Applied AI Specialist

Description

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

At the University of South Carolina, we strive to cultivate an inclusive environment that is open, welcoming, and supportive of individuals of all backgrounds. We recognize diversity in our workforce is essential to providing academic excellence and critical to our sustainability. The University is committed to eliminating barriers created by institutional discrimination through accountability and continuous process improvement. We celebrate the diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences of our employees.

The Applied Artificial Intelligence Specialist will work closely and collegially with others throughout the University Libraries to increase understanding of artificial intelligence pertaining to research and teaching on campus. This position will be responsible for developing, assessing, and curating applied AI tools and resources for the Libraries. The incumbent will also be involved in building AI applications to assist users in discovering reliable and relevant information quickly and independently, helping us meet USC’s growing student population with scalable solutions.
The Applied Artificial Intelligence Specialist will design and deliver consulting services and workshops to faculty and students and will collaborate with other campus units providing AI support. This person will assist faculty inside and outside of University Libraries with the use of AI not only for their work but also to ensure they understand how students can fruitfully apply the technology to learning. Library faculty provide significant academic support on campus, helping faculty and students navigate information resources in all formats as well as scholarly communication, research data management, data visualization, and other aspects of the data management lifecycle. The position will add to this cycle, working across departments and building ties between experts and novices, by supporting natural language processing and computational research methods.

Importantly, this position will bring an awareness of privacy, bias, and other concerns with these technologies to all working with AI and its applications.

Required Education and Experience

Master’s degree in a relevant field (computer science, information science)

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities/Competencies:
• Understanding of best practices in applied AI in academia
• Ability to communicate effectively with users at all levels of expertise across disciplines
• Strong analytic, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively and work on teams
• Demonstrated knowledge of two or more of the following:
• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning / Deep learning
• Large Language Models
• Natural Language Processing
• Generative AI
• Data Science
And:
• Python
• R
• Statistics

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in relevant field
• Knowledge of linguistics as applied to Large Language Models
• Expert knowledge of AI, Natural Language Processing and Machine learning
• Knowledge of Deep Learning
• Practical experience with applied AI projects