AI Technology Specialist

This position provides specialized technical support and project guidance within the CSE AI Makerspace. The role serves as a direct customer support and training contact as well as a higher level resource for undergraduate student technicians to assist users with Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects, robotics, edge computing, and facilitate access to HPC and Cloud Computing services.

The specialist also oversees the lifecycle of student and staff projects, from proposal to implementation. This involves providing expertise on and access to University provided AI tools like Gemini and Copilot, as well as open source models and hardware. This is a 100% on-site position that requires working evening hours until 8pm.

Location and Work environment: 125 Walter Library, In person

Work Schedule: 35 hours per week, consisting of 31 hours scheduled Monday-Friday (ending by 8:00 pm) and 4 hours on Saturdays (12:00 pm-4:00 pm). Overtime and consecutive Sunday work are not conditions of employment.

Primary Responsibilities:
AI Project Coordination and Technical Support (45%)

• Provide technical support to AI Makerspace users and student workers for University-provided artificial intelligence (AI) tools including Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and NotebookLM.
• Manage the project intake process by leading weekly reviews to determine the viability of student and staff project proposals.
• Serve as the main point of escalation for student workers who need help with technical troubleshooting or resource approvals.
• Help design and implement internal AI tools, such as Gemini Gems, to improve makerspace operations and administrative tasks.
• Guide users on the implementation of open source models from HuggingFace and other repositories.
• Execute and assist others with NVIDIA DGX playbooks and high performance computing tasks.
• Onboard users into our HPC environment (MSI) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure)
• Serve as an on-site point of contact for student workers in the AI Makerspace and the Anderson Labs.

Hardware and Robotics Support (30%)

• Provide hands-on training to AI Makerspace users and student workers for microcontrollers (ESP32) and edge devices (Raspberry Pi and NVIDIA Jetson).
• Support AI Makerspace users' robotics projects involving hardware assembly and software frameworks like ROS or ROS2.
• Maintain and troubleshoot in room hardware including LIDAR sensors, computer vision stations, and local AI platforms like ComfyUI.
• Perform routine maintenance on makerspace equipment and keep an accurate inventory of components and kits.

Workshops and User Training (25%)

• Create and lead workshops for students and faculty on topics like prompt engineering, model fine tuning, and responsible AI use.
• Help faculty design and implement AI labs and course materials that use makerspace resources.
• Consult with users to brainstorm project ideas and identify the right AI tools for their specific goals.
• Develop documentation, user guides, and project tutorials for the makerspace website and internal knowledge base.

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree plus at least two years of related experience, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least six years. Related education and work experience could include Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Data Science, or a related science/engineering discipline, working with AI tools, and customer service.
• Experience providing direct customer service including hands-on user support and instruction
• Intermediate skill with Python, bash, and common AI tools, repositories, and frameworks (NumPy, Pandas, PyTorch, HuggingFace, etc).
• Experience training, modifying, and deploying AI models and tools such as text-to-speech, image-to-3d, data science tools, text-to-video, and related models.
• Experience with practical implementation/integration/deployment of AI powered tools, such as local models, APIs/online services, agents, and coding assistants.
• Ability to work on-site during evening hours until 8pm.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with robotics hardware and software like ROS2 or NVIDIA Jetson
• Familiarity with containerization tools like Docker or Conda and python virtual environments
• Experience with modern and emerging AI use cases such as RAG, VLMs, and GenAI
• Experience with the NVIDIA AI hardware ecosystem including DGX Systems, DGX OS, and DGX Playbooks
• Ability to support in-room A/V systems and conferencing hardware
• Experience managing or coordinating technical projects
• Ability to work up to 4 hours on Saturdays

The CSE AI Makerspace is a dedicated facility within the College of Science and Engineering that provides students, faculty, and staff with the tools and computing power needed to explore and experiment with artificial intelligence concepts and technologies. Our mission is to democratize access to AI by providing high end hardware, software, and expert guidance. We support a community of makers through hands-on projects, workshops, and interdisciplinary collaboration. We focus on practical application, responsible AI use (ethical as well as environmental), and fostering a space where students can engage with AI at any level and move from ideas to practical applications.

Pay Range: $25.55-$29.00 per hour; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 87.5% Appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service & Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).