According to a job posting on USAjobs.gov, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is looking to hire a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) and is accepting applications until June 4 for a permanent replacement for the agency's Chief Information Officer (CIO), Guy Cavallo.

The Office of Personnel Management's CAIO Hiring

The job posting emphasizes that the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) will play a crucial role in shaping the enterprise vision for AI use, adoption, and security both for customers and within the OPM and will be responsible for coordinating and aligning AI development to ensure its safe and secure utilization across the organization and in externally facing applications.

Furthermore, the job posting outlines that the CAIO will advise the OPM director, deputy director, and other senior agency officials on securely developing and utilizing AI and establishing governance and oversight procedures to adhere to pertinent regulations and guidelines, ensuring responsible AI usage throughout the agency. They will also establish procedures to ensure that the agency follows AI governance and oversight to ensure responsible use of Government AI initiatives across the organization.

According to the job description, the CAIO will create infrastructure, workforce development plans, policies, and resources to encourage AI innovation in a safe, effective, and responsible way, as well as suggestions on how AI can enhance the achievement of important agency goals.

The job description highlights that the CAIO must stay informed about all AI government initiatives within the agency. Additionally, they will need to provide guidance and collaboration to program offices regarding the utilization of AI to enhance key human capital management functions across the federal workforce. The pay ranges from $147,649 to $204,000 per year, and the CAIO is eligible for telework.

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OPM Providing Agencies an AI Hiring Playbook

Last February, the OPM released an AI Hiring Playbook for agencies seeking to bolster their artificial intelligence workforce development. This comprehensive guide summarizes details about available pay, leave, and workforce flexibilities for AI specialists and other critical government technology positions.

February's guidance comes several months since the issuance of a comprehensive executive order on AI last fall that included various mandates concerning the recruitment of AI experts and the retraining of current federal employees on AI technology, both of which stakeholders believe are crucial for the overall success of the executive order. The order, which specifically established a to-do item, tasked OPM with guidance on how agencies could utilize existing pay flexibilities for AI positions.

According to the guidance, the majority of flexibilities and authorities outlined do not necessitate OPM's approval before agencies can utilize them. However, there are certain exceptions, such as critical pay, which do require approval from OPM before implementation, where agencies will possess significant discretionary authority to leverage various pay flexibility, incentive pay, leave, and workforce flexibility programs to aid their recruitment, relocation, and retention endeavors for AI, AI-enabling, and other crucial technical staff. It also emphasizes that agencies can employ different flexibilities concurrently to attract and retain talent.

OPM further suggests that agencies can utilize leave and workforce flexibilities aside from pay incentives. These include enabling federal employees to work during alternative hours beyond the standard five-day work week or allowing remote work arrangements.

OPM has already granted government-wide direct hire authorities for specific AI-related positions and temporary, excepted service appointments under Schedule A for roles that assist in implementation efforts. Additionally, the executive order mandates other tasks for OPM, such as initiating pooled hiring actions and providing guidance on skills-based hiring for AI, data, and technology talent.

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