Lead AI Governance & QA Auditor – Data Scientist, AI Systems Audit, Compliance, AI Governance, AI Explainability, Python

Job description

**Before you apply to a job, select your language preference from the options available at the top right of this page.**

Explore your next opportunity at a Fortune Global 500 organization.

Envision innovative possibilities, experience our rewarding culture, and work with talented teams that help you become better every day.

We know what it takes to lead UPS into tomorrow—people with a unique combination of skill + passion.

If you have the qualities and drive to lead yourself or teams, there are roles ready to cultivate your skills and take you to the next level.

**Job Description:**

**Job Summary**

We are seeking a highly skilled **AI Governance, and QA Auditor** to evaluate, audit, and ensure the responsible, ethical, and compliant use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning systems.

This role is central to maintaining trust, fairness, transparency, and regulatory alignment across AI/ML initiatives, while driving continuous improvement in model development, deployment, and monitoring practices.

The candidate will collaborate with data scientists, engineers, risk/compliance teams, and business stakeholders to establish and enforce AI governance frameworks, leveraging advanced tools such as **IBM Watsonx Governance** .

**Key Responsibilities**

**AI Assurance & Quality Auditing**

+ **Design framework for technical auditing** of AI/ML systems that avoid costly mistakes.
+ Conduct independent audits of a variety of AI/ML systems in the areas **of Gen AI, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision** .
+ Verify compliance **with benchmark standards, external regulations, and ethical AI principles** .
+ Assess data quality, feature engineering practices, and model development pipelines for reproducibility, fairness, and bias mitigation.
+ Evaluate ML model performance, robustness, explainability, and alignment with intended business outcomes.
+ Review deployment processes, model versioning, and monitoring practices to ensure traceability and accountability.
+ Utilize **Watsonx Governance** and other enterprise AI governance tools to audit and validate responsible AI practices.

**AI Governance & Risk Management**

+ Define, implement, and maintain **AI governance frameworks, policies, and best practices** .
+ Identify AI risks (bias, drift, adversarial attacks, misuse) and recommend mitigation strategies.
+ Ensure compliance with **AI regulations and standards** (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001, GDPR, industry-specific frameworks).
+ Establish governance checkpoints across the AI lifecycle (data collection, training, validation, deployment, monitoring).
+ Leverage **Watsonx Governance** for automated policy enforcement, lineage tracking, and audit readiness.

**Compliance & Ethical AI**

+ Audit AI/ML systems for fairness, inclusivity, accountability, and transparency.
+ Ensure model documentation, datasheets, and audit trails are consistently maintained.
+ Provide assurance reports for regulators, clients, and internal executives.
+ Monitor emerging AI regulations and update governance policies accordingly.

**Collaboration & Advisory**

+ Partner with Data Science, MLOps, and Product teams to embed assurance-by-design practices.
+ Educate stakeholders on AI risks, governance policies, and responsible AI principles.
+ Act as an internal advisor for audits, compliance reviews, and external certifications.

**Qualifications & Skills:**

**Education**

Bachelor’s degree in **Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering, or a related quantitative field** .

Master’s/PhD or certification in **AI Governance, Risk & Compliance, or Data Ethics** is preferred.

**Required Experience**

+ **10+ years of overall professional experience** , with **at least 5 years in AI/ML model development, assurance, risk management, or audit functions** .
+ Hands-on expertise with **Data Science workflows, ML model evaluation, and MLOps pipelines** .
+ Prior experience in **regulatory compliance, IT audit, or QA within financial services, healthcare, or other regulated industries** is a plus.
+ Technical Skills
+ Strong understanding of **machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI** .
+ Familiarity with **AI auditing tools** (e.g., Fairlearn, Aequitas, SHAP, LIME, Explainable AI frameworks).
+ Proficiency in **Python, SQL, and model evaluation libraries** .
+ Knowledge of **cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and enterprise governance solutions such as IBM Watsonx Governance, Vertex AI Model Monitoring, and Watson OpenScale** .
+ **Governance & Regulatory Skills**
+ Knowledge of **AI risk management frameworks** (NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001, OECD AI Principles).
+ Understanding of **data protection and privacy laws** (GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA).
+ Ability to translate technical findings into **executive-level risk and compliance reports** .

**Soft Skills**

+ Strong analytical and critical thinking with attention to detail.
+ Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
+ Ability to act as an independent, objective voice in AI governance matters.

**Employee Type:**

Permanent

UPS is committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Required Skill Profession

Other General