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About ETS:

ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization enabling lifelong learners worldwide to be future-ready. For more than 75 years, we've been advancing the science of measurement to build benchmarks for fair and valid skill assessment across cultures and borders. Our worldwide impact extends through our renowned assessments including TOEFL®, TOEIC®, GRE® and Praxis® tests, serving millions of learners in more than 200 countries and territories. Through strategic acquisitions, we've expanded our global capabilities: PSI strengthens our workforce assessment solutions, while Edusoft, Kira Talent, Pipplet, Vericant, and Wheebox enhance our educational technology and assessment platforms across critical markets worldwide.

Through ETS Research Institute and ETS Solutions, we're partnering with educational institutions, governments, and organizations globally to promote skill proficiency, empower upward mobility, and unlock opportunities for everyone, everywhere. With offices and partners across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, we deliver nearly 50 million tests annually. Join us in our journey of measuring progress to power human progress worldwide.

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. This position leads the development, prioritization, and execution of a multi-year research portfolio focused on AI-enabled assessment, learning technologies, AI literacy, personalization, responsible AI, and large-scale model evaluation. This role provides strategic direction, scientific leadership, and people leadership across an integrated program of research and consulting.

This position is designed for a distinguished AI researcher who can shape the future of assessment by advancing and applying state-of-the-art approaches in artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, and/or generative AI to high-stakes educational and workforce measurement. The Senior Research Director will lead research agendas that improve validity, fairness, reliability, security, interpretability, and impact of AI-enabled assessments—at scale.

The incumbent directs and administers fiscal, operational, personnel, and policy implementation activities for the research center while conducting an independent program of high-impact research and scholarly dissemination.

Primary Responsibilities

1) 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.

2) 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.

3) 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

4) 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.

5) 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.

6) 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.

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Required Skills & Expertise Scientific & Technical Leadership (AI + Measurement)

• 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.

Research Program Leadership

• 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.

Communication & Influence

• 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.

Leadership & Team Development

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, coach and develop talent, and foster a collaborative and inclusive culture.

Education & Experience

• 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)

Why ETS / What You’ll Shape

In this role you will help define the scientific future of assessment by advancing AI-enabled measurement that is valid, fair, transparent, and scalable. You will collaborate with world-class researchers and partners, influence global policy conversations, and contribute to ETS’s mission of advancing quality and equity in education.

ETS is mission driven and action oriented

• We are passionate about hiring innovative thinkers who believe in the promise of education and lifelong learning.

• We are energized by cultivating growth, innovation, and continuous transformation for the next generation of rising professionals as leaders. In support of this ETS offers multiple Business Resource Groups (BRG) for you to learn and advance your career growth!

• As a not-for-profit organization we will encourage you to lean in to your passion for volunteering. At ETS you may qualify for up to an additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work on causes that are important to you!

• The base salary range advertised represents the low and high end of the anticipated salary range for this position. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. The base pay is only one aspect of the Total Rewards Package that will be offered to the successful candidate.

ETS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. We believe in creating a work environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.