Description

**This position is open until filled with a first review date of 03/23/2026**

The City of Palm Desert provides exemplary and sustainable services, amenities and programs for the benefit of the local and surrounding communities. When you interact with a City employee, you will find our collaborative, driven and efficient staff working together to provide strategic solutions for the community and each other. We are a city focused on external and internal customer service and try to find a way to say “yes,” while not compromising the City’s or our own integrity. Our efforts are guided by our core values:  

• Integrity
• Stewardship
• Service
• Community
• Innovation
• Teamwork 

Our employees are passionate about innovation, collaboration and growth, which is supported by the City’s Council and Executive Team. We are an environment that thrives on making changes, pivoting quickly, and is full of movers and shakers. We are constantly striving to improve processes and better our approach so that we can better support the needs of the City. If you have growth mindset and find change exciting, the City of Palm Desert may be your ideal working environment!

THE OPPORTUNITY
The City of Palm Desert is looking for an innovative and thoughtful leader to become its first Artificial Intelligence Officer. This is a rare opportunity to help define how a city uses artificial intelligence and automation to improve public service, modernize operations, and responsibly prepare for the future.

In this high-impact role, you will serve as the City’s leading expert on AI and automation, helping departments identify real-world opportunities, evaluate emerging technologies, and implement solutions that are practical, secure, and aligned with public sector values. You will advise executive leadership, guide responsible governance, and help ensure that innovation strengthens service delivery while protecting public trust.

If you are energized by the challenge of turning emerging technology into measurable operational value, and you can balance innovation with sound judgment, this role offers the chance to build something meaningful at the enterprise level in a dynamic municipal environment.

Key Responsibilities include:
  Leading the City’s efforts to evaluate and implement artificial intelligence and automation solutions
  Identifying opportunities to improve workflows, efficiency, and service delivery across departments
  Advising executive leadership on the opportunities, risks, and operational impacts of AI investments
  Establishing responsible use standards and governance practices for AI adoption
  Reviewing data readiness, system capabilities, and vendor solutions to support informed decision-making
  Overseeing pilots, proofs of concept, and phased implementations to ensure performance and value
  Partnering with departments and IT staff to align AI initiatives with enterprise goals, security practices, and operational needs
  Training and guiding staff on the effective and responsible use of approved AI tools and platforms

Under general direction, serves as the City’s principal authority and subject-matter expert on artificial intelligence and automation technologies and their responsible application within municipal operations. Leads the evaluation, governance, and implementation oversight of AI-enabled and automated tools to improve service delivery, operational effectiveness, and organizational capacity. Assesses technical feasibility, data readiness, operational impact, and risk considerations associated with proposed solutions. Provides informed, independent advisory support to executive leadership regarding AI capabilities, automation opportunities, limitations, and investment priorities. Advances responsible, secure, and practical adoption of artificial intelligence and automation across City departments.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives general direction from the City Clerk or designee. May exercise direct supervision over assigned staff and may provide indirect, functional or project-based direction to lower-level staff, consultants, or project teams.

Class Characteristics:
This is a management-level, enterprise-facing classification responsible for establishing and advancing the City’s institutional capability in artificial intelligence and automation. The incumbent operates with Citywide visibility and authority in matters related to AI evaluation, governance, data readiness, and implementation oversight. The work requires strong practical understanding of artificial intelligence systems, including generative AI and machine learning applications, as well as automation platforms and enterprise systems that incorporate AI functionality. The role emphasizes applied solutions that produce measurable operational value while maintaining appropriate public sector safeguards. The Artificial Intelligence Officer advises executive leadership on AI and automation opportunities, risks, operational implications, and implementation sequencing. The position ensures that adoption is deliberate, informed, secure, and aligned with municipal responsibilities and public trust.The incumbent organizes and oversees day-to-day artificial intelligence and automation activities and operations including short- and long-term planning as well as development, recommendation, and administration of Division-related policies, procedures, and services. Responsibilities emphasize diverse, specialized, and complex work involving significant accountability and decision-making. Successful performance of the work requires a professional background in artificial intelligence and automation as well as skill in coordinating work with other City divisions, departments, and public agencies.

Examples of Typical Job Functions:
Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Serves as the City’s principal advisor on artificial intelligence and automation technologies and their appropriate use in municipal operations; provide instruction and technical assistance in the artificial intelligence and automation.
• Evaluates AI platforms, automation tools, and vendor proposals to determine suitability, practicality, integration considerations, cost effectiveness, and operational impact. 
• Develops executive analyses, briefings, and recommendations regarding AI and automation investments, implementation priorities, and risk considerations; monitors emerging AI and automation technologies, industry practices, and regulatory developments and advises leadership on potential implications for municipal operations.
• Reviews system capabilities, model documentation, performance measures, and vendor representations to support informed decision-making.
• Assesses enterprise data quality, structure, accessibility, and consistency to determine readiness for AI-enabled or automated applications and identifies practical steps necessary to improve data usability.
• Establishes and maintains clear standards and guidelines for responsible use of AI and automation technologies, including transparency, human oversight, data protection awareness, and bias mitigation considerations appropriate for public sector use. 
• Provides practical instruction and guidance to staff regarding effective and responsible use of approved AI tools, automation platforms, and enterprise systems that incorporate AI functionality.
• Conducts feasibility assessments to determine whether AI-enabled or automated solutions may improve workflows, enhance service delivery, increase efficiency, or support informed staffing discussions.
• Oversees pilot initiatives, proofs of concept, phased implementations, and post-deployment evaluations to ensure solutions perform as intended and deliver measurable value.
• Collaborates with departments to identify operational challenges that may be addressed through AI-enabled or automated tools.
• Coordinates with the Information Technology Division to ensure AI and automation solutions align with enterprise systems, security practices, and long-term support considerations.
• Develops and standardizes procedures and methods to improve operations, and continuously monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of assigned programs, service delivery methods, and procedures; assesses and monitors workload, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identifies opportunities for improvement and recommends changes to management.
• Participate in the development of the division's annual budget.
• Prepare written reports, ordinances, and correspondence as required. Presents information and provides training. 
• Supervise, train, and evaluate subordinates; provide instruction and technical assistance in the artificial intelligence and automation, and relevant policies and objectives to subordinates.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and City policies and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Artificial intelligence technologies, including generative AI and machine learning concepts, practical applications, and operational limitations.
• Automation platforms, workflow technologies, and AI-enabled enterprise applications.
• AI governance frameworks, risk management principles, bias mitigation practices, transparency standards, and public sector regulatory considerations.
• Data quality, data readiness, and information management principles affecting AI and automation effectiveness.
• Methods for evaluating AI and automation tools and assessing operational and financial impact.
• Operational workflow analysis and process improvement methodologies.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws affecting technology use, data protection, and public records in a municipal environment.
• Principles, practices, functions, and activities of municipal government administration, including the analysis and evaluation of projects, programs, policies, procedures, and operational needs.
• Principles and practices of managerial planning, organizing, directing, staffing, and financial control, as well as goal setting and program development/implementation.
• Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures.
• Public agency budgetary, contract administration, administrative practices, and general principles of risk management related to the functions of the assigned area.
• Professional methods of researching issues, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations, and preparing and presenting effective staff reports.
• Recent and on-going developments, current literature, and sources of information related to assigned programs and services.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies and various business, professional, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to:

• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Serve as a credible and informed authority on artificial intelligence and automation technologies.
• Evaluate AI and automation systems and vendor claims using sound technical judgment.
• Assess data readiness and identify practical improvement pathways.
• Balance innovation with appropriate public sector safeguards and risk awareness.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly and practically to executive leadership and non-technical staff.
• Provide clear, balanced recommendations regarding AI and automation adoption.
• Guide departments in responsible and effective implementation of AI-enabled and automated tools.
• Prepare concise, analytically sound executive reports and recommendations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships across departments and organizational levels.
• Ability to plan, direct, and coordinate the work of subordinates.
• Ability to serve the public and fellow employees with honesty and integrity.
• Ability to deal effectively with members of the public and to work cooperatively with the City and employees.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion in decision making and all phases of responsibilities.
• Plan, organize, assign, review, and evaluate the work of staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the employees, general public, co-workers, contractors, City officials, and members of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Ability to plan and organize workload to achieve stated objectives in a timely, efficient, and effective manner.
• Ability to communicate effectively and persuasively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to withstand pressure of competing priorities and varied responsibilities.
• Ability to work efficiently and effectively to develop win-win solutions.
• Ability to evaluate the impact of alternative courses of action and evaluate circumstances of an innovative, new, or unprecedented nature.
• Exercise appropriate discretion when dealing with the public and employees on sensitive or confidential matters.
• Evaluate programs and services from an operational and productivity standpoint.
• Direct and provide excellent customer service.
• Skillfully and safely operate a motor vehicle when required while performing work duties.
• Skill in using Office (including Microsoft Word and Excel) and job-related software.
• Communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: 

Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in information systems, computer science, data science, analytics, business administration, public administration, or a related field; and three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience involving artificial intelligence, automation, enterprise applications, digital transformation, or technology evaluation within a governmental or complex organizational environment.

Licenses and Certifications

May occasionally drive a personal or City vehicle. A valid and appropriate California driver's license and an acceptable driving record are required.

Physical Demands

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle and to visit various City and meeting sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 10 pounds with the use of proper equipment. 

When in the field, must possess mobility to work in changing site conditions; possess the strength, stamina, and mobility to perform light to medium physical work; to sit, stand, and walk on level, uneven, or slippery surfaces; to reach, twist, turn, kneel, and bend, to climb and descend ladders; and to operate a motor vehicle and visit various City sites; vision to inspect site conditions and work in progress.  The job involves fieldwork requiring frequent walking in operational areas to identify problems or hazards, with exposure to hazardous materials in some site locations.   

Reasonable accommodations will be made for individuals on a case-by-case basis.

Environmental Elements

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees occasionally work in the field and may be exposed to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, road hazards, vibration, mechanical and/or electrical hazards, and hazardous physical substances and fumes. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.