Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Scientist On-Call

Posting Details

Position Information

Job Title

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Scientist On-Call

Posting Number

S1723P

Pay Range

Compensation for this position is expected to be $65.00 perhour, in alignment with what California Baptist University (CBU ) reasonably anticipates paying for this role. The final ratemay vary depending on the candidate’s qualifications, experience,and prevailing market conditions. In addition to competitive wages,CBU provides a comprehensive and generous benefits package to eligible employees.

Position Summary Information

Summary

Reporting to the DINA Lead, the Artificial Intelligence (AI)Research Scientist On-Call position will play a key role in thedevelopment and advancement of an AI-driven Decision Support System( DSS ). This position is responsible for designing, developing,and integrating advanced AI technologies, including real-time dataprocessing, retrieval-augmented generation ( RAG ), Speech-to-Text( STT ), and Text-to-Speech ( TTS ) models and APIs to enhancedecision-making capabilities across diverse industries. The AI Research Scientist will collaborate with a multidisciplinaryteam of Ph.D.-level AI experts specializing in multi-cloudarchitectures (Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud Platform), naturallanguage processing ( NLP ) pipelines, scalable knowledge graphs,and AI-driven agent frameworks. The role requires conductingapplied and translational research, developing innovative AIsolutions, publishing and disseminating findings where appropriate,and contributing to the deployment of scalable, production-readysystems. In addition to technical contributions, the AI Research Scientistwill provide mentorship and guidance to student team members,supporting their professional development, research engagement, andtechnical skill development while fostering a collaborativelearning environment.

ON- CALL POSITION DEFINITION :

An On-Call position atCalifornia Baptist University ( CBU ) is a temporary, part-timeassignment established to provide staffing support based ondepartmental and organizational needs. Employees in on-callpositions are generally not expected to work more than twenty-nine(29) hours per week on a continuous basis. Work schedules aredetermined by operational requirements and may vary from week toweek and month to month. The duration of employment is based onbusiness needs and may be modified, extended, or concluded at thediscretion of the University. Employees will be notified ofanticipated changes to their work schedule or assignment durationas business needs evolve.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Research, develop, validate, and deploy AI models, algorithms,and data pipelines for processing large-scale structured andunstructured datasets, leveraging natural language processing ( NLP), knowledge graphs, and semantic search technologies.
2. Design, implement, and optimize secure, scalable, andhigh-performance AI solutions across multi-cloud environments,including Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services ( AWS ), and GoogleCloud Platform ( GCP ).
3. Enhance and maintain retrieval-augmented generation ( RAG )frameworks to improve knowledge retrieval, contextualunderstanding, and recommendation accuracy.
4. Develop and optimize integrations with Neo4j, vector databases,and related technologies to support dynamic knowledge graphapplications and advanced data relationships.
5. Lead the research, development, fine-tuning, evaluation, andbenchmarking of large language models (LLMs) to support automateddecision-making and intelligent recommendations.
6. Design, build, and deploy AI-powered agents capable ofinterpreting complex queries, executing automated workflows, anddelivering context-aware insights and recommendations.
7. Develop, integrate, and maintain Speech-to-Text ( STT ) andText-to-Speech ( TTS ) models, services, and APIs to enableadvanced voice-enabled AI interactions.
8. Design and implement secure AI workflows, data governancepractices, and privacy controls to support the handling ofsensitive and enterprise-level data.
9. Collaborate with software engineers, data scientists, andcross-functional stakeholders to improve automated documentingestion, classification, information extraction, and datamanagement processes.
10. Conduct applied research, evaluate emerging AI technologies,author technical reports and scholarly publications as appropriate,and identify opportunities for innovation and continuousimprovement.
11. Mentor student researchers, graduate assistants, and juniorteam members by providing technical guidance, research mentoring,and professional development support.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibility butmay provide mentorship, technical leadership, and project guidanceto student researchers, graduate assistants, and other project teammembers.

Other Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated commitment to living out and upholding theUniversity’s Christ‑centered mission and values.
• Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, ComputerScience, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, NaturalLanguage Processing ( NLP ), or a closely related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in AI/ML research,development, and deployment, with a strong emphasis onenterprise-scale and multi-cloud AI solutions.
• Advanced proficiency in Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, LangChain,DSPy, or equivalent AI development frameworks.
• Expertise in natural language processing ( NLP ),retrieval-augmented generation ( RAG ), semantic search, knowledgegraphs, and graph-based reasoning systems.
• Extensive experience with Neo4j, vector databases, vector searchtechnologies, and scalable knowledge managementarchitectures.
• Proven track record of designing, developing, and deployingAI-powered agents, autonomous systems, and workflow automationsolutions.
• Deep expertise in Speech-to-Text ( STT ) and Text-to-Speech ( TTS) technologies, including model development, fine-tuning,optimization, and API integration.
• Strong understanding of federated AI architectures, datagovernance, cybersecurity principles, privacy regulations, andcompliance requirements for AI systems.
• Experience designing and implementing AI solutions across majorcloud platforms, including Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS ), and Google Cloud Platform ( GCP ).
• Experience with model evaluation, AI safety, explainability, andresponsible AI principles.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively withininterdisciplinary research and development teams, while providingmentorship and technical guidance to student researchers and juniorteam members.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and projectmanagement skills, with the ability to manage multiple prioritiesin a dynamic research environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS :

The physical demands described herein arerepresentative of those required for an employee to successfullyperform the essential functions of this position. The employee isregularly required to sit, stand, walk, and use hands and fingersto operate a computer, keyboard, and other standard officeequipment. The position requires sufficient visual acuity to readprinted and electronic materials, analyze data, and performcomputer-based work. The employee must also possess the ability tocommunicate effectively in person, virtually, and by telephone.Occasional lifting, carrying, and moving of materials weighing upto fifteen (15) pounds may be required. Reasonable accommodationsmay be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities toperform the essential functions of the position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT :

The work environment characteristicsdescribed herein are representative of those encountered whileperforming the essential functions of this position. Work isprimarily performed in a professional office or research settingwith the use of computer and information technology systems. Thenoise level is generally moderate and consistent with a typicaloffice environment. The position involves minimal exposure toadverse environmental conditions or health and safety hazards. Theemployee may be required to participate in virtual meetings,collaborative research activities, and occasional on-campus eventsor training sessions as needed to support departmental andorganizational objectives.

Education and/or Experience

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE :

A Ph.D. from an accreditedinstitution in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, ComputerScience, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, NaturalLanguage Processing ( NLP ), Data Science, or a closely relatedfield is required. Candidates should possess five (5) to ten (10)years of progressively responsible experience in AI/ML research,development, and deployment, or an equivalent combination ofeducation, research, and professional experience that demonstratesthe knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform theessential functions of the position. Experience leading orcontributing to interdisciplinary research and developmentinitiatives involving advanced AI technologies is highlydesirable.

PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE :

Candidates withexperience designing, developing, and deploying enterprise-scale AIapplications and intelligent decision support systems are stronglypreferred. The ideal candidate will possess a robust researchbackground demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications,conference presentations, patents, or other scholarly contributionsin artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural languageprocessing ( NLP ), knowledge graphs, or AI-driven decision supportsystems. Experience with transformer-based language models andmodern AI frameworks, such as BERT, GPT, STORM, DSPy, or similararchitectures, is highly desirable. Experience with Claude, Gemini,Llama, Mistral, and related open-source or commercial foundationmodel ecosystems is highly desirable. Preference will also be givento candidates with hands-on experience in retrieval-augmentedgeneration ( RAG ), agentic AI systems, vector databases, largelanguage model ( LLM ) fine-tuning, MLOps practices, modelmonitoring, and the deployment of AI solutions in productionenvironments. Experience securing external research funding,contributing to grant proposals, or participating in sponsoredresearch programs is preferred.

Nondiscrimination Statement

State and Federal law permit California Baptist University todiscriminate on the basis of religion in order to fulfill itspurpose. The University does not discriminate contrary to eitherState or Federal law.

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