the client is seeking a Senior Director of Applied Research to lead AI research strategy for complex enterprise applications in the corporate tax and trade domain. This mission-critical leadership role focuses on driving innovation at scale by translating AI and ML concepts into real-world features integrated into enterprise platforms. Responsibilities include owning delivery of AI capabilities powered by NLP, LLMs, and intelligent agent frameworks, and working cross-functionally to align research outputs with product goals and stakeholder expectations.
Key responsibilities include leading a large team of scientists and engineers through the full machine learning lifecycle, and building scalable AI/NLP features such as intelligent assistants and classification tools. The role is expected to champion innovation using LLMs, RAG, and AI agent frameworks, while defining strategic priorities in collaboration with product and executive stakeholders. In addition, the Senior Director will represent the AI vision internally and externally, including client-facing conversations, and create a high-performance team culture rooted in curiosity and delivery.
Candidates are expected to bring deep experience in turning advanced research into commercial impact, particularly in regulated, content-rich environments. An ideal background includes 10+ years in AI/NLP system development and 5+ years in leadership roles, along with enterprise experience deploying AWS-based ML systems in production. Strong understanding of LLM integration and agentic architecture design is required, along with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills; a strong academic grounding (such as a PhD or similar) is preferred, with research publications as a bonus.