About the job

Job summary

The AI Safety Institute is the first state-backed organisation focused on advanced AI safety for the public interest.  We launched at the AI Safety Summit because we believe taking responsible action on this extraordinary technology requires a capable and empowered group of technical experts within government.

Our staff includes senior alumni from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, start-ups and the UK government, and ML professors from Oxford and Cambridge.  We are now calling on the world’s top technical talent to build the institute from the ground up.  This is a truly unique opportunity to help shape AI safety at an international level.

We have ambitious goals and need to move fast.

Develop and conduct evaluations on advanced AI systems
We will characterise safety-relevant capabilities, understand the safety and security of systems, and assess their societal impacts.

Drive foundational AI safety research
We will launch moonshot research projects and convene world-class external researchers.

Facilitate information exchange
We will establish clear information-sharing channels between the Institute and other national and international actors. These include stakeholders such as policymakers and international partners.

Job description

The risks arising from AI are uncertain and evolving.  It is therefore vital that the AI Safety Institute is proactive in identifying the right priorities, often within a quickly changing context and delivering efficiently to ensure the organisation is focused on the activities that fulfil our mission.  To minimise surprise to the UK and humanity from rapid and unexpected advances in AI.

To do this, technical evaluations of and research into AI system are critical – and these need to be developed by a neutral third party to the AI developers.  The Institute’s Research Unit is central to this work.  

In this role you will work as part of a high performing, friendly team to drive forward the design and delivery of high-quality evaluations and research.  

We are looking for an experienced operator who is comfortable working at pace and in ambiguity, who can translate  complex research for policy makers and operate within Government.

You will be excellent at building strong, trusting relationships,  problem-solving, and co-ordinating complex projects  to support the organisation to deliver tangible benefits for AI safety research and evaluation.  

This is a unique opportunity to work at the cutting edge of issues affecting the global community.  

Responsibilities:

• Overseeing the delivery of a suite of research projects by our in-house technical team and select external research partners
• Working with our technical researchers to devise and deliver new research projects, in line with AISI’s strategic objectives, and turning their outputs into useful documents for policy makers
• Acting as a point person on the AISI’s Societal Impacts research agenda, communicating the work of the team to senior officials and ministers within AISI and across Whitehall and at international conferences and summits (presentation and data visualisation skills would be beneficial here)
• Shaping and defining the longer-term strategy of the societal impacts team and contributing to the wider research vision of the AISI
• Working with teams across DSIT and Whitehall on cross-cutting issues such as AI & Democracy, including Elections
• Building and leveraging a network of research partners and policy stakeholders within and outside of government  
• Staying up to date with advancements in the field of AI safety

Person specification

• Start-up mindset / entrepreneurial approach; this will involve navigating in a lot of uncertainty, being quick to adapt, taking a 'trial and get feedback quickly' approach to a lot of pieces of work, and being willing to get stuck in and add value 
• Passionate about the mission of the AI Safety Institute, and ideally with a good working knowledge of issues at the intersection between AI and social science
• Able to work effectively at pace, make decisions in the face of competing priorities, and remain calm and resilient under pressure
• Proactive and able to identify solutions to complex problems – breaking down large, intractable issues into tangible, and effective next steps
• Can operate with autonomy and ‘self-drive’ work
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, able to communicate effectively. with a range of expert and non-expert stakeholders
• Experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders
• Previous experience in AI and/or social science is helpful but not a prerequisite for this role. We are first and foremost looking for candidates who understand how to work in complex systems, learn quickly, and translate complex technical detail into tangible content that resonates with policy makers and laypeople

Core requirements

• You should be able to join us for at least 12 months
• You should be able work from our office in London (Whitehall) for parts of the week, but we provide flexibility for remote work

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,495, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £11,473 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.

Application

Applicants must apply online via CS Jobs. Interested candidates are asked to submit:

• A CV which will be submitted online to be assessed and scored.
• A 500 word statement of suitability explaining why you want this role, setting out why you consider yourself suitable, with particular reference to meeting the person specification and providing relevant examples.

Selection Process

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against the person specification.

Interview

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against person specification outlined in the pack.

Should you be successful in being invited to interview, you will be asked to deliver a 5 minute presentation on a topic relevant to the role, and answer a set of behaviour and strength-based questions.

Candidates invited to interview will be given further information on the day and time to prepare.

• Behaviour: Making effective decisions (Lead Behaviour)
• Behaviour:  Delivering at pace
• Behaviour: Communicating and influencing
• Behaviour: Seeing the Bigger Picture 

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 19/02/2024

Interview dates: w/c 26/02/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

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

If you have any questions about the role or your application, then please send an email to active.campaigns@dsit.gov.uk

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 or Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

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.

Nationality Requirements

If you do not meet the standard nationality requirements as detailed below, then we would still encourage you to submit an application.  We may be able to explore other options such as seconding you in from either your current employer or a third party organisation.

Not meeting the nationality rules set out below should not be seen as an automatic barrier to applying for this role.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.