Artificial Intelligence​/Machine Learning Engineer Specialist

Role:
Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Engineer Specialist

Location:

Austin, TX (Onsite)

Client:
State of TX

Enterprise-level role responsible for the governance, oversight, and mitigation of risks associated with the design, deployment, procurement, and use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and advanced analytics across TCEQ. This individual ensures that AI‑enabled systems used in regulatory, scientific, enforcement, and administrative functions operate in a manner that is lawful, ethical, secure, transparent, and aligned with public‑sector values, environmental justice principles, and TCEQ’s statutory mission.

This individual serves as an expert on AI risk and governance, advises agency leadership, and collaborates closely with legal, cybersecurity, data, procurement, and program leadership to enable responsible innovation while safeguarding public trust.

• Designing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive enterprise AI risk management and governance framework. Establishing policies, standards, and approval processes governing AI and advanced analytics use cases.
• Leading or co‑chairing an internal AI Governance Council which reviewed, prioritized, and approved AI initiatives. Ensuring consistent lifecycle oversight for AI systems from concept and procurement through deployment and retirement.
• Identifying, assessing, monitoring, and mitigating AI‑related risks including algorithmic bias, model drift, explainability, data quality issues, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, operational risk, legal exposure, and reputational risk.
• Oversight of AI risk assessments, model impact assessments, and control testing activities. Establishing escalation, incident response, and remediation protocols for AI‑related issues.
• Partnering with Legal, Privacy, Records Management, and Compliance teams to ensure AI systems comply with Texas state laws, federal regulations, public records requirements, privacy protections, and civil rights obligations.
• Monitoring emerging AI‑related laws, regulations, and standards and assess their impact on agency operations. Serve as a senior advisor to executive leadership on AI governance risk and regulatory readiness.
• Championing ethical AI principles including fairness, accountability, transparency, human oversight, and explainability.
• Ensuring AI use does not result in unfair or opaque regulatory outcomes, particularly in permitting, inspections, and enforcement.
• Supporting mechanisms for public transparency and defensibility where AI contributes to regulatory decisions.
• Collaborating closely with the Information Resources Manager, Deputy Director of Information Resources, Chief Data Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, and program area Directors.
• Influencing enterprise technology and data strategy by embedding AI risk considerations into planning and investment decisions.
• Acting as a trusted executive partner balancing innovation enablement with responsible risk management.

• Developing and delivering executive and workforce training on responsible AI use and risk awareness.
• Promoting a culture of ethical, risk‑aware innovation across scientific, regulatory, and administrative teams.
• Providing guidance to program teams on acceptable and prohibited uses of AI technologies.