AI Research Innovation Director

Who are we?

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) is an agency of the State of Texas and member of The Texas A&M University System. For 75 years, TTI has addressed complex transportation challenges and opportunities with innovation, objectivity, and unmatched technical expertise. Our staff delivers excellence, value and thought leadership to ensure our research sponsors achieve their goals.

Our Mission and Vision

Our Vision - TTI leads in the creation of knowledge that transforms transportation for the benefit of society.

Our Mission - TTI delivers practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to improve the movement of people, data and goods through research, education and technology transfer.

Our Work Environment

Entrepreneurial culture

Affiliation with Texas A&M University students and faculty

Ability to work with nationally recognized experts

Ability to help train the next generation of transportation professionals

Premier office and research facilities and equipment

Accredited laboratories and safety proving ground

Outstanding research support services

Hybrid work environment/telecommuting

Flexible work hours

Family friendly

High staff retention rates

Leadership development and wellness programs

Data allowance and home office equipment reimbursements

Relocation assistance (if eligible)

Tuition reimbursement program (if eligible)

Our Employee Benefits

TTI employees can choose from several health coverage options offered by The Texas A&M University System for themselves and their families, as well as numerous other benefit programs.

https://www.tamus.edu/business/benefits-administration/

What you need to know

• TTI is a Texas based agency. This position has the flexibility of a hybrid remote option with two days in a TTI Texas based office. This can be discussed further during the interview process.
• The salary range for position is commensurate. Final salary will be determined based on the applicant's qualifications and experience.

Job Summary

As part of its broader vision to lead in critical research areas, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) is launching a new leadership initiative to elevate and coordinate its capabilities in Artificial Intelligence (AI). This role—Research Innovation Lead (RIL) for AI—will serve as a strategic connector, driving collaboration and institutional positioning in one of the most transformative areas of applied transportation research. TTI is seeking a collaborative, visionary leader to serve as RIL –AI. This position will work across disciplines to advance TTI’s AI research agenda, expand external partnerships, and drive and expand innovation across the Institute’s research portfolio.

This is a strategic, outward-facing role designed for a dynamic leader with a strong background in AI applications, business development, and cross-disciplinary teamwork. The RIL–AI will coordinate AI-related efforts across research groups, foster collaboration among Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and position TTI as a leader in AI-enabled transportation research.

The successful candidate will bring a proven track record of business growth and sponsor engagement, including experience identifying and securing funding from public and private sources. We are seeking someone with recognized technical, scientific, and/or business leadership at the national or international level, and with the strategic mindset to position TTI as a thought leader in AI-enabled transportation research and applications. This role requires not only visionary thinking and business acumen, but also a commitment to continuous learning and adaptability in the face of rapidly evolving AI technologies and methods.

This role reports to the TTI Research Group Leader for Operations and is supported by a junior staff member, internal SMEs, and institutional funding for strategic activities. The RIL will work in close coordination with RGLs, Division Heads, and program managers to support, not supersede, existing research leadership, and to facilitate collaboration across organizational units. The position is 100% institutionally funded for the first 18–24 months to allow sufficient time for onboarding, strategic alignment, and external engagement. After this initial runway, institutional support will taper, with the remaining funding expected to come from externally sponsored projects and partnerships influenced by the RIL’s efforts.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Coordination and Internal Engagement (35%)

• Serve as the lead convener of the AI Working Group, fostering collaboration among research staff from all divisions and disciplines.
• Develop and communicate a unified vision for AI research at TTI that reflects sponsor demand, technical expertise, and institutional priorities.
• Identify synergies and coordinate joint proposals or white papers that cut across traditional silos.
• Establish transparent mechanisms for SME credit and participation by working with RGLs and Division Heads to identify models that ensure fairness and reduce internal friction.

Business Development and External Engagement (35%)

• Monitor and pursue federal, state, and private sector AI-related funding opportunities aligned with TTI’s research priorities.
• Lead or contribute to proposal development efforts, assembling cross-functional teams and drafting content as needed.
• Cultivate relationships with sponsors, industry partners, and academic collaborators to grow external engagement and funding pipelines.
• Represent TTI in AI-related forums, conferences, webinars, and consortia, and coordinate with SMEs to align outreach and visibility efforts with institutional messaging and strategic goals.

Thought Leadership and Institutional Branding (15%)

• Collaborate with TTI Communications to develop blogs, social media posts, white papers, or opinion pieces that showcase TTI’s AI work.
• Contribute to public-facing materials such as pitch decks, speaker engagements, and research spotlights.
• Position TTI as a nationally recognized thought leader in the application of AI to transportation.
• Regularly scan the AI and technology landscape to identify new developments, assess their relevance to TTI’s mission, and recommend adoption or exploration of emerging capabilities.

Team Support and Operational Infrastructure (15%)

• Guide and mentor junior staff supporting the RIL initiative.
• Recommend workforce development opportunities to management.
• Help align internal coordination mechanisms, resource requests, and reporting structures to ensure sustainability and scalability of AI-related work.

Required Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering, Business, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience, including at least 3 years in AI-related strategic planning, applied research, or cross-functional coordination.
• Demonstrated success in initiating and securing externally funded contracts, including leading or contributing to large, multi-disciplinary proposals.
• Experience working with or advising executive leadership on digital innovation, transformation, or applied technology strategies.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strategic Thinking and Vision. Ability to frame and articulate an actionable AI research agenda that is both externally relevant and internally resonant. Comfort navigating ambiguity and emerging technologies.
• Cross-Functional Leadership.  Skilled at building trust and enthusiasm across diverse organizational units.  Diplomacy and influence across all levels, including SMEs, program managers, division heads, and executive leadership.
• Business Development and Sponsor Engagement.  Demonstrated success building funding pipelines and engaging with clients from federal, state, and industry sectors. Ability to translate technical capabilities into compelling sponsor value propositions.
• AI Fluency and Communication.  Familiarity with modern AI methods and terminology (e.g., supervised learning, LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, prompt engineering). Exceptional written and verbal communication skills across audiences.
• Execution and Accountability.  Ability to turn vision into outcomes through collaborative planning and structured follow-through.  Strong organizational skills, self-direction, and adaptability.
• Continuous Learning and Technology Foresight. Demonstrated commitment to staying abreast of emerging AI technologies, methods, and industry trends; ability to quickly assess, learn, and incorporate new tools or approaches as the field evolves.
• Hands-on experience. Experience with AI tools such as machine learning models, large-language models (LLMs), vector databases, or knowledge graph systems, preferably as applied to transportation, infrastructure, or public-sector use cases.