Head of AI and Program Technology Engineering

About the Role

The International Rescue Committee seeks a Head of AI and Program Technology Engineering to lead the translation of IRC’s AI strategy into a prioritized technical roadmap, working closely with programme leaders across the organisation. The position bridges humanitarian innovation with AI deployment, overseeing a team of engineers, applied AI engineers, and QA specialists. The role can be based in Nairobi or other IRC locations.

This is a senior leadership position for an engineer with a strong production AI background who wants their work to have direct humanitarian impact. The deadline to apply is 31 August 2026.

Responsibilities

• Build and execute a technical roadmap for agentic systems, multimodal models, and edge/on-device AI inference across IRC programmes
• Lead and develop a team of engineers and applied AI engineers, establishing quality standards and development practices
• Champion responsible, human-centered AI deployment in sensitive humanitarian contexts
• Collaborate with programme leaders to identify AI use cases and deliver field-tested solutions
• Coordinate enterprise-wide AI scaling with the Applications team
• Manage innovation backlogs, secure budget resources, and report to senior leadership

Requirements

• Demonstrated production AI experience: LLM applications, agentic frameworks, RAG systems, computer vision, or applied ML pipelines
• Full-stack proficiency in Python and JavaScript/TypeScript with modern frameworks
• Cloud architecture knowledge, with Azure preferred
• Data security and privacy expertise for sensitive humanitarian information
• Track record leading and growing engineering teams
• Strong written English and ability to work across cultures and time zones

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with edge/on-device inference and model quantization
• Experience deploying AI systems in low-connectivity environments
• Background in the international humanitarian or development sector
• Knowledge of data governance frameworks for sensitive populations

How to Apply

Apply directly through the IRC careers portal at theirc.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com using the job reference JR00003622 before 31 August 2026. Submit your resume and complete the online application. Candidates based in multiple IRC operating countries are considered.