AI Research & Innovation Lead

About the role

This role reports directly to Senior Manager, Data Science & Analytics within the AI R&D organization. The team evaluates, develops, and advances next-generation AI capabilities to create strategic advantage for TransUnion and its customers across credit, fraud, insurance, and marketing business applications. You’ll join a team that encourages curiosity, innovation, and scientific exploration with access to large-scale consumer, marketing, fraud, and risk datasets for applied AI research and opportunities to shape the future direction of AI-powered products and solutions across TransUnion's businesses. This is a hybrid position involving regular performance of job responsibilities virtually as well as in-person at an assigned TU office location for a minimum of two days a week.

Responsibilities

• Work in modern cloud-based computing environments and state-of-the-art AI infrastructure for experimentation and rapid prototyping.
• Investigate and evaluate emerging AI paradigms including neuro-symbolic systems, causal AI, knowledge graphs, autonomous agents, reasoning systems, and trustworthy AI.
• Publish, patent, present, and contribute to TransUnion's long-term innovation strategy.
• Lead exploratory research initiatives focused on emerging AI techniques and their business applicability.
• Drive innovation in areas such as neuro-symbolic AI, reasoning systems, knowledge-enhanced machine learning, agentic AI, causal AI, explainable AI, and human-AI collaboration.
• Anticipate AI technology trends and assess their implications for TransUnion's products and services.
• Design, build, and evaluate proof-of-concepts and prototypes that demonstrate the value of emerging AI technologies.
• Create repeatable frameworks for assessing AI capabilities, limitations, risks, and business impact.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to transition successful research concepts into production-ready solutions.
• Represent TransUnion through publications and patents.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cognitive Science, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Engineering, Operations Research, or a closely related quantitative discipline.
• 8+ years of professional experience in AI, machine learning, advanced analytics, or related quantitative fields.
• Strong foundation in one or more of the following areas: Classical AI, knowledge representation via ontology, knowledge graphs and graph neural networks, automated reasoning systems, search and planning algorithms, causal inference and causal modeling, probabilistic graphical models, explainable and trustworthy AI.
• Advanced programming skills in Python and familiarity with modern AI development frameworks.
• Familiarity with consumer data, fraud detection, financial services, risk analytics, identity, or marketing applications.

Benefits

• For Your Health: Day-one eligibility for medical, dental, and vision coverage; supplemental plan options; tax-advantaged HSA and FSA accounts.
• For Your Protection: Company-paid basic life and AD&D; optional voluntary life and AD&D for you and your family; short- and long-term disability; legal plan; pet insurance; travel accident coverage.
• For Your Family: Adoption assistance; fertility planning coverage; caregiver support; Dependent Care FSA with possible employer match; complimentary Care@Work membership; up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave with gradual return.
• For Your Future: 401(k) with employer match; Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP); financial wellness resources; career coaching; optional long-term care insurance.
• For You: Tuition reimbursement; flexible time off for exempt employees or paid time off for nonexempt employees; up to 12 paid holidays; commuter benefits; employee discounts; charitable gift matching; paid volunteer time off; corporate volunteer events.
• For Your Wellness: 24/7 support including professional therapy, coaching, emotional well-being programs, guided meditation, and resources supporting physical, mental, social, and financial wellness.

Pay

The U.S. base salary range for this position is $112,500.00 – $187,500 annually. Actual compensation is based on additional factors such as education, training, work experience, job-related skill set, location, industry knowledge, scope and responsibilities of the position, and market considerations. Regular, full-time non-sales positions may be eligible to participate in TransUnion’s annual bonus plan. Certain positions may also be eligible for long-term incentives and other payments based on applicable company guidance and plan documents.