Director, AI Forward Deployed Researcher

The posting, as TELUS Digital wrote it

WHO WE ARE

Welcome to TELUS Digital https://www.telusdigital.com/ - where innovation drives impact at a global scale. As an award-winning digital product consultancy and the digital division of TELUS https://www.telus.com/en/, one of Canada’s largest telecommunications providers, we design and deliver transformative customer experiences through cutting-edge technology, agile thinking, and a people-first culture. With a global team across North America, South America, Central America, Europe, and APAC, we offer end-to-end expertise across eight core service areas: Digital Product Consulting, Digital Marketing Services, Data & AI, Strategy Consulting, Enterprise Technology, Enterprise Applications, Cloud Engineering, and QA & Test Engineering. From mobile apps and websites to voice UI, chatbots, AI, customer service, and in-store solutions, TELUS Digital enables seamless, trusted, and digitally powered experiences that meet customers wherever they are. All backed by the secure infrastructure and scale of our multi-billion-dollar parent company.

LOCATION AND FLEXIBILITY

This role can operate remotely within the US (we are prioritizing candidates based on the US West Coast) OR be based out of one of our major US office locations - Charlottesville, VA, Durham, NC, Columbus, OH, or Boston, MA.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Director, Forward Deployed Researcher is a strategic leader, advanced AI research specialist, and manager who directly oversees and engages in the highest-value client implementations. This role is responsible for driving frontier AI research into production, setting the strategic technical direction for enterprise clients, and managing a team of Forward Deployed Researchers and Engineers. This role operates at the critical intersection of cutting-edge research, software engineering, executive-level strategic consulting, and team management

As a Forward Deployed Researcher, Director, you will embed directly within Fortune 500 and highly regulated client organizations to advance frontier AI implementations, shape AI strategy, deliver bespoke production systems, and build world-class technical teams. Unlike traditional research leaders who remain in labs or remote environments, you will be embedded within client teams, walking the halls of banks, healthcare organizations, and tech companies to understand their unique challenges, conduct applied research, and lead the delivery of transformative AI solutions grounded in both frontier techniques and practical enterprise constraints.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

STRATEGIC AI RESEARCH & EXECUTIVE CONSULTING

• Act as a trusted technical and research advisor to client executive leadership (CTOs, Heads of AI, VPs of Engineering, Board Members) on overall AI strategy, roadmap, and competitive positioning
• Translate frontier AI research and complex technical concepts into actionable business strategies and implementation plans that justify premium engagement and drive measurable ROI

[…]
applied AI research with real-world impact at enterprise scale

• See their research and code drive tangible business outcomes
• Work on diverse, frontier AI challenges across industries
• Build and mentor high-performing technical teams
• Operate at the intersection of cutting-edge AI research and enterprise reality
• Shape how organizations adopt and scale AI
• Contribute to the advancement of AI in production environments
• Grow into executive leadership within a high-growth AI company

WHAT WE OFFER

• Executive leadership role overseeing cutting-edge AI research and implementations with Fortune 500 enterprises
• Opportunity to build and scale a world-class Forward Deployed team
• Exposure to diverse industries, use cases, and frontier technical challenges
• Direct impact on client success, TELUS Digital growth, and AI industry advancement
• Collaboration with world-class AI researchers, engineers, and thought leaders
• Professional development in AI research, consulting, and executive leadership
• Opportunity to contribute to thought leadership (publications, presentations, open-source)
• Competitive compensation with performance bonuses
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Remote flexibility with meaningful client engagement

Equal Opportunity Employer

At TELUS Digital, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire and promote, are based on applicants’ qualifications, merits, competence and performance without regard to any characteristic related to diversity.

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