WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you’ll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career!
JOB SUMMARY
The Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer is a highly strategic role that will drive the institution’s overall AI agenda across its missions in clinical care, research, and education. The CAIO serves as an AI thought leader and partner to the President’s Office and the executive leadership team, influencing organizational priorities and accelerating the adoption of advanced analytics and digital capabilities. This leader will collaborate closely with stakeholders across the institution to identify and prioritize high-impact use cases, develop business cases, and scale AI solutions that deliver measurable value.
BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:
- PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
- 100% coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
- Paid Time Off, available day one
- Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
- Paid Parental Leave Benefit
- Wellness programs
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
- Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Job Duties
- Develop and Execute Strategy:
- Craft and implement the institution-wide AI vision that aligns with the institution’s strategic priorities, integrating clinical, research, and educational missions.
- Serve as the connection point to align leaders in setting the agenda for how the institution leverages AI to drive operational excellence, scientific breakthroughs, and educational innovation.
- Champion Governance and Ethics:
- Chair or partner with existing governance bodies to ensure AI is deployed ethically and responsibly, with robust oversight for privacy, compliance, and transparency.
- Define strategic principles for AI adoption, balancing the need for rapid innovation with the imperative to safeguard institutional trust and patient safety.
- Modernize Data & Technology Infrastructure:
- Partner with the Chief Data Officer and relevant teams to advance an enterprise data strategy.
- Guide the modernization of data infrastructure, cloud architecture, and analytics platforms in collaboration with the Information Resources (IR) and Information Security teams to enable scalable, secure, and interoperable AI solutions.
- Evaluate and recommend best-in-class commercial and open-source tools, and advising on “build vs. partner” decisions to maximize value and agility.
- Foster Talent and Culture:
- Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of data scientists, engineers, and AI specialists. Nurture the institution’s next generation of AI leaders and serve as a magnet for top talent – both within and beyond academia.
- Advance Clinical, Research, and Operational Impact:
- Identify and prioritize high-impact use cases for AI that improve efficiency, reduce clinician burden, streamline administrative processes, and advance patient care, while also catalyzing research innovation and supporting new models of education and learning.
- Guide faculty, clinicians, and researchers in harnessing the power of AI to accelerate discoveries, secure new grants, and develop state-of-the-art clinical and research tools.
- Drive Collaboration and Patient Care Innovation:
- Work with institutional leaders and executives to break down silos and ensure that AI efforts are coordinated, sustainable, and aligned with institutional goals.
- Identify, create, and scale AI-driven solutions that improve care and operational performance.
- Ensure clinical AI tools are explainable, transparent, validated, secure, and compliant with regulatory requirements.
- Transform Education and Workforce Capabilities:
- Work with the Provost’s Office and Academic Affairs to integrate AI and data science into graduate schools, graduate medical education (GME), and continuing medical education (CME).
- Ensure the development of internal training programs to upskill clinicians, researchers, and administrators, and foster a pipeline of AI talent through faculty recruitment, mentorship, and collaboration.
- Act as an External and Internal Thought Leader:
- Represent UT Southwestern as a national and global leader in AI, forging strategic partnerships with industry, academia, government, and donors.
- Engage with external partners to accelerate innovation and amplify the institution’s impact.
- Serve as the primary interface for external vendors and organizations, fielding and evaluating incoming requests for collaboration, technology proposals, and data access.
- Assess opportunities and risks, ensure alignment with institutional priorities and data governance standards, and position UT Southwestern as a national leader in AI-enabled academic medicine through thought leadership, publications, and conference participation.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
Required
- Education
PhD or equivalent in a relevant field such as computer science, biomedical informatics, engineering, or data science, or
M.D.
- Experience
10 years of progressive leadership experience in AI, digital health, or informatics, ideally within academic medicine, health systems, or life sciences.
A proven track record of building and leading high-performing AI or data science teams in a complex organization.
Demonstrated success in building sound and progressive strategy, driving enterprise-wide AI initiatives, including clinical implementation, research excellence, and educational innovation, as well as collaborating across disciplines to create impactful, scalable solutions.
Preferred
- Education
Additional training or certification in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), or Health Informatics is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Work requires ability to navigate complex organizations, building consensus, and aligning a variety of stakeholders around transformative digital initiatives
- Work requires the ability to inspire and manage multidisciplinary teams, attract top talent, and foster a culture of innovation and accountability
- Work requires ability to coach, develop, and motivate staff at all levels, delegate effectively, and manage performance
- Work requires excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
- Work requires ability to successfully collaborate with teams across a highly-matrixed organization
- Work requires a high degree of adaptability, coupled with integrity and a strong sense of stewardship
- Work requires knowledge of regulatory and governance aspects of AI in healthcare and research, and the ability to ensure effective adoption across the institution
PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS
- Working Conditions
Office Setting
PACT STATEMENT
The following is the acronym, “PACT”, and is fundamental to all non-clinical positions at UT Southwestern Medical Center:
- P-Problem Solving: Employees take ownership in solving problems effectively, efficiently, and to the satisfaction of customers, or managers. They show initiative in addressing areas of concern before they become problems.
- A-Ability, Attitude and Accountability: Employees exhibit ability to perform their job and conduct themselves in a professional and positive manner reflecting a professional environment readily assuming obligations in a dependable and reliable manner.
- C-Communication, Contribution, and Collaboration: Who are our Customers? Anyone who requests our help, needs our work product, or receives our services. Employees focus on customer service with creative solutions while improving the customer experience through clear, courteous, and timely delivery and communication. Sharing ideas with others helps expand our contribution to department goals.
- T-Teamwork: Employees work to contribute to the department’s success by supporting co-workers, promoting excellence in work product and customer service, and in maintaining a satisfying, caring environment for each other.
Salary
Salary Negotiable
Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information. To the extent this position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired and to continue to be employed in the position.
EEO Statement
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.