Special Advisor, Generative Ai

**Regular/Temporary**
- Temporary

**Job Title**
- Special Advisor, Generative AI**Job ID**
- 66009

**Location**
- Central Campus**Open Date**
- 11/07/2024

**Job Type**
- Limited Term (=12 month)

**Close Date**
- 11/20/2024

**Employee Group**
- TMG

**Favorite Job**

**Department**
- Deputy Provost

**Salary Grade/Band**
- Band N

**Salary Range**
- $109482.00 - $164224.00 (annual)

**Contract Duration**
- 12.1 Months

**Hours per Week**
- 35

**Posting Details**

The landscape of higher education is in a state of dynamic flux, driven by technological advancements and shifting societal expectations. Generative AI, with its transformative capabilities, stands at the forefront of this change, offering universities the tools to revolutionize pedagogical methods, research paradigms, and administrative processes. However, the integration of such powerful technologies into the academic ecosystem is not without its complexities. Ethical considerations, curriculum adaptation, faculty training, and research methodologies all require careful thought and strategic direction. Given the cross-disciplinary and institution-wide implications of generative AI, it's imperative that the guidance for its integration comes from a senior administrative level. Reporting to the Deputy Provost, a position that bridges academic affairs with overarching institutional strategy, ensures that the role of the Special Advisor is both grounded in academic excellence and aligned with the broader vision of the university. This hierarchical placement not only underscores the significance of the role but also facilitates the seamless integration of generative AI strategies across departments, fostering a cohesive and forward-looking approach to education and research at McMaster University.

**Job Summary**:
**Accountabilities**:
**_ Strategic Leadership & Policy Development_**
- Propose and recommend policies related to the ethical use, development, and deployment of generative AI within the academic and research environment.
- Work at a strategic level to provide expert advice and counsel to members of Provost Council and other senior leaders (e.g., VP-Academic, VP-Research, VP-Operations) on the potential and challenges of generative AI in the university environment.
- Strategically promote and support the future directions and implementation of generative AI integration in research, teaching, and work of world initiatives, ensuring alignment with the university's strategic goals.
- Identify and propose mitigation strategies to potential risks associated with the deployment and use of generative AI in academic settings.
- Advise and collaborate with academic departments to integrate generative AI concepts and tools into the curriculum.

**_
Committee & Stakeholder Engagement_**
- Facilitate and coordinate the institutional Advisory Committee on Generative AI enabling the committee to fulfill its mandate.
- Plan, organize, and facilitate regular committee meetings, ensuring that discussions are focused, productive, and inclusive.
- Collaborate with Deputy Provosts to set meeting agendas.
- Lead the preparation of relevant materials.
- Analyze data, research, and trends to inform the committee's discussions and decision-making processes.
- Support committee members, fostering diversity and inclusion in the committee's composition.
- Engage with committee members to elicit their insights and recommendations while fostering an environment where open and constructive dialogue can take place, and diverse viewpoints are valued.
- Prepare and present regular reports, summarizing the committee's recommendations, findings, and progress to university leadership.
- Represent McMaster University at conferences, seminars, and public forums, showcasing the institution's leadership in generative AI.
- Provide appropriate, timely, and sensitive responses, balancing respect for concerns with clear communication about the potential and benefits of generative AI.
- Facilitate open dialogues and discussions, championing the technology while ensuring a safe space for expressing reservations and seeking clarifications, by organizing and leading communities of practice and networks of collaborators on generative AI.

**_
Resource and Training Development_**
- Lead the development of and curate resources, training materials, and best practices to enhance the university's capabilities in generative AI.
- Organize and lead training sessions, workshops, meetings and seminars on generative AI.

**_
Research, External Collaboration & Funding_**
- Foster interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research collaborations, bridging the gap between AI specialists and other academic disciplines.
- Conduct research as part of interdisciplinary research teams on generative AI.
- Build and maintain relationships with external partners, ensuring McMaster University remains at the forefront of generative AI advancements.
- Identify, promote, and assist faculty and researchers