Program Director Artificial Intelligence

Clarification from the agency

Open to current and former Federal employees with competitive or excepted status; and all U.S. Citizens. Former members of the Peace Corps may be considered for ODNI employment only if five full years have elapsed since separation from the Peace Corps.

- Serve as the senior advisor and initiative lead for Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Office of Economic Security and Emerging Technologies (OESET); represent OESET to ODNI and IC leadership and the policy community.

- Integrate the IC in collaboration with other ODNI offices on recommendations for achieving National Intelligence Strategy, National Security Strategy, and senior policymaker goals and objectives with regards to AI-related priorities.

- Support the policymaking process through attendance at National Security Council meetings, and by overseeing integrated support to the DNI in advance of Deputy Committee and Principal Committee Meetings. Monitor and action follow-on IC tasking to support these processes.

- Support briefings to senior IC officials and other major stakeholders' collaboration progress, issues and challenges.

- Partner with the IC's analytic and collection communities to establish coordinated, integrated analytic and collection priorities in accordance with the National Intelligence Priorities Framework (NIPF) and DNI guidance.

- Ensure seamless integration with OESET's other teams on technology driven economic competition and technology application issues, as well as OESET's Investment Security Group and Economic Advantage Group, to ensure integration and strategic alignment across all of OESET's mission areas.

- Develop and guide outreach to non-Title-50 agencies and the private sector in full collaboration with key ODNI elements and the IC, driving synergies and alignment on AI-related issues. Manage the IC relationship with the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, State, and other cross-governmental offices on economic security and technology-driven economic competition issues as it relates to AI.

- Lead and oversee the formulation, development, production and evaluation of a broad range of policies, processes, and guidance on AI.

- Focus on adversary development and adoption of AI, with special emphasis on informing all elements of the IC about AI's economic implications, while supplementing the ICs extensive blue-side efforts to enhance use of AI to improve IC capabilities and performance. Work with allies and other international partners as assigned to ensure awareness of initiatives and development challenges within partner nations.

- Enhance the ICs collection posture regarding AI developments and threats and enable exploitation of collection opportunities to increase US intelligence advantage.

- Promote a "One IC" culture that values diversity across organizational boundaries to accomplish a common mission. Lead, manage and drive the ODNI core values of Commitment, Courage and Collaboration, and lead through example to ensure the efficient use of personnel and funding resources while maintaining ODNI commitment to diversity and opportunity.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen residing in the United States
• Appointment is subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance based on an SBI with eligibility for sensitive compartmented information (SCI)
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• A two-year trial period is required for all new permanent appointments to the ODNI.

Qualifications

This is an excepted service GS-15 position open to the public and all current federal employees at the GS-15 and one level below. Current federal employees at the GS-15 and one level below may apply to this position, and if selected will maintain pay set at their current grade and step. Current federal employees at grade levels GS-13 and below are not eligible for this position and their application will not be forwarded to the hiring manager. All current federal employees that apply for this position must submit their most recent SF-50, Notification of Personal Action (i.e., dated within the last 52 weeks from the closing date of this vacancy announcement) to verify their status of eligibility.

- Expert knowledge of IC organizations; IC mission posture, structures, capabilities, processes, and policy development.

- Superior capability and experience to effectively communicate organizational vision and align employee and program performance to the mission, including prior experience in the ODNI or an IC element.

- Expert knowledge of IC structures, organizations, directions, capabilities, processes and procedures, and ability to anticipate issues relevant to economic security and competition collaborations, analysis, collection, and/or operations.

- Superior analytical, critical thinking and communication skills, including the ability to think strategically and identify needs and requirements, and communicate effectively verbally and in writing to all levels of management.

- Superior interpersonal and organizational skills, including the ability to conceptualize and lead complex, often ambiguous projects with little supervision, and seamlessly manage multiple, competing priorities as an office norm.

- Superior, demonstrated ability to work well with others on difficult and occasionally contentious issues, as well as, manage senior personnel tasking and results.

- Familiarity with the IC's economic data and tools.

DESIRED SKILLS

- Prior experience with multiple intelligence source disciplines working in a cross-domain environment.

- Experience representing the IC in engagements with the White House, departments, and agencies.

- Experience with economic security and/or technology-driven competition mission areas, to include AI, semi-conductors, or other emerging technologies.

- Understanding of ODNI's mission and authorities.

- Expert knowledge of IC resource processes, prioritization processes, and mission management principles.

- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience as determined by mission specialty area.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You must submit the supporting documents listed under the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Only include documents listed under the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. If you have more than one copy of a document, only include your most recent copy. If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

As part of the application process for this position, applicants will be required to respond to four free-response essay questions, which are detailed below. These responses will not be scored or rated as part of the initial evaluation. Instead, they provide applicants with an opportunity to elaborate on their qualifications, professional background, and commitment to public service.

FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS

All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

A complete application package must include:

a. RESUME: Resumes must be no longer than two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two (2) pages will be removed from consideration. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the vacancy announcement, particularly the MDRs, and construct their resume to highlight their most significant experience and qualifications relevant to this job opportunity. You must ensure the resume contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position: job title; name of employer; beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format), and hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. Additionally, include a detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills and responsibilities, to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable), and series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).

b. COVER LETTER: Applicants must submit a professional narrative as a supplement to the resume to elaborate on their qualifications and previous work performed.

c. CURRENT SF-50: Federal Government employees must provide your official most recent SF-50 (i.e., dated within the last 52 weeks from the closing date of this vacancy announcement). An SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, is used to verify current federal status, position, title, grade, and organization of record. If your SF-50(s) does not provide the information needed to make a final determination for qualification, you will be found ineligible for the position.

d. POSITION NUMBER: Reference the announcement number in the subject line on each document submitted.

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

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