How to hire an artificial intelligence specialist

How to hire an artificial intelligence specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step artificial intelligence specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an artificial intelligence specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new artificial intelligence specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post an artificial intelligence specialist job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The artificial intelligence specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An artificial intelligence specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, artificial intelligence specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of artificial intelligence specialists.

   Type of Artificial Intelligence Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Artificial Intelligence Specialist	Training and development specialists plan, conduct, and administer programs that train employees and improve their skills and knowledge.	$37-140
   Training Coordinator	A training coordinator is a professional who develops and conducts training programs for employees or volunteers. Training coordinators create printed and instructional materials as well as maintain an online library of training resources... Show more	$15-31
   Trainer Lead	As a training lead, you are responsible for overseeing a company's employee training and development activities. You are also expected to perform various tasks that may include identifying training needs for the organization, supervising trainers' work, and developing effective employee training programs... Show more	$22-53

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • Artificial Intelligence Techniques

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the human capital logistics, resources, (to include budget) and safety programs.
   • Provide authoritative advice and assistance to logistics representatives both locally and foreign and manages personnel to ensure objectives are meet.
   • Experience fusing intelligence products from multiple disciplines including SIGINT, GEOINT, HUMINT and OSINT.
   • Prepare threat assessments for DHS senior managers nationally and overseas.
   • Correlate and fuse technical, geographical, and operational intelligence information utilizing SIGINT, IMINT, ELINT, and OSINT.
   • Work with DOD programming processes.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your artificial intelligence specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An artificial intelligence specialist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, artificial intelligence specialists' average salary in alaska is 36% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level artificial intelligence specialists earn 73% less than senior-level artificial intelligence specialists.
   • Certifications. An artificial intelligence specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an artificial intelligence specialist's salary.

   Average artificial intelligence specialist salary

   $151,994yearly

   $73.07 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level artificial intelligence specialist salary

   $78,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing an artificial intelligence specialist job description

   A good artificial intelligence specialist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an artificial intelligence specialist job description:

   Artificial intelligence specialist job description example

   **Type of Requisition:** Regular
   
   **Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:** Top Secret/SCI
   
   **Public Trust/Other Required:** None
   
   **Job Family:** Cyber Engineering
   
   We are GDIT. The people supporting and securing some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. Our work has meaning and impact on the world around us, but also on us, and that's important.
   
   GDIT is your place. You make it your own by embracing autonomy, seizing opportunity, and being trusted to deliver your best every day.
   
   We think. We act. We deliver. There is no challenge we can't turn into opportunity. And our work depends on an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning SME joining our team to support the USSPACECOM J2 program at Peterson SFB, Colorado.
   
   The Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) SME will provide support to the Program Manager and the Government USSPACECOM J2 staff. Responsible for advising, developing, and managing data platform capabilities in support of USSPACECOM J2 intelligence operations.
   
   **Required Qualifications**
   
   + Bachelor's degree
   
   + Five plus (5+) years experience with data and analysis through use of predictive tools and automation
   
   + Five plus (5+) years experience of large scale data repository's and cloud infrastructure/services
   
   + Experience in cyber security principles, concepts, and methods ensuring confidentiality and integrity of information
   
   + Certification in accordance with DoD 8570.01-M (may include one of the following:Sec+ (or higher), SSCP, or GSEC
   
   + Active Top Secret (TS) clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
   
   **Desired Qualifications**
   
   + Master's degree and 5 -10 years experience
   
   COVID-19 Vaccination: GDIT does not have a vaccination mandate applicable to all employees. To protect the health and safety of its employees and to comply with customer requirements, however, GDIT may require employees in certain positions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination requirements will depend on the status of the federal contractor mandate and customer site requirements.
   
   We are GDIT. The people supporting some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We deliver. Bringing the expertise needed to understand and advance critical missions. We transform. Shifting the ways clients invest in, integrate, and innovate technology solutions. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. We are there. On the ground, beside our clients, in the lab, and everywhere in between. Offering the technology transformations, strategy, and mission services needed to get the job done.
   
   GDIT is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class.
   
   The likely salary range for this position is $89,648 - $149,698, this is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary; rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.
   
   Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match.To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available.We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find artificial intelligence specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any artificial intelligence specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level artificial intelligence specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your artificial intelligence specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit artificial intelligence specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit artificial intelligence specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new artificial intelligence specialist

   Once you've selected the best artificial intelligence specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new artificial intelligence specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an artificial intelligence specialist?