Director of the AI Ethics & Law Initiative & Senior Research Associate

Posting Details

Posting Summary

Logo

Posting Number
STA00827PO26

Job Family
Academic and Professional Training and Development

Job Function
Organizational and Employee Development

USC Market Title
Organizational Development Consultant

Link to USC Market Title
https://uscjobs.sc.edu/titles/131848

Job Level
P4 - Professional

Business Title (Internal Title)
Director of the AI Ethics & Law Initiative & Senior Research Associate

Campus
Columbia

Work County
Richland

College/Division
School of Law

Department
LAW School of Law

State Pay Range
G13

USC Market Range
MRL - $97,329 $124,095 $150,860

Anticipated Hiring Range
Commensurate with experience

Location of Vacancy
Columbia, SC

Part/Full Time
Full Time

Hours per Week
37.5

Work Schedule

• Standard working schedule: 8:30am - 5:00pm, with one hour for lunch.
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the department.

Basis
12 months

Job Search Category
Other Professional

Position Description

Advertised Job Summary

The Director of the AI Ethics & Law Initiative and Senior Research Associate is a full-time academic staff position that will support the launch and day-to-day operation of the newly established AI Ethics & Law Initiative ("Initiative") and its AI Law Lab. The Initiative advances a human-centered and ethically grounded approach to AI in law by developing training for students, faculty, staff, and practitioners, supporting responsible AI policy and practice within the School of Law, and engaging the South Carolina legal community through programming and outreach. Embedded within the Initiative, the AI Law Lab operates as an internal program focused on AI experimentation and applied research. The Director will lead the Lab directly and ensure that Lab projects advance the Initiative's broader mission, programming, and partnerships.

The Director reports to the Faculty Director of the AI Ethics & Law Initiative and serves as the primary operational lead for the Initiative. In close coordination with the Faculty Director, the School of Law faculty, and the Dean's Office, the Director will translate the School of Law's AI-related strategic priorities into programming, training, policies, and partnerships, ensuring that students, faculty, staff, and the South Carolina legal community are equipped to navigate an AI-driven future through a human-centered and ethical lens.

The Director will lead the operations and implementation of the Initiative. While the Faculty Director provides academic leadership and strategic direction, the Director will run day-to-day operations, including project planning and delivery, timelines, communications, and administrative coordination, to ensure consistent execution of Initiative priorities.

Within this role, the Director's work will center on the Initiative's three core functions:

1. Educating and supporting students on the ethical and practical challenges and opportunities presented by AI, including ensuring access to AI resources and training across the School of Law.
2. Supporting faculty with AI training and thoughtful deployment of AI tools within the School of Law's curriculum and related academic and professional programs.
3. Serving as a practical resource to the South Carolina legal community on the ethical use of AI in the legal profession, including education, guidance, and connections to relevant School of Law expertise.

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience

• Requires a bachelor's degree in a job related field and 4 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Required Certification, Licensure/Other Credentials

Preferred Qualifications

• A J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school or a terminal/advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., Ph.D., M.S.) with substantial demonstrated experience in AI, computer science, information science, or a related discipline, and the ability to apply legal/ethical frameworks relevant to the practice of law.
• Prior experience presenting on issues involving AI, technology, and/or the law.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, develop, and implement innovative programs that benefit a law school or legal organization.
• Practical experience with AI deployment strategies.
• Proven ability to maintain effective working relationships with a diverse constituency of students, faculty, staff, and members of the Bar.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Legal Knowledge: Knowledge (or demonstrated capacity to rapidly develop working knowledge) of legal ethics and professional responsibility issues implicated by AI, including the Rules of Professional Conduct, and familiarity with procedural and doctrinal issues affecting AI-assisted legal work.
• Communication: Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills, with the ability to accurately analyze and communicate complex AI legal issues.
• Professionalism: Ability to work autonomously with high initiative while thriving in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Technical Proficiency: Excellent computer proficiency and an understanding of and interest in AI technologies.
• Academic Record: A strong record demonstrating potential to develop and deliver high-quality training and teaching in a professional school environment (e.g., law school, graduate/professional programs, or comparable settings).

Job Duties

Job Duty

Workshops, Courses, Training, and Resource Development.The Director will design, coordinate, and deliver workshops and training programs for students, faculty, and staff on responsible and effective AI use in legal education and legal practice. This includes overseeing foundational AI training resources and supporting AI deployment at the School of Law. The Director will serve as the School of Law's key resource for responsible AI adoption, supporting academic, operational, and practice-facing initiatives. This includes developing standards for responsible AI use appropriate to a law school and legal practice setting. The Director may also teach classes relevant to the Initiative's mission in the School of Law's curriculum.

Essential Function
Yes

Percentage of Time
30

Job Duty

Lab Oversight and Research.The Director will manage the AI Law Lab as a resource focused on designing, testing, and prototyping AI-enabled applications and learning experiences. Responsibilities include supervising law student research assistants, coordinating projects, and collaborating with partners (including University partners, technology providers, and other institutions) to train students in the practical application of AI in legal contexts. The Lab's goal is to experiment within the School of Law to research, evaluate, and share practices for responsible AI use in the legal profession, and to develop novel AI applications that ethically support legal work. The Lab may also publish its work to share its advances more broadly.

Essential Function
Yes

Percentage of Time
25

Job Duty

Community and Bar Engagement.In partnership with the TechInLaw Collaborative, the Director will support outreach to the South Carolina legal community focused on the ethical use of AI in the profession. This may include CLE programming, briefings, and curated guidance on evolving professional responsibility issues, as well as connecting practitioners with relevant School of Law expertise and resources. The Director will act as a liaison, translating relevant AI research and developments into practical applications for practitioners and responding to the increasing demand for AI-related guidance within the state and national bar.

Essential Function
Yes

Percentage of Time
25

Job Duty

Mission and Ethics Advancement.The Director will help advance a human-centered and ethical approach to AI by supporting the development of policies, guidance, and best practices that align with the Rules of Professional Conduct and promote responsible innovation. The Director will work with the Faculty Director to ensure the Initiative's programming reflects both emerging risks (e.g., confidentiality, competence, bias, misinformation, and data governance) and constructive opportunities to use AI to improve legal work and expand access to legal services.

Essential Function
Yes

Percentage of Time
20

Position Attributes

Employees in Safety-Sensitive or Security-Sensitive positions will be subject to pre-employment and post-employment drug testing in accordance with University policy HR 1.95 Drug and Alcohol Testing.

Safety Sensitive or Security Sensitive
No

Hazardous weather category
Non-Essential

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies
1

Desired Start Date
01/01/2027

Job Open Date
11/05/2026

Job Close Date
12/20/2026

Open Until Filled
No

Special Instructions to Applicant

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email.

We are only accepting applications submitted by December 20, 0026

The University of South Carolina offers a valuable benefits package including but not limited to:

• Health and Life Insurance
• Retirement Programs
• Paid Tuition
• Dependent Scholarships
• Annual Leave
• Sick Leave
• 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Professional Development Opportunities

Quicklink for Posting
https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/215661