FLEX Senior Director and AI Research Scientist - Gen AI Studio

This is a temporary position.

Position Overview

The Senior Director & AI Research Scientist will serve as the behavioral science and organizational strategy lead within Marriott’s GenAI Studio. In this role, you will apply expertise in industrial-organizational psychology, human factors, and applied research to ensure that AI solutions are designed, implemented, and scaled with people at the center.

As a senior member of the GenAI Studio, you will partner with engineers, designers, data scientists, and business leaders to create human-first AI tools, assess workforce impact, and embed ethical, responsible AI practices into Marriott’s enterprise strategy. You will guide leaders in reimagining work, enabling adoption, and maximizing the value of AI across global operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Human-Centered AI Design:
   Lead the integration of behavioral science into the design of AI-enabled products and services, ensuring usability, trust, and transparency for associates and customers.
• Organizational Impact & Workforce Readiness:
   Conduct research and analysis to understand how AI affects roles, skills, workflows, and decision-making; partner with stakeholders to design strategies for adoption, upskilling, and job redesign.
• AI Ethics & Governance:
   Collaborate with Privacy, Legal, and Information Security teams to identify and mitigate bias, measure fairness, and develop responsible AI guardrails.
• Applied Research & Measurement:
   Design and execute qualitative and quantitative studies to evaluate AI tools in pilot and scaled environments; translate findings into actionable recommendations for executives and product teams.
• Change Enablement & Education:
   Build frameworks, training programs, and communications that accelerate responsible AI adoption, aligning with Marriott’s culture and operational priorities.
• Strategic Partnership:
   Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders across functions, helping identify high-value, human-centered AI use cases and shaping the enterprise’s future of work strategy.

Qualifications

Required

• Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Human Factors, Organizational Behavior, or related field.
• 10+ years’ experience applying behavioral science to organizational strategy, workforce analytics, and technology adoption.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives involving technical, business, and governance stakeholders.
• Experience in job/work analysis, organizational design, and large-scale change management.
• Strong research design, statistical analysis, and data visualization skills (R, Python, SQL, SPSS, or equivalent).
• Excellent communication skills, capable of translating complex research findings into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences.

Preferred

• Experience working with AI, ML, or automation tools in enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with AI ethics, responsible innovation principles, and model bias auditing.
• Background in hospitality, travel, or other customer-centric industries.

The pay range for this position is $68.07 to $109.38 per hour.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Washington Applicants Only: Employees will accrue 0.0334 PTO balance for every hour worked and eligible to receive minimum of 9 holidays annually.

FLEX opportunities offer coverage for medical, dental, vision, health care flexible spending account, dependent care flexible spending account, life insurance, disability insurance, accident insurance, adoption expense reimbursements, paid parental leave, 401(k) plan, stock purchase plan, discounts at Marriott properties, commuter benefits, employee assistance plan, and childcare discounts.  Benefits are subject to terms and conditions, which may include rules regarding eligibility, enrollment, waiting period, contribution, benefit limits, election changes, benefit exclusions, and others.

Marriott HQ is committed to a hybrid work environment that enables associates to Be connected.  Headquarters-based positions are considered hybrid, for candidates within a commuting distance to Bethesda, MD; candidates outside of commuting distance to Bethesda, MD will be considered for Remote positions.

The application deadline for this position is 14 days after the date of this posting, August 25, 2025.      

At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated. Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates.  We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.