About the job

Job summary

Are you ready to be a part of something extraordinary? The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is a new department on a mission to propel the UK to the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement. 

What We're About: 

Innovation that changes lives: We're not here to just maintain the status quo. We're driving innovations that will not only transform lives but also fuel economic growth.

Unleashing talent and infrastructure: We're building bridges to success, from talent programs to cutting-edge digital and physical infrastructure, all to fortify our economy, security, and public services.

Investing in the future: Our commitment to R&D funding is unwavering, ensuring that we're always pushing the boundaries of what's possible. 

If you're excited about being at the forefront of innovation, passionate about making a real impact, and ready to be a part of something extraordinary, join us. Together, we're shaping a future that will leave a legacy for generations to come. 

Our Inclusive Environment:

We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.   

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.  

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process. 

Job description

AI Safety Institute 

Today, harnessing AI is an opportunity that could be transformational for the UK and the rest of the world. Advanced AI systems have the potential to drive economic growth and productivity, boost health and wellbeing, improve public services, and increase security. 

The UK government is determined to seize these opportunities. In September, we announced Isambard AI as the UK AI Research Resource, which will be one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers purpose-built for AI. The National Health Service (NHS) is running trials to help clinicians identify breast cancer sooner by using AI, and there are opportunities in other areas of public service, including education and policing too.

But advanced AI systems also pose significant risks, as detailed in the government’s paper on Capabilities and Risks from Frontier AI. AI can be misused – this could include using AI to generate disinformation, conduct sophisticated cyberattacks or help develop chemical weapons. AI can cause societal harms – there have been examples of AI chatbots encouraging harmful actions, promoting skewed or radical views, and providing biased advice. AI generated content that is highly realistic but false could reduce public trust in information. Some experts are concerned that humanity could lose control of advanced systems, with potentially catastrophic and permanent consequences. We will only unlock the benefits of AI if we can manage these risks. At present, our ability to develop powerful systems outpaces our ability to make them safe. The first step is to better understand the capabilities and risks of these advanced AI systems. 

The UK is taking a leading role in driving this conversation forward internationally. We hosted the world’s first major AI Safety Summit. We have launched the AI Safety Institute, which is advancing the world’s knowledge of AI safety by carefully examining, evaluating, and testing new types of AI, so that we understand what each new model is capable of. The Institute is conducting fundamental research on how to keep people safe in the face of fast and unpredictable progress in AI. 

Key Responsibilities

You will have a leadership role within the AISI International Partnerships team and will oversee the design and implementation of initiatives to support the delivery of the internationalisation of the Institute and deliver its International Partnerships.  

Responsibilities: 

• Setting the policy for AISIs international partnerships. Identifying countries the Institute should prioritise working with. This will involve analysis of countries capabilities, joint working with the FCDO, and with colleagues across Government, including those working on national security matters, to design robust, international policy proposals for the Institutes’ engagement.
• Leading the delivery of AISIs international partnerships. This will involve engagement and negotiation with a country, to agree the partnership proposal; and close working across the Institute and with its Research Unit to operationalise it.
• Raising the international footprint of the AISI. This will involve working with colleagues from across the Department, with the Foreign Office, and others, to ensure that the AISI is directing the global debate on AI safety. This will include identifying and delivering opportunities to showcase its capabilities, and influence policy making, including at major international fora (e.g. future AI Safety Summits).
• Lead the delivery of international meetings, engagement and events. This will include organising visits for Ministers and Senior officials to partner countries to support AISIs aims. It could include attendance at summits or international forums; and running our own events to advance AISI missions (e.g. hosting events for the purposes of red teaming or information sharing with international stakeholders); along with bilateral meetings. 

Person specification

• Expert policy, international, and strategic capabilities. You can step back and ‘see the big picture’ in your work, can take concepts from idea to delivery, and you have a genuine interest in geopolitics, AI safety and international AI governance. 
• Strong leadership and organisational skills, with the ability to maintain a high quality of service in a fast-paced environment. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport at all levels, maintaining productive working relationships 
• A can do attitude, able to work effectively at pace, make decisions in the face of competing priorities, and remain calm and resilient under pressure. 
• Brilliant written and oral communication skills with the ability to provide confident, constructive challenge to Senior stakeholders. 
• To have a proactive approach and a focus on continuous improvement of self and service, with an appetite to work with others to simplify processes and increase efficiency.  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,805, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £15,067 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, behavioural statements and a personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to give examples of how skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider giving an example for each bullet point, in the ‘Who you are’ section and use work you have completed to demonstrate how you meet each one.

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviours and strength based questions.  

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change - 

Sift dates: To be confirmed

Interview dates: w/c 6th May

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply,and can be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Vetting

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.