Job summary

AI is bringing about huge changes to society, and it is our job as a team to work out how Government should respond. It is a once-in-a-generation moment, and an incredibly fast-paced and exciting environment.�

AI Safety Institute�

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) over the last decade have been impactful, rapid, and unpredictable. AdvancedAIsystems have the potential to drive economic growth and productivity, boost health and wellbeing, improve public services, and increase security.�

But advancedAIsystems also pose significant risks, as detailed in the government�s paper onpublished in be misused � this could include usingAIto generate disinformation, conduct sophisticated cyberattacks or help develop chemical cause societal harms � there have been examples ofAIchatbots encouraging harmful actions, promoting skewed or radical views, and providing biased advice.AIgenerated 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 ofAIif 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 advancedAIsystems. This will then inform our regulatory framework forAI, so we ensureAIis developed and deployed safely and responsibly.�

The UK is taking a leading role in driving this conversation forward internationally. We hosted the world�s first major and have launched the AI Safety Institute. Responsible government action in an area as new and fast-paced as advancedAIrequires governments to develop their own sophisticated technical and sociotechnical AI Safety Institute is advancing the world�s knowledge ofAIsafety by carefully examining, evaluating, and testing new types ofAI, 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 inAI. The Institute will make its work available to the world, enabling an effective global response to the opportunities and risks of advancedAI.

Job description

The mission of the Chem/Bio team is to equip policymakers with an empirical understanding of safety-relevant AI capabilities, specifically at the intersection of AI with biology and chemistry.�

The team studies AI capabilities including (but not limited to) providing instructions and troubleshooting for chemical or biological lab work, designing new or modified biological agents, and completing tasks like ordering ingredients or programming lab robots on behalf of the user.�

The team works closely with other teams within the AI Safety Institute and wider UK government stakeholders, and external experts, to make sure our research has real-world impacts on AI safety and chemical and biological security through policy recommendations.�

As a Strategy and Delivery Adviser, you will be working with a team of research scientists and engineers to drive forward cutting-edge research at the intersection of advanced AI and biological/chemical science. �

This is a multi-faceted role which involves a mixture of strategy, policy and project management. They will be suitable for people who love getting things done, but who also enjoy big picture thinking and engaging with technical detail.�

Key responsibilities are likely to include:�

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 outputs for policy makers Shaping and defining the longer-term strategy of the chem/bio team and contributing to the wider research vision of the AISI Acting as a point person on the AISI�s research agenda, communicating the work of the team to senior officials and ministers within AISI and across Whitehall Working with National Security partners in organisations across the UK Government Building and leveraging a network of research partners and policy stakeholders within and outside of government Coordinating the delivery of pre- and post-deployment model tests

Person specification

These are fast-paced and challenging roles, with the potential to have a massive impact on the work of the AI Safety Institute. We are looking for exceptional operators who can drive things forward and take responsibility for achieving the objectives of the team. You will be excellent at building strong, trusting relationships, problem-solving, and co-ordinating complex projects.�

Essential criteria�

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��Experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders �delivering relevant projects under rapid timelines and considering inputs from a diverse set of stakeholdersPassionate about the mission of the AI Safety Institute, and ideally with a good working knowledge of issues at the intersection between AI and biological/chemical scienceAble to work effectively at pace, make decisions in the face of competing priorities, and remain calm and resilient under pressureProactive and able to identify solutions to complex problems� breaking down large, intractable issues into tangible, and effective next stepsCan operate with autonomyand �self-drive� workProactive and able to identify solutions to complex problems� breaking down large, intractable issues into tangible, and effective next steps.�Excellent written and oral communication skills, able to communicate effectively, with a range of expert and non-expert stakeholders.��

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of �42,495, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes �12,310 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours. Automatic enrolment into the , with an employer contribution of A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30. An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue. Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home-based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.