At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead groundbreaking research on AI's impact on human behaviour and safety.
- Company: Join the AI Safety Institute, a pioneering state-backed organisation focused on AI safety.
- Benefits: Collaborate with top experts, competitive salary, and opportunities for impactful research.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with opportunities for mentorship and career growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI safety and make a real difference in society.
- Qualifications: Experience in behavioural science and AI research, with strong analytical skills.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 70000 £ per year.
The AI Safety Institute (AISI) is looking for a Research Scientist with expertise in both Behavioural Science and AI research to help lead studies that explore the impact of advanced AI models on humans. These experiments are a core part of our research, which is geared towards assessing the capabilities and risks of advanced AI systems. We wish to study how humans use AI systems, how their capabilities are enhanced by AI systems, and how human users themselves may be psychologically affected by using AI systems.
The post-holder will help lead / coordinate research in this area, by designing experiments, training and evaluating AI models (especially large language models [LLMs]), analysing and modelling human data, and summarising results for internal and external dissemination.
The AI Safety Institute is the first state-backed organisation focused on advanced AI safety for the public interest. 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.
Our top priorities are to:
- Develop and conduct evaluations on advanced AI systems, characterising safety-relevant capabilities, understanding the safety and security of systems, and assessing their societal impacts.
- Drive foundational AI safety research, launching moonshot research projects and convening world-class external researchers.
- Facilitate information exchange, establishing clear information-sharing channels between the Institute and other national and international actors.
We are looking for a Research Scientist with training in behavioural science, and experience of conducting research in machine learning / AI. The ideal candidate will have a vision for how to run studies that assess the impact of AI systems on humans, in order to carry out high-impact research in AI safety. They will have experience with collecting and analysing human behavioural data, ideally in a setting where humans interact with AI systems.
The ideal candidate will have excellent research skills, experience with designing human behavioural experiments and collecting and analysing human data, and AI research skills, including working with advanced AI models (such as LLMs). Example duties on any given day could include:
- Designing a new human-AI study
- Providing guidance to other team members responsible for building experimental UI
- Creating an analysis pipeline for large-scale human data
- Monitoring study progress via reports from other team members
- Prompting or fine-tuning an advanced AI system to make it safer or more capable
- Writing research papers or delivering talks that describe research findings
The ideal candidate will have skills and experience that allow them to:
- Lead on design of high-quality research that evaluates advanced AI systems with a focus on safety
- Design human-AI interaction studies rigorously, ethically, safely, with both data quality and participant experience / wellbeing in mind
- Identify improvements to research workflows and troubleshoot problems as they arise
- Design analytic pipelines that address key research questions, and provide technical oversight of their implementation
- Serve as a mentor or line manager to more junior colleagues
- Liaise with the team lead and wider AISI to respond to goals and to deliver impactful research
Essential requirements for the role include:
- Significant experience of leading experiments that involve human data collection, for example from graduate-level study in cognitive or social sciences, or equivalent experience in an industry setting
- Good technical and coding skills
- Experience of mentoring others in a research setting
- A significant track record of publishing work, disseminating findings, or other pathways to impact
- Experience with conducting research that involves online collection of human behavioural data
- An understanding of the ethical and data protection issues associated with human experimentation
- Strong project management skills and demonstrable experience of teamwork, including building rapport with people from diverse backgrounds
Research Scientist for Behavioural Science and AI Research - AI Safety Institute employer: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
The AI Safety Institute offers a unique opportunity for Research Scientists to engage in groundbreaking research at the intersection of Behavioural Science and AI, all while being part of a state-backed organisation dedicated to public interest. With a collaborative work culture that includes experts from top tech companies and academia, employees benefit from a supportive environment that fosters professional growth and innovation. Located at the forefront of AI safety research, the institute provides access to cutting-edge resources and the chance to make a significant impact on global AI policies and practices.
Contact Details:
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Scientist for Behavioural Science and AI Research - AI Safety Institute
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the AI and behavioural science communities. Attend events, webinars, or even local meetups. You never know who might have a lead on your dream job!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your research projects, especially those involving human-AI interaction. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of AI safety and behavioural science. Be ready to discuss how your past experiences align with the role at AISI. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Research Scientist for Behavioural Science and AI Research - AI Safety Institute
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in behavioural science and AI research. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at the AI Safety Institute, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects!
Showcase Your Research Skills:When detailing your experience, focus on specific research projects you've led or contributed to, especially those involving human data collection. We’re keen to see how you’ve designed experiments and analysed results, so be clear and concise!
Highlight Your Technical Know-How:Don’t forget to mention your coding skills and any experience with advanced AI models, particularly LLMs. We’re looking for someone who can not only conduct research but also has the technical chops to work with AI systems effectively.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows us you’re serious about joining our team at the AI Safety Institute!
How to prepare for a job interview at Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on both behavioural science and AI research. Be ready to discuss your past experiences with human data collection and how you've designed experiments. The interviewers will want to see that you can connect the dots between these fields.
✨Showcase Your Research Skills
Prepare to talk about specific projects where you've led research or experiments involving human interaction with AI systems. Highlight any challenges you faced and how you overcame them, as this shows your problem-solving skills and resilience.
✨Understand Ethical Considerations
Familiarise yourself with ethical issues related to human experimentation, such as GDPR and research ethics. Be ready to discuss how you ensure participant wellbeing and data protection in your studies, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Be a Team Player
The AI Safety Institute values collaboration, so be prepared to share examples of how you've worked effectively in teams. Discuss any mentoring experiences you have, as they’ll want to know you can guide junior colleagues while contributing to a positive team dynamic.
