Job Description

About University of South Carolina
From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.
Benefits for FTE Positions
The University of South Carolina (USC), through the State of SC and Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA), offers employees a valuable benefits package, including health and life insurance, generous paid leave and retirement programs. To learn more about USC benefits, access the "Working at USC" section on the Applicant Portal at https://uscjobs.sc.edu. Research Grant or Time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some, or no benefits, based on the grant or project funding.
Position Description
Advertised Job Summary
Join the University of South Carolina’s Research Computing team and help shape the future of AI innovation at one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Located in the thriving capital city of Columbia, SC, you’ll develop cutting-edge Generative AI and Large Language Model applications that support groundbreaking research and modernize university operations. Be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team transforming how technology accelerates discovery, enhances teaching, and improves administrative efficiency. If you’re ready to make a real impact in a dynamic academic environment, we want you on our team!

The AI Developer will play a key role in designing, developing, and deploying AI applications to support both academic research and university administrative functions. This position will collaborate with faculty, researchers, and IT staff to create scalable, secure, and user-friendly AI tools that enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and advance innovation across campus.

What will you do?
Design, develop, and deploy GenAI and LLM-based applications to support research and administrative use cases.
Collaborate with researchers and campus stakeholders to identify needs and create
Integrate AI models into secure computing environments and ensure compliance with university data governance and privacy standards.
Provide technical documentation, training, and user support to promote adoption and responsible use of AI tools across the university.

We are looking for someone with:
A strong understanding of Large Language Models, NLP techniques, and prompt engineering.
Experience developing APIs, web applications, or tools for research or enterprise environments.
The ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and translate complex needs into practical AI solutions.

Why join our team?
Help shape the future of AI at a top-tier research university making bold investments in innovation.
Collaborate with faculty, researchers, and technologists on impactful, interdisciplinary projects.
Enjoy a dynamic and supportive work environment with opportunities for professional growth.

And it gets even better!
Downtown COLA Location: Enjoy working in the heart of Columbia, SC, one of the fastest-growing capital cities in the US, with easy access to vibrant city life, dining, and cultural events.
Energetic Leadership: Thrive under the guidance of an energetic and innovative leadership team dedicated to transforming IT at USC, making your role impactful and exciting.
Incredible Benefits You Will Not Find Elsewhere: Over 30 paid days off, paid tuition, state benefits, state retirement, and more!
Professional Development: We take investing in you seriously! We offer generous professional development opportunities throughout each year.
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
Master’s degree or PhD in a related field.
At least 2 years of experience with AI/ML development, including LLMs, transformers, or NLP systems.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Advanced AI Knowledge: Expertise in developing, fine-tuning, deploying, and serving Generative AI models and Large Language Models (LLMs).
Technical Programming Skills: Proficient in Python programming, with experience using AI frameworks and tools such as Hugging Face Transformers, LangChain, and OpenAI APIs.
System and Cloud Integration: Skilled in integrating AI solutions through REST APIs, microservices architectures, containerization (Docker), and deployment within cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) or high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
Collaboration and Communication: Ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with interdisciplinary teams, including faculty researchers, administrative stakeholders, and technical staff.
Problem-solving and Innovation: Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues and develop innovative AI solutions aligned with organizational objectives.
Documentation and Governance: Experience producing clear, accurate technical documentation and a solid understanding of data governance frameworks, privacy, and compliance standards relevant to research and enterprise environments (e.g., HIPAA, FERPA).
Customer Service Orientation: Commitment to responsive, high-quality service, proactively addressing user needs to enhance stakeholder satisfaction.
Job Duties
Job Duty
AI Application Development
Design, build, and optimize scalable, maintainable AI applications using GenAI and LLMs for research and administrative tasks, optimized for cloud or high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
Develop APIs, microservices, or web-based interfaces that enable secure and intuitive interaction with AI models.
Prototype and test AI tools for data summarization, Q&A, semantic search, text generation, and other advanced capabilities.
Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 40
Job Duty
Research Support and Collaboration
Collaborate closely with interdisciplinary researchers and administrative stakeholders, bridging technical and non-technical teams to identify and implement customized AI workflows or tools.
Assist in evaluating, fine-tuning, and deploying open-source or proprietary LLMs for domain-specific tasks.
Provide guidance on responsible AI use and model limitations in research contexts.
Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 25
Job Duty
Enterprise AI Integration
Work with IT and enterprise applications teams to identify opportunities to integrate GenAI into university business processes (e.g., knowledge management, process automation).
Ensure solutions comply with data security, privacy, and governance policies.
Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 20
Job Duty
Testing and Technical Documentation
Write documentation for developed tools, workflows, and APIs for review and audit.
Conduct model validation and performance evaluations in controlled environments.
Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 10
Job Duty
Continuous Learning and Innovation
Stay up-to-date on emerging AI models, frameworks, and best practices.
Participate in AI-related communities of practice or consortium activities representing the university.
Recommend and test new AI techniques that align with the university’s data strategy and digital transformation goals.
Participate in establishing and maintaining AI governance and responsible AI deployment frameworks, ensuring transparency, fairness, and compliance with university standards.