ETS · 13 hours ago
Senior Research Director - Center for Responsible AI in Learning and Assessment
United States
Full-time
Remote
Director/Executive
10+ years expETS is a global education and talent solutions organization enabling lifelong learners worldwide to be future-ready. The Senior Director of the Center for Responsible AI in Learning and Assessment serves as the intellectual and administrative leader for ETS’s applied research and innovation agenda in artificial intelligence, leading the development of a multi-year research portfolio focused on AI-enabled assessment and learning technologies.
AssociationEdTechEducationSkill Assessment
Responsibilities
Strategic Scientific Leadership and vision for AI
Define and lead a multi-year research agenda at the intersection of AI and measurement, including:
Automated scoring and evaluation (writing, speaking, constructed response, performance tasks)
LLM-enabled assessment design and delivery (e.g., generative task creation, adaptive interactions)
NLP and multimodal modeling for language and skills measurement
Psychometric modeling integrated with ML (hybrid models, fairness-aware measurement, Bayesian/IRT + deep learning)
Model evaluation frameworks aligned to validity arguments and operational constraints
Responsible AI for high-stakes testing (bias, transparency, privacy, security, governance)
Identify emerging opportunities in AI
Serve as a scientific thought leader for ETS on AI-enabled assessment innovation, identifying emerging techniques, risks, and opportunities
Research & Innovation Management
Lead the design and implementation of complex AI focused research programs requiring coordination of tasks, timelines, data resources, and staff across multiple projects
Provide hands-on scientific direction and consultation on research protypes, models and analytic tools, methodology, and evaluation strategies
Monitor research progress, ensure methodological rigor, and guide teams to high-quality deliverables that meet rigorous standards for fairness, reliability, and transparency
External Funding, Proposals, and Partnerships
Consult on proposal development, identify potential funding agencies, and coordinate responses to RFPs
Develop strong partnerships with universities, research labs, policy bodies, foundations, and other funding organizations
Serve as liaison between ETS Research Institute and key client groups, including policy/advisory boards and government agencies
Represent ETS at conferences and advisory groups
Dissemination, and Thought Leadership
Maintain an active, independent research program with sustained scholarly output
Disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, invited talks, and participation in seminars, symposia, and professional organizations
Represent ETS externally and help position ETS as a global leader in AI for assessment and measurement science
People Leadership & Talent Development
Recruit, develop, and mentor researchers and staff, building capability across AI, psychometrics, and applied measurement
Guide staff work, provide coaching and performance feedback, and foster collaboration across disciplines
Build an inclusive, high-performance research culture that values scientific integrity, innovation, and impact
Center Administration & Operational Leadership
Direct center operations including budget planning, fiscal oversight, resource prioritization, and policy implementation
Monitor and approve research and consulting expenditures; review and approve proposal and project budgets; manage against budgets
Oversee personnel processes, including staffing plans, performance appraisals, and related actions in alignment with ETS policies
Qualification
Required
Deep expertise in AI/ML, LLM's and NLP, with demonstrated application to assessment, learning, education, workforce skills measurement, or human performance evaluation
Strong command of research design and statistical/quantitative methods, including measurement science and/or psychometrics
Ability to connect AI modeling choices to assessment constructs, validity, fairness, reliability, and interpretability requirements
Proven ability to set a compelling scientific agenda, translate it into funded work, and deliver measurable impact
Demonstrated experience leading complex research programs, multi-project portfolios, and cross-functional teams
Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex AI concepts to diverse audiences (researchers, product leaders, policymakers, funders)
Track record of influence within professional communities and among senior stakeholders
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, coach and develop talent, and foster a collaborative and inclusive culture
Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Educational Measurement, or a closely related discipline
Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible research and/or program leadership experience post-Ph.D., including evidence of both research excellence and administrative/people leadership
A strong record of scholarly impact such as: publications in leading venues relevant to the role (AI/ML/NLP and/or measurement/education research), recognized contributions to the field (invited talks, editorial/service roles, awards, high-impact collaborations), and/or demonstrated leadership of influential research programs
Experience with one or more of the following: large-scale language assessment and automated scoring systems, LLMs and evaluation (e.g., robust evaluation frameworks, safety, hallucination mitigation, grounded generation), fairness-aware ML, bias detection/mitigation, interpretability, and model governance, privacy/security considerations for AI in assessment environments, translating research into operational or product contexts (research-to-practice)
Benefits
Up to an additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work on causes that are important to you
Company
ETS
ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization, enabling lifelong learners to be future ready.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
ETS has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (85)
2024 (39)
2023 (127)
2022 (60)
2021 (43)
2020 (55)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Amit Sevak
Chief Executive Officer
Chris Draper
Vice President and COO, College Board Programs
Recent News
Business Standard India
2025-11-12
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