ETS

Job Summary:
ETS 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 and execution of a multi-year research portfolio focused on AI-enabled assessment and learning technologies.
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.
Qualifications:
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).
Company:
ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization, enabling lifelong learners to be future ready. Founded in 1947, the company is headquartered in Princeton, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.