Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer

Are you looking for a rewarding career with an organization that values their staff? The Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) is seeking to hire qualified candidates with the opportunity to work in a dynamic, creative thinking, problem solving environment.

This position serves as the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO), acting as the Agency’s principal executive and policy-making official for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

The successful incumbent will stay abreast of the most recent developments in AI/ML to develop and implement an AI roadmap, catalog algorithms, and coordinate with key stakeholders.

This position will also draft and ensure compliance with AI/ML standards. The CAIO will lead the strategic adoption and responsible deployment of AI/ML across DoIT’s statutory agencies, driving innovation, enhancing public services, and ensuring the ethical use of these technologies.

The CAIO will establish and lead a new Office of the CAIO, building a center of excellence that will define and execute the State's comprehensive AI strategy.

If you possess these knowledges, skills, abilities, and experience, we invite you to apply for this position to join the DoIT Team!

As a State of Illinois employee, you receive a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Competitive Group Insurance benefits including health, life, dental and vision plans
• Flexible work schedules (when available and dependent upon position)
• 10 -25 days of paid vacation time annually (10 days for first year of state employment)
• 12 days of paid sick time annually which carryover year to year
• 3 paid personal business days per year
• 13-14 paid holidays per year dependent on election years
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Pension plan through the State Employees Retirement System
• Deferred Compensation Program – voluntary supplemental retirement plan
• Optional pre‑tax programs -Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) & Dependent Care Assistant Plan (DCAP)
• Tuition Reimbursement Program and Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility

Essential Functions

• Subject to administrative approval and reporting to the Deputy Secretary, serves as Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT)’s Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO), acting as the Agency’s principal executive and policy-making official for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
• Inventories, classifies, and maintains line‑of‑sight over AI/ML algorithms in use by DoIT and the agencies referenced in DoIT’s enabling Act, including the use of those algorithms by agency‑contracted vendors.
• Serves as official agency spokesperson and subject matter expert (SME) on behalf of the DoIT Deputy Secretary to internal and external entities, including all client agencies, on AI and ML matters and policies.
• Develops and implements DoIT’s Artificial Intelligence Roadmap to align DoIT’s use of AI/ML with its strategic priorities, security needs, values, and opportunities.
• Coordinates with a wide array of key stakeholders to ensure broad alignment and responsible AI/ML adoption across the State, including AI trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Directs and leads the State's commitment to Responsible AI by developing, communicating, and enforcing a unified set of AI/ML standards and policies across DoIT’s statutory agencies and in collaboration with relevant DoIT counterparts.
• Serves as full line supervisor.
• Keeps abreast of new developments in the information technology field by continuing education through online training platforms, meetings, training sessions, seminars, and conferences to increase familiarity with and remain current on products, vendors, techniques, and procedures.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college with coursework in Management Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, or directly related field.
• Requires prior experience equivalent to four (4) years of progressively responsible management experience in a large information technology organization in a public or business organization.
• Requires four (4) years of professional experience in policymaking, strategic planning, and IT solutioning for large scale computer systems and platforms.
• Requires three (3) years of professional experience supervising a team of Information Technology professionals in a large and highly complex public or private IT organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) years of professional experience establishing and maintaining governance frameworks for ethical AI development, deployment, monitoring, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Three (3) years of professional experience in developing, implementing, and interpreting departmental policies and procedures to support enterprise AI adoption.
• Two (2) years of professional experience developing AI or ML algorithms.
• Three (3) years of professional experience developing and leading AI/ML strategies, roadmaps, or initiatives, including aligning emerging technologies with organizational priorities and measurable performance outcomes.
• Three (3) years of professional experience overseeing risk management protocols for AI/ML systems, including identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks such as algorithmic bias, privacy breaches, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and unintended consequences.
• Three (3) years of professional experience leading and managing large, diverse IT teams, including setting goals, mentoring staff, evaluating performance, and managing relationships with cross‑functional stakeholders to drive organizational objectives.
• Three (3) years of professional experience coordinating with cross‑functional stakeholders (e.g., Security, Legal, Data, Infrastructure, Applications) to implement AI/ML initiatives that support data modernization and AI readiness.
• Three (3) years of professional experience developing and implementing long‑term IT strategies, including researching emerging technologies, assessing feasibility, and recommending solutions to achieve strategic organizational goals.
• Developed verbal and written communication skills to clearly and effectively present complex technical information to diverse audiences, including technical teams, executives, and non‑technical stakeholders.

Conditions of Employment

All applicants must be able to meet the following Conditions of Employment with or without reasonable accommodation, to be considered for this position. The State of Illinois complies with federal and state disability laws and will make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.

• Requires the ability to verify identity.
• Requires employment authorization to accept permanent full‑time position with State of Illinois.
• Requires the ability to pass a position specific, agency required background check and requires self‑disclosure of criminal history.
• Requires the ability to travel in performance of duties.
• Requires the ability to work overtime including scheduled, unscheduled, short notice, evening, weekends, and holidays.
• Requires the ability to serve in an on‑call capacity.
• Requires the ability to lift and carry objects or equipment weighing up to 10 pounds. This is considered sedentary work as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor (20 CFR 404.1567(a)). Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and requires occasional lifting, carrying, walking, and standing.
• Requires adherence to the revolving door restrictions outlined in 5 ILCS 430/5‑45. Consequently, employees should be aware that in the event of receiving a non‑State employment offer during state employment or within one year immediately following the termination of State employment, they are required to inform the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies (OEIG) of the Illinois Governor before accepting such non‑State employment. Failure to notify the OEIG may result in the imposition of a fine.
• Requires compliance with the provisions outlined in section 4A‑101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, necessating the occupant of this position to file a Statement of Economic Interest. Pursuant to the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/4A et seq.), specific state officials and employees are required to annually submit Statements of Economic Interest to the Office of the Secretary of State, which will be accessible to the public for examination and copying. Employees subject to this requirement must also file a Supplemental Statement of Economic Interest with the Executive Ethics Commission, as specified in Executive Order 15‑09. Failure to submit these statements in a timely manner may result in fines and penalties.

The conditions of employment listed are incorporated and/or related to any duties included in the position description.

Work Hours:

Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm

Headquarter Location:

555 W Monroe St, Chicago, Illinois, 60661 OR 120 W. Jefferson St. Springfield, IL 62702