Sr Director Analyst - Physical AI Safety & Security

This is an individual contributor role, based remotely in North America

Description

When you join Gartner, you’ll be part of a team that values curiosity, expert insights, bold ideas, and intellectual courage, while driving partnerships with global organizations to make the right decisions on their key initiatives. Through constant learning, discovery, innovation, and collaboration, you’ll not only help clients accomplish their mission-critical priorities but also grow your career and the scope of your impact across industries. If you’re always looking for what’s next in business and technology, Gartner is looking for you.

Gartner Analysts are industry thought leaders who create must-have insights, market predictions and best practices for world-leading organizations. A Senior Director Analyst is a leader at Gartner and within their area of emerging technology research, making them a trusted source of guidance and advice for clients. As the subject matter expert, a Senior Director Analyst produces innovative, pragmatic and provocative written content, and is a decision-maker and leader of cross-team and cross-practice initiatives. They also engage with clients directly through virtual and in-person interactions, meetings, conferences and industry events. The Senior Director Analyst will challenge clients to reframe their thinking across key initiatives, interpret contextual realities and propose new ways to obtain data to solve complex problems and improve client performance.

What you will do:

• Lead research initiatives on emerging AI safety and security topics with a focus on the convergence of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, robotics and other physical AI solutions that interact with and transform the physical world

• Develop and execute comprehensive research agendas covering AI safety and security for the physical AI ecosystem, including AI-driven autonomous systems, agentic systems, sensor technologies, robotics, and AI-hardware integration
• Serve as a primary authority on physical AI safety and security technologies and related market dynamics, to deliver insights that inform strategic decisions, investment priorities, and physical AI-related product/service recommendations.
• Identify AI-related emerging trends, breakthrough technologies, and potential disruptions before they become mainstream
• Lead primary research initiatives including expert interviews, technical assessments, case study development, and both qualitative and quantitative analysis of emerging market technologies and trends
• Analyze the competitive landscape across emerging physical AI business use cases and applications, tracking key players from startups to established companies
• Assess AI technology readiness levels, commercialization pathways, and adoption barriers across different sectors
• Evaluate geopolitical dimensions of physical AI development, including international competition, export controls, and regulatory frameworks
• Author authoritative research papers and briefings on physical AI trends, opportunities, and implications
• Present research findings to diverse audiences including C-level executives, product leaders, investors, and technical communities
• Support and help build Gartner’s reputation as the global authority on AI
• Cultivate relationships with researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry practitioners in the physical AI ecosystem
• Synthesize perspectives from technical experts, end users, and specialists in and facilitate dialogue between stakeholders with different perspectives on physical AI safety and security

What you will need:

• 12+ years of relevant field or industry experience
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; Graduate degree preferred
• Deep understanding of emerging AI enabled software development tools and Agent technologies, markets, costs, and providers
• Recent experience in bringing AI-driven solutions to market
• A strong focus on detail and ability to understand the requirements of complex systems that call for an all-new approach to cybersecurity
• Critical thinking, curiosity, and self-motivation to discover and make sense of early emerging technology signals
• Strong written and verbal proficiency, analytical, and presentation skills
• Executive presence with the ability to engage C-level provider and end-user clients and respond effectively to questions to quickly build rapport
• Relentless drive to understand emerging technologies and their implications, comfortable operating at the frontier of knowledge where answers are uncertain
• Strong foundational understanding of AI risk management

Preferred:

• Understanding of the rapidly emerging field of physical AI
• Experience working across multiple industry sectors such as defense, logistics, real estate (facilities management), and/or manufacturing
• Strong understanding of human resource management and a vision for how agents (both physical and digital) may augment/replace human capabilities in the future
• Prior experience managing research projects or complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives that call for a high level of attention to detail on safety and security
• Hands-on experience developing, deploying, or operating AI-driven solutions
• Experience with emerging areas such as agentic AI, world models, reasoning models, robotics, or autonomous weapons policy
• Publications in large enterprise reports, periodicals, or industry publications.
• Multilingual capabilities

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Who are we?

At Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT), we guide the leaders who shape the world.

Our mission relies on expert analysis and bold ideas to deliver actionable, objective business and technology insights, helping enterprise leaders and their teams succeed with their mission-critical priorities.

Since our founding in 1979, we’ve grown to 20,000 associates globally who support over 13,000 client enterprises in ~90 countries and territories. We do important, interesting and substantive work that matters. That’s why we hire associates with the intellectual curiosity, energy and drive to want to make a difference. The bar is unapologetically high. So is the impact you can have here.

What makes Gartner a great place to work?

Our vast, virtually untapped market potential offers limitless opportunities – opportunities that may not even exist right now – for you to grow professionally and flourish personally. How far you go is driven by your passion and performance.

We hire remarkable people who collaborate and win as a team. Together, our singular, unifying goal is to deliver results for our clients.

Our teams are inclusive and composed of individuals from different geographies, cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and generations.

We invest in great leaders who bring out the best in you and the company, enabling us to multiply our impact and results. This is why, year after year, we are recognized worldwide as a great place to work.

Gartner is the world authority on AI

At Gartner, you’ll join a company at the very center of the AI revolution. Gartner has proactive, objective guidance throughout clients’ AI journeys. We set the standard for how organizations leverage artificial intelligence to drive meaningful impact. You’ll have access to unmatched resources, expertise, and technology, and play a key role in helping Gartner and our clients innovate and grow as we leverage AI to transform business and technology landscapes.

It’s an exciting time to be at Gartner, with limitless opportunities to make a real impact, grow your skills, and build a lasting, meaningful career in a field that’s reshaping the way we operate. If you’re passionate about AI and want to be part of a team that’s guiding the leaders who shape the world, Gartner is the place for you.

What do we offer?

Gartner offers world-class benefits, highly competitive compensation and disproportionate rewards for top performers.

In our hybrid work environment, we provide the flexibility and support for you to thrive — working virtually when it's productive to do so and getting together with colleagues in a vibrant community that is purposeful, engaging and inspiring.

Ready to grow your career with Gartner? Join us.

Gartner believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is 172,000 USD - 202,500 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based, uncapped sales incentive plan. Our talent acquisition team will provide the specific opportunity on our bonus or incentive programs to eligible candidates. We also offer market leading benefit programs including generous PTO, a 401k match up to $7,200 per year, the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount, and more.

The policy of Gartner is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status and to seek to advance the principles of equal employment opportunity.

Gartner is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers, including job seekers with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the Company’s career webpage as a result of your disability. You may request reasonable accommodations by calling Human Resources at +1 (203) 964-0096 or by sending an email to [email protected].

Job Requisition ID:114602

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