Principal, AI (Ph.D.)

Exponent is the only premium engineering and scientific consulting firm with the depth and breadth of expertise to solve our clients' most profoundly unique, unprecedented, and urgent challenges.

We are committed to engaging multidisciplinary teams of science, engineering, and regulatory experts to empower our clients with solutions that create a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. For over five decades, we've connected the lessons of past failures with tomorrow's solutions to advise clients as they innovate technologically complex products and processes, ensure the safety and health of their users, and address the challenges of sustainability.

Join our team of experts with degrees from top programs at over 500 universities and extensive experience spanning a variety of industries. At Exponent, you'll contribute to the diverse pool of ideas, talents, backgrounds, and experiences that drives our collaborative teamwork and breakthrough insights. Plus, we help you grow your career through mentoring, sponsorship, and a culture of learning. Thanks for your interest in joining our team!

Key statistics:

950+ Consultants
• 640+ Ph.D.s
• 90+ Disciplines
• 30+ Offices globally

We are currently seeking a Principal with deep expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to join our multi-disciplinary science and engineering consulting team in the Houston, TX office. Exponent helps clients find critical solutions for a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future. These same clients are rapidly transforming as they incorporate AI into their workflows and decision-making processes and are partnering with Exponent to pair insights from AI-driven correlation with the hard-earned science and engineering expertise that is necessary to understand causation. We are helping our clients ensure the AI powered solutions in their most critical services and products are delivered with a foundation of trust.

This position is a strategic leadership opportunity for a recognized thought leader to shape and expand Exponent's AI consulting services across key industries including life sciences, utilities, and transportation. In this role, you will collaborate with our subject matter experts to help clients understand, evaluate, and implement AI tools and technologies where having an answer isn't enough - you need to know you have the right answer. You will also play a pivotal role in growing our AI consulting capabilities, developing new business, and mentoring technical staff.

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities, develop client relationships, and expand Exponent's AI service offerings
• Advise clients through the adoption of advanced technology solutions in regulated and safety critical technical domains, including life sciences, utilities, and transportation
• Translate complex business and scientific problems into scalable AI strategies and solutions
• Evaluate existing and developmental client AI systems including their risks, limitations, and potential failure modes - particularly in the integration of deep subject matter expertise to improve and explain AI powered solutions
• Guide clients in responsible AI adoption, including model interpretability, fairness, and regulatory compliance
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including data scientists, biomedical engineers, epidemiologists, vehicle engineers, structural engineers, and more
• Mentor and develop junior staff and foster a culture of technical excellence and innovation
• Represent Exponent through publications, conference presentations, and participation in expert panels and advisory boards

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field is preferred
• 10+ years of consulting, advisory, or leadership experience post-graduation, with a proven track record of attracting new and repeat clients or funding
• 8+ years of experience applying AI/ML in one or more of the following sectors: life sciences (e.g., medical device development, drug discovery, diagnostics, or clinical trials), utilities (e.g., grid optimization, predictive maintenance), or transportation (e.g., autonomous systems, mobility analytics)
• Deep understanding of AI technologies and their practical applications - specifically working with subject matter teams to apply AI to high consequence/safety critical applications
• Demonstrated leadership in architecting and deploying AI/ML solutions, with fluency in modern programming languages (e.g., Python, R, Julia) and relevant frameworks and platforms (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, Hugging Face)
• Proven ability to guide and mentor technical teams in selecting, adapting, and evolving technologies to meet complex client needs
• Strong command of model development lifecycle, including data engineering, feature engineering, model training, validation, deployment, and monitoring
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations in AI (e.g., FDA, GDPR, explainability, bias mitigation)
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Adept management abilities and demonstrated project management experience
• Ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects
• Strong commitment to professional development

Applicants are encouraged to submit a CV with publications (feel free to include publications that are in review or pending) [not restricted to 1 page].

To learn more about life at Exponent and our impact, please visit the following links:

https://www.exponent.com/careers/life-exponent

https://www.exponent.com/company/our-impact

Attracting, inspiring, developing, and rewarding exceptional people with diverse backgrounds and expertise are central to our corporate culture. Our diverse team allows us to provide better value to our clients and enjoy an enriched work environment.

Our firm is committed to offering a variety of programs and resources to support health and well-being. We believe that providing competitive benefits as well as compensation and recognition programs empowers our staff to do work that makes a difference.

At Exponent, we have found that in-person interactions deepen employee engagement and are crucial for development, for realizing the full potential of our talented and diverse teams, and for building a more inclusive workplace where all have a sense of belonging. In our offices, you can expect a supportive culture and a collaborative, dynamic, multi-disciplinary work environment. Our consultants engage in-person in the office unless they are traveling for client work or other business activities.

We value the rich lives our colleagues enjoy outside of work and understand that work/life balance is critical to our employees and their well-being. Consultants have the autonomy to balance their work and personal schedules so you can meet with clients, visit inspection sites, attend conferences, and make time for priorities outside of work, too. It is this flexible, agile work style and working hours that allow our teams to drive innovation and results in their own ways, while meeting the needs of clients. #LI-Onsite

Access benefits information on our Life@Exponent page:

https://www.exponent.com/careers/life-exponent

Exponent is a proud equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may email us at HR-Accommodations@exponent.com.