AI Safety & Alignment Principal Lead - SAFERpower.ai

About the role

The AI Safety & Alignment Principal Lead is a strategic thought leader focused on developing a deep understanding of emerging AI-enabled energy system needs, engaging EPRI and industry SMEs in evaluating potential innovative AI technologies, assurance and risk models, and deployment solutions to address those needs, while working collaboratively within EPRI’s member utilities and industry stakeholders to develop and execute upon an overall strategy to demonstrate and deploy AI safely, accountably, fairly, explainably, and reliably.

Job Functions

• Accumulate and maintain a knowledge base of emerging AI technologies, AI incident and failure patterns, AI governance and alignment practices, assurance methods, standards, and the integration of those technologies into the electric power sector; use this knowledge to develop thought leadership pieces and executive communications.
• Work directly with EPRI R&D Leadership and Program Managers to shape and execute SAFERpower.ai as a cross-sector initiative supporting safe, accountable, fair, explainable, and reliable AI deployment across generation, transmission, distribution, grid operations, planning, customer operations, nuclear, cybersecurity, DER, and enterprise functions.
• Lead matrixed teams across EPRI R&D sectors to develop and execute strategic R&D efforts related to AI Safety, alignment, assurance, testing/evaluation/verification/validation (TEVV), AI system registries, data provenance, product assurance, deployment assurance, and operational monitoring.
• Support other strategic initiatives and projects associated with key EPRI objectives related to AI-enabled energy systems, grid modernization, operational reliability, emerging technology adoption, technology partner due diligence, and the safe operationalization of AI.
• Support leadership in communication of SAFERpower.ai strategy, research initiatives, pilot results, and framework outputs to EPRI member executive advisories, including the EPRI Board of Directors and Research Advisory Committee, as well as member utility executives and other industry stakeholders.
• Coordinate with utility executives, EPRI technical staff, ISOs/RTOs, technology partners, implementation partners, standards organizations, policy stakeholders, and other industry SMEs to identify common evidence needs, priority use cases, adoption barriers, and research gaps.
• Help manage technology and knowledge transfer to key internal and external stakeholders by communicating the state of developing AI technology and key developments in AI safety, alignment, and assurance via reports, playbooks, presentations, working groups, workshops, and member engagement.
• Guide the development of SAFERpower.ai framework artifacts, including SAFER principles and glossary, U-SAFER assessment methodology, AI System File, AI use-case dossiers, AI system cards, data and provenance records, autonomy and human oversight profiles, TEVV reports, monitoring and incident plans, product assurance guidance, deployment assurance guidance, and toolkit roadmap.
• Contribute to EPRI strategic planning scenario development efforts and other internal initiatives to ensure AI technology advancement, autonomy risks, governance needs, assurance requirements, and deployment constraints are appropriately accounted for and represented to members.
• Augment the pipeline of future EPRI strategic research initiatives related to AI alignment, agentic AI, foundation models, utility AI use cases, OT/cyber interfaces, AI reliability, product and deployment assurance, and member adoption of SAFERpower.ai.

Qualifications

• Must have a strong background with at least 15 years of experience leading energy system strategic planning, energy industry emerging technologies, utility analytics or applied AI, AI governance and assurance, power-sector technology deployment, or efforts to develop and integrate advanced technologies to provide energy system solutions.
• Must be able to work with a variety of levels across EPRI, including direct interface with R&D Leadership, Program Managers, technical staff, marketing and communications, legal, cybersecurity, data and AI experts, and EPRI officers.
• Must be able to build credibility with member utilities and industry stakeholders by understanding utility operating realities, reliability obligations, cybersecurity and OT constraints, data governance challenges, technology partner dependencies, and the difference between AI pilots and governed operational deployment.
• Must be able to lead matrixed, cross-functional efforts; multi-task; quickly assess potential AI technologies; provide strong strategic and technical support; coordinate and develop executive presentation materials oftentimes outside the area of immediate expertise; develop workshops; identify new initiatives; and monitor key progress and milestones.
• Experience with AI ethics, responsible AI, model risk management, AI assurance, AI safety or alignment, AI testing and validation, AI incident analysis, or relevant standards and frameworks such as NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, ISO/IEC 23894, IEC 62443, NERC CIP, or related industry practices is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with electric utilities, ISOs/RTOs, grid technology providers, utility-focused consulting organizations, standards bodies, or research consortia is strongly preferred.
• Have excellent written, oral, executive communication, and collaboration skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, data science, economics, business administration, energy resources, public policy, or a related discipline required.
• Master’s or Doctorate in engineering, computer science, data science, economics, business administration, energy resources, public policy, or a related discipline highly preferred.