troubleshoot complex technical issues spanning AI models, data pipelines, cloud services, APIs, networking, identity, security, and hybrid infrastructure. Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and knowledge sharing to team members who are developing their cloud, data, and AI skills. Create and maintain architecture diagrams, technical standards, operational runbooks, support procedures, model documentation, decision records, and service documentation. Prepare and deliver technical presentations, demonstrations, training workshops, and model-explainability reports for technical and non-technical audiences. Collaborate with cloud providers, consultants, vendors, Stanford University partners, and other external organizations while ensuring that SLAC retains the knowledge needed to operate and support its services. Stay current with developments across AWS, Google Cloud, open-source AI frameworks, foundation models, AI agents, data platforms, and responsible AI practices. To be successful in this position, you will bring: A bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, data science, engineering, or a related field and ten years of increasingly responsible technical experience, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Demonstrated experience designing, building, deploying, and supporting AI/ML solutions in production cloud environments. Substantial experience with AWS or GCP AI/ML and data services, along with the ability and willingness to develop proficiency across both platforms. Experience with relevant AWS technologies such as Amazon Bedrock, SageMaker, S3, Glue, Lambda, Athena, Redshift, and related services. Experience with relevant Google Cloud technologies such as Vertex AI, Gemini, BigQuery, Cloud Storage, Dataflow, Cloud Run, Pub/Sub, and related services. Strong programming skills in Python and experience with relevant languages or frameworks such as SQL, Java, R, Scala, PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, Hugging Face, LangChain, or similar technologies. Experience developing generative AI applications using foundation models, APIs, embeddings, vector databases, retrieval-augmented generation, prompt engineering, model evaluation, and AI agent or workflow frameworks. Experience with data engineering, including data ingestion, cleansing, transformation, metadata, feature engineering, data quality, large-scale datasets, data warehouses, and distributed processing technologies such as Spark. Experience deploying and maintaining models in production through MLOps or LLMOps practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, monitoring, evaluation, drift detection, logging, and lifecycle management. Experience with infrastructure as code and automation technologies such as Terraform, CloudFormation, AWS CDK, or Google Cloud deployment tooling. Understanding of cloud architecture practices across networking, identity and access management, encryption, secrets management, observability, resilience, performance optimization, and cost management. Experience integrating cloud services with on-premises systems in a hybrid enterprise environment. Knowledge of data governance, privacy, cybersecurity, responsible AI, and risk-management principles applicable to enterprise and research environments. Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, including the ability to diagnose issues that cross application, data, model, cloud-platform, security, and network boundaries. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts, risks, limitations, and tradeoffs to both technical and non-technical audiences. Demonstrated ability to document solutions thoroughly and create operationally useful architecture diagrams, standards, procedures, and runbooks. Demonstrated ability to learn independently and adapt to rapidly changing AI, cloud, data, and security technologies. The candidate best positioned to succeed with the SLAC team will also demonstrate: A collaborative and service-oriented approach, with an interest in understanding the needs of researchers, engineers, business teams, and operational staff before proposing a solution. The ability to balance rapid experimentation with the security, reliability, governance, and long-term support requirements of a national laboratory. Comfort working in an evolving environment where requirements, platforms, and organizational priorities may not yet be fully defined. A practical, platform-oriented mindset that favors reusable capabilities, open standards, interoperability, and shared solutions over isolated or vendor-specific implementations. The judgment to determine when a solution should use AWS, GCP, on-premises infrastructure, open-source technologies, or a combination of platforms. An understanding that scientific and accelerator workloads may have requirements that differ from traditional enterprise IT, including large datasets, specialized computing, low-latency operations, and long-lived research workflows. The ability to work effectively with teams at different levels of cloud and AI maturity, including mentoring colleagues and enabling others rather than becoming a single point of dependency. A willingness to be hands-on—building, testing, troubleshooting, documenting, and operationalizing solutions in addition to providing architectural guidance. Intellectual curiosity and a willingness to ask questions, challenge assumptions constructively, and evaluate technologies based on evidence. Strong ownership and follow-through, including the ability to move an initiative from early discovery through production readiness and operational handoff. An appreciation for knowledge sharing, transparency, and clear documentation so that services can be operated and improved by the broader team. The ability to communicate limitations and risks honestly while remaining focused on helping teams identify a workable path forward. Preferred qualifications Experience supporting AI, scientific computing, research, higher education, government, or regulated environments. Experience designing multi-cloud architectures or enabling applications that can use models and services across multiple cloud providers. Experience with Kubernetes and container platforms such as Amazon EKS, Google Kubernetes Engine, Docker, or related technologies. Experience with enterprise AI gateways, model-routing platforms, API management, vector databases, data catalogs, and observability platforms. Experience evaluating and integrating commercial and open-source foundation models. Familiarity with high-performance computing, GPU-based workloads, distributed model training, or large-scale scientific datasets. Familiarity with frameworks and standards such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, NIST security controls, or comparable responsible-AI and cybersecurity practices. Relevant AWS, Google Cloud, machine learning, data engineering, security, or Kubernetes certifications. SLAC employee competencies Effective Decisions: Uses job knowledge and sound judgment to make quality decisions in a timely manner. Self-Development: Pursues a variety of opportunities to continue learning and developing. Dependability: Can be counted on to deliver results and accepts personal responsibility for expected outcomes. Initiative: Pursues work and interactions proactively, with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move initiatives forward. Adaptability: Responds constructively to change and maintains an open outlook while adjusting to evolving needs. Communication: Ensures effective information flow across audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, and presented messages. Relationships: Builds relationships that foster trust, collaboration, and a positive environment for achieving common goals. Physical requirements and working conditions Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the position. Given the nature of this position, SLAC is open to on-site, hybrid, and remote work options. Occasional work outside standard business hours may be required for production deployments, maintenance activities, incident response, or major project transitions. Rare on-call work may be required. Work standards Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work effectively with SLAC colleagues, clients, partners, vendors, and external organizations. Promote a Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and respect for environmental protection, safety, and security; communicates related concerns; and uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. Meets applicable roles and responsibilities described in the ESH Manual, Chapter 1—General Policy and Responsibilities . Is subject to and expected to follow all applicable University policies and procedures, including personnel policies and other requirements described in Stanford University’s Administrative Guide . Core Duties : Lead the design, development, installation and maintenance of operating systems, utilities, and applications software on computing systems. Anticipate risks, de-escalate issues, and prevent emergencies to limit disruptions to system operations and protect the integrity of user data and systems. Safeguard the university’s data and system assets – formulate system security strategies and develop viable policies and procedures that will enable the design and implementation of system security measures at the university. Establish and enforce systems policies and procedures and validate that university software/hardware standards are aligned with external best practice. Partner with other information technology specialty areas to confirm information technology strategies, devise and deploy plans to ensure information technology objectives are met, and advise on technical feasibility of information technology initiatives, particularly regarding system compatibility within the university’s current, or proposed technical or structural framework(s). Review and conduct capacity planning for system configuration, software services, network services, load distribution, and service interrelationships among computer systems. Act as technical expert or lead for university-wide computer system administration. May manage system administration staff. Provide project management for large and complex university-wide computing projects. Manage vendor relationships and negotiate cost effective hardware and software maintenance agreements with vendors. Minimum Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree and ten years of relevant experience, or a combination of education and relevant experience. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities : Extensive experience with complex, multi-system platforms and vendors. Notable experience coordinating multi-system and computing environments in independent computing facilities. Extensive experience developing/implementing a business continuation and disaster recovery plan. Exceptional ability to develop appropriate plans to meet computing needs. Expert ability to program in multiple programming languages in multiple operating systems. Superior ability to lead and work on large/complex system deployment projects in a team environment. Expert knowledge of security trends and best practice.