STEM OPT AI Data Specialist Jobs
AI Data Specialist roles in machine learning, data labeling, and AI pipeline management qualify for STEM OPT because they sit under STEM-designated CIP codes in computer science and data science. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and your 24-month STEM OPT extension gives you up to 36 months total to build experience in this field.
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Get Access To All JobsJob no: 493900
Work type: Professional
Location: Norman
Categories: Technology/Research
Pay Range: Targeted salary up to $72,000, depending on education and experience.
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Travel: Not required
For Best Consideration Date: October 1, 2026
Position Introduction:
The University of Oklahoma Libraries seeks to recruit a Research Data and AI Specialist to advance research data services that support computational, reproducible, and AI-enabled research across the University Libraries system. As research increasingly relies on large, complex datasets and emerging computational methods, this position helps researchers manage, analyze, preserve, and responsibly use research data within computational and reproducible workflows. The Research Data and AI Specialist provides consultations, instruction, and embedded research support on research data management, computational and reproducible workflows, and the ethical application of artificial intelligence to research processes. Working collaboratively with Libraries and campus partners, the position scales services, cultivates data and AI literacy, and expands institutional capacity for responsible, transparent, reproducible, and sustainable research. Responsibilities include providing consultations and instruction; advising on data management plans, metadata standards, computational and reproducible research practices, and research data sharing; developing services that enable long-term stewardship and access to research outputs; supporting responsible AI-enabled research workflows; collaborating with campus partners to advance open science initiatives; and evaluating emerging technologies that strengthen research support across the university.
The successful candidate will be required to have the following skills and competencies:
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Demonstrated experience consulting with researchers or clients on technical topics.
- Experience supporting computational, data-intensive, or research computing workflows.
- Experience applying research data management principles, including documentation, metadata, data organization, preservation, or data sharing.
- Experience using, evaluating, or supporting AI-enabled tools, computational methods, or machine learning applications in research, education, or professional settings.
- Proficiency in scripting languages (Python and/or R) for data manipulation and analysis.
- Proficiency in Git/GitHub, research data repositories, and metadata management and documentation practices.
- Ability to listen to research needs and recommend appropriate solutions and develop scalable services and programs.
- Ability to design and deliver effective learning experiences for researchers with diverse technical backgrounds.
- Comfortable working across disciplines with varying data types and methodologies.
- Understanding research ethics, data privacy, and responsible AI use.
- Works effectively in team environments and builds cross-functional partnerships.
- Stays current with rapidly evolving AI and data technologies.
- Analytical thinking with the ability to troubleshoot complex technical challenges.
- Demonstrates intellectual curiosity and the ability to learn emerging technologies while translating them into practical research applications.
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree.
- 36 months of experience in computer programming and analysis.
Equivalency/Substitution: Will accept 48 months of related experience in lieu of the Bachelor's degree for a total of 84 months of related experience.
Department Preferences:
- Master's degree in a relevant field.
- Experience supporting computational and reproducible research workflows, high-performance computing, or cloud-based research environments.
- Experience supporting researchers in the health sciences or other data-intensive research disciplines.
- Knowledge of open science, reproducibility, and scholarly communication practices.
- Familiarity with AI ethics frameworks and responsible AI practices.
- Familiarity with institutional, governmental, or funding agency guidance related to AI use in research.
- Knowledge of discipline-specific data standards and repositories.
- Experience developing and delivering training or workshops.
- Background in academic or research institution settings.
- Understanding grant funding requirements (e.g., NSF, NIH data management plans).
- Proficiency in Python and/or R, Linux/Command Line, Cloud research platforms, data wrangling and transformation, data visualization.
Hiring Contingent Upon a Background Check: Yes
Advertised: 24 Aug 2026 Central Daylight Time
Applications close: 22 Nov 2026 Central Standard Time
Job no: 493900
Work type: Professional
Location: Norman
Categories: Technology/Research
Pay Range: Targeted salary up to $72,000, depending on education and experience.
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Travel: Not required
For Best Consideration Date: October 1, 2026
Position Introduction:
The University of Oklahoma Libraries seeks to recruit a Research Data and AI Specialist to advance research data services that support computational, reproducible, and AI-enabled research across the University Libraries system. As research increasingly relies on large, complex datasets and emerging computational methods, this position helps researchers manage, analyze, preserve, and responsibly use research data within computational and reproducible workflows. The Research Data and AI Specialist provides consultations, instruction, and embedded research support on research data management, computational and reproducible workflows, and the ethical application of artificial intelligence to research processes. Working collaboratively with Libraries and campus partners, the position scales services, cultivates data and AI literacy, and expands institutional capacity for responsible, transparent, reproducible, and sustainable research. Responsibilities include providing consultations and instruction; advising on data management plans, metadata standards, computational and reproducible research practices, and research data sharing; developing services that enable long-term stewardship and access to research outputs; supporting responsible AI-enabled research workflows; collaborating with campus partners to advance open science initiatives; and evaluating emerging technologies that strengthen research support across the university.
The successful candidate will be required to have the following skills and competencies:
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Demonstrated experience consulting with researchers or clients on technical topics.
- Experience supporting computational, data-intensive, or research computing workflows.
- Experience applying research data management principles, including documentation, metadata, data organization, preservation, or data sharing.
- Experience using, evaluating, or supporting AI-enabled tools, computational methods, or machine learning applications in research, education, or professional settings.
- Proficiency in scripting languages (Python and/or R) for data manipulation and analysis.
- Proficiency in Git/GitHub, research data repositories, and metadata management and documentation practices.
- Ability to listen to research needs and recommend appropriate solutions and develop scalable services and programs.
- Ability to design and deliver effective learning experiences for researchers with diverse technical backgrounds.
- Comfortable working across disciplines with varying data types and methodologies.
- Understanding research ethics, data privacy, and responsible AI use.
- Works effectively in team environments and builds cross-functional partnerships.
- Stays current with rapidly evolving AI and data technologies.
- Analytical thinking with the ability to troubleshoot complex technical challenges.
- Demonstrates intellectual curiosity and the ability to learn emerging technologies while translating them into practical research applications.
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree.
- 36 months of experience in computer programming and analysis.
Equivalency/Substitution: Will accept 48 months of related experience in lieu of the Bachelor's degree for a total of 84 months of related experience.
Department Preferences:
- Master's degree in a relevant field.
- Experience supporting computational and reproducible research workflows, high-performance computing, or cloud-based research environments.
- Experience supporting researchers in the health sciences or other data-intensive research disciplines.
- Knowledge of open science, reproducibility, and scholarly communication practices.
- Familiarity with AI ethics frameworks and responsible AI practices.
- Familiarity with institutional, governmental, or funding agency guidance related to AI use in research.
- Knowledge of discipline-specific data standards and repositories.
- Experience developing and delivering training or workshops.
- Background in academic or research institution settings.
- Understanding grant funding requirements (e.g., NSF, NIH data management plans).
- Proficiency in Python and/or R, Linux/Command Line, Cloud research platforms, data wrangling and transformation, data visualization.
Hiring Contingent Upon a Background Check: Yes
Advertised: 24 Aug 2026 Central Daylight Time
Applications close: 22 Nov 2026 Central Standard Time
See all 279+ STEM OPT AI Data Specialist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT AI Data Specialist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as an AI Data Specialist
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your degree's CIP code is on the STEM Designated Degree Program List maintained by ICE. Computer science (11.07), data science (11.04), and statistics (27.05) all qualify, but interdisciplinary AI programs can vary by institution.
Screen job postings for E-Verify enrollment
Before sending any application, confirm the employer is enrolled in E-Verify through the E-Verify employer search. Sponsors who aren't enrolled cannot legally hire STEM OPT students, and postings rarely flag this gap upfront.
Align your I-983 training plan to AI Data Specialist duties
Your I-983 must tie your training objectives to specific role tasks, such as data annotation, model evaluation, or pipeline QA. Vague plans get flagged by DSOs, so map each objective to a concrete deliverable your manager can describe.
Target employers with active LCA filings in AI roles
Use Migrate Mate to filter employers by Labor Condition Application filings under AI and data science job categories, so you're targeting companies that have already filed the DOL paperwork for roles matching your background.
Negotiate your start date around OPT cap-gap timing
If your initial 12-month OPT expires while an H-1B visa petition is pending, cap-gap rules let you keep working. Confirm your offer letter start date leaves enough lead time for your DSO to authorize the STEM OPT extension before your current EAD runs out.
Pull prevailing wage data before every offer evaluation
Run the AI Data Specialist SOC code through the OFLC Wage Search to see the Level I through Level IV prevailing wage for your metro area. Your offer must meet the prevailing wage for any future LCA your employer files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my degree qualify me for the STEM OPT extension as an AI Data Specialist?
Your degree qualifies if it carries a STEM-designated CIP code, such as computer science, data science, statistics, or a related engineering field. The role itself doesn't determine eligibility; your degree program does. Check the ICE STEM Designated Degree Program List against your transcript's CIP code, and confirm with your DSO before applying for positions.
What E-Verify requirement applies to my STEM OPT employer?
Every employer that hires a STEM OPT student must be enrolled in E-Verify at the specific worksite where you'll work. If your company uses a staffing agency or a third-party client site, the end client must also be enrolled. USCIS requires your DSO to confirm E-Verify enrollment before authorizing your STEM OPT extension, so verify this before accepting an offer.
What should the I-983 training plan include for an AI Data Specialist role?
Your I-983 must describe how the position provides practical training in your STEM field. For AI Data Specialist roles, that means listing specific learning objectives tied to tasks like data labeling methodologies, model performance evaluation, dataset quality assurance, or annotation pipeline management. Your supervisor must sign off on the plan, and your DSO reviews it for academic relevance before approving the extension.
How do I find AI Data Specialist jobs at companies enrolled in E-Verify?
Use Migrate Mate to search AI Data Specialist roles filtered for STEM OPT eligibility. The platform surfaces employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and active Labor Condition Application filings, so you're not spending time applying to companies that can't legally hire STEM OPT students. Standard job boards don't filter for E-Verify status, which makes this the most direct approach.
What happens to my STEM OPT work authorization if I receive an H-1B and my EAD expires before October 1?
Cap-gap protection automatically extends your work authorization if your H-1B petition is filed before your OPT EAD expires and your petition is selected in the lottery. You can keep working under cap-gap until October 1, when the new H-1B fiscal year begins. USCIS confirms cap-gap eligibility on your I-20, which your DSO updates once your employer files the H-1B petition.