At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and run experiments on AI's societal impacts while collaborating with a multidisciplinary team.
- Company: Join the world's leading team focused on AI security and societal risks.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, generous leave, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Work in a dynamic environment with access to cutting-edge AI models and research.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in how AI is governed and deployed globally.
- Qualifications: Experience in Python, data engineering, and a passion for AI's societal impacts.
The predicted salary is between 65000 - 145000 € per year.
About The AI Security Institute
The AI Security Institute is the world’s largest and best‑funded team dedicated to understanding advanced AI risks and translating that knowledge into action. We’re in the heart of the UK government with direct lines to the Prime Minister’s office and work with frontier developers and governments globally.
Team & Role Overview
Our Societal Impacts team studies high‑impact societal risks caused by frontier AI deployment. The team’s mandate is to build a rigorous, world‑class evidence base for the safe and responsible development of frontier AI by identifying risks, measuring impacts, and informing mitigation strategies.
Responsibilities
- As a researcher and engineer on this multidisciplinary team you will design, implement and run experiments that answer important questions about the effects of AI on society. Illustrative tasks include:
- Implementing human–AI interaction studies where multiple human and AI participants converse and play a game
- Building pipelines to scrape and analyse publicly available AI agent implementations
- Designing and running model evaluations for various societal risks from AI behaviour
Required Skills and Experience
- Experience writing scalable, maintainable Python code
- Experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Data engineering, including data collection, cleaning, processing and visualisation
- ML engineering with PyTorch or a similar library
- Full‑stack web development
- Knowledge of machine learning sufficient to understand recent papers in the field
- Strong verbal communication, experience working on a collaborative research team, and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrable interest in and understanding of the societal impacts of AI
Desired Skills and Experience
- Building and maintaining complex data products
- Designing and implementing experiments in human‑AI interaction
- Training or evaluating frontier AI models
- Research related to societal impacts of AI systems
- Specialisation in a relevant field such as social or political science, economics, cognitive science, criminology, security studies, AI safety, or another relevant discipline
What We Offer
- Incredibly talented, mission‑driven and supportive colleagues
- Direct influence on how frontier AI is governed and deployed globally
- Work with the Prime Minister’s AI Advisor and leading AI companies
- Opportunity to shape the first and best‑resourced public‑interest research team focused on AI security
- Pre‑release access to multiple frontier models and ample compute
- Extensive operational support so you can focus on research and ship quickly
- Work with experts across national security, policy, AI research and adjacent sciences
- Freedom to pursue research bets without product pressure
- Opportunities to publish and collaborate externally
- Modern central London office (or government offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Salford or Bristol), hybrid working and flexibility for remote work abroad
- Annual leave of at least 25 days, 8 public holidays and additional team‑wide breaks
- Generous paid parental leave and pension contributions of 28.97% of base salary
Salary
Annual salary is benchmarked to role scope and relevant experience. Most offers range between £65,000 and £145,000, made up of a base salary plus a technical allowance. Salary ranges by level:
- Level 3: £65,000–£75,000 (Base £37,150 + Technical Allowance £27,850–£37,850)
- Level 4: £85,000–£95,000 (Base £44,195 + Technical Allowance £40,805–£50,805)
- Level 5: £105,000–£115,000 (Base £58,040 + Technical Allowance £46,960–£56,960)
- Level 6: £125,000–£135,000 (Base £71,525 + Technical Allowance £53,475–£63,475)
- Level 7: £145,000 (Base £71,525 + Technical Allowance £73,475)
Security & Clearance
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check and obtain baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) clearance before appointment. Preference is given to those eligible for counter‑terrorist check (CTC) clearance. Some roles may require higher levels of clearance; these will be specified in the job advertisement.
Nationality and Equality
The Civil Service is committed to diversity and equal opportunity. We may be able to offer roles to applicants from any nationality or background and encourage applications even if you do not meet standard nationality requirements. We conduct training on disability inclusion and support Redeployment Interview Scheme for civil servants at risk of redundancy. We monitor diversity and inclusion statistics as part of our recruitment process.
Research Engineer - Societal Impacts employer: AI Security Institute
The AI Security Institute is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of AI research with direct influence on global governance and deployment. With a mission-driven culture, extensive support for research, and a commitment to employee growth, you will collaborate with talented colleagues in a modern London office while enjoying generous benefits such as flexible working arrangements and substantial annual leave. Join us to make a meaningful impact on society through your work in understanding and mitigating AI risks.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Engineer - Societal Impacts
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the AI and research fields, especially those connected to the AI Security Institute. A friendly chat can open doors that applications alone can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or GitHub with projects related to AI, data engineering, or human-AI interaction, make sure to highlight it. It’s a great way to demonstrate your expertise beyond just a CV.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by diving deep into current AI societal impacts. Be ready to discuss recent papers or case studies. This shows you’re not just knowledgeable but genuinely interested in the field.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Research Engineer - Societal Impacts
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Research Engineer role. Highlight your experience in Python, data engineering, and any relevant projects that showcase your understanding of AI's societal impacts. We want to see how you fit into our mission!
Show Your Passion:Let your enthusiasm for AI and its societal implications shine through in your application. Share any personal projects or research that demonstrate your interest in this field. We love candidates who are genuinely excited about making a difference!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your skills and experiences. We appreciate well-structured applications that make it easy for us to see your qualifications.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our official website! This ensures we receive all your details correctly and helps us keep track of your application. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at AI Security Institute
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends and research in AI, especially regarding societal impacts. Familiarise yourself with recent papers and case studies that highlight the risks and benefits of AI deployment. This will not only show your passion but also your understanding of the field.
✨Showcase Your Coding Skills
Since experience in Python is crucial, be prepared to discuss your past projects where you've written scalable and maintainable code. Bring examples of your work or even a portfolio if possible. This will demonstrate your technical abilities and how they relate to the role.
✨Prepare for Collaborative Scenarios
Given the multidisciplinary nature of the team, think of examples from your past experiences where you've successfully collaborated with others. Highlight your communication skills and how you’ve contributed to team projects, especially in research settings.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, don’t shy away from asking questions that show your interest in the role and the organisation. Inquire about their current projects, challenges they face in AI safety, or how they measure the societal impacts of AI. This shows you're engaged and genuinely interested in contributing.
