Expression of Interest: AI policy researcher [now closed]

Deadline: May 5th, 2025

Summary:

The Centre for Long-Term Resilience (CLTR) is looking for part-time, temporary AI policy researchers to support our AI policy unit on a contractor basis. 

This is an exciting opportunity to help our team tackle some of today’s most challenging and important questions for AI policy, with the opportunity for direct impact on policy making. We are looking for people who are passionate about mitigating the risks of AI and have experience independently delivering high-quality research related to AI risk and/or governance.

We are particularly interested in experience and expertise related to the following areas (though this may change in future as policy needs change):

• regulation of frontier AI, such as experience conducting research on or related to tech legislation;
  
• incident preparedness and response, such as researching or working on emergency response in other sectors;
  
• preparedness for the impacts of AGI, such as experience of forecasting or futures exercises, or research on societal resilience;
  
• national security and military risks from AI.

If your skills and experience are a good match to be a contractor, we’ll add you to our contractor network. We’ll then get in touch if we are starting a new project that would be a good fit with your profile, and check in on your interest and availability. Each project will tend to last for around 1-3 months, and we’ll usually need around 1-3 days per week of support for the duration of the project.

If you have already applied to be a contractor and have been added to our contractor network, you do not need to apply again as you are already eligible for contractor projects.

Contractors will tend to work remotely, but there is scope for some co-working at our office in the heart of Whitehall.

Job title: AI policy researcher (contractor)

Type: Temporary, part-time (usually between 1-3 days per week for 1-3 months, depending on the project)

Point of contact: AI Policy Manager

Salary: In the range from approx. £50 – £70 per hour, subject to experience

Location: Remote, within 6h of time difference to London, with scope to work from our London office

Start date: The first round of projects will be commissioned between June and August

Application form: This position is now closed.

Application deadline: May 5th, 2025

Full Details:

About CLTR

The Centre for Long-Term Resilience (CLTR) is a UK-based think tank with a mission to transform global resilience to extreme risks: high-impact threats with global reach. We do this by working with governments and other institutions to improve relevant governance, processes and decision-making, with a particular focus on the UK government.

We focus on three main areas where effective governance today could substantially mitigate both current and future threats: the safe development and use of AI; biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, and improving how governments manage these types of extreme risks. We work with experts and policymakers to develop concrete and actionable policy recommendations in these areas, and to advocate for those recommendations in senior policy communities. 

You would be joining a small but ambitious team with experience across academia, government, non-profits, and the private sector. Over the last year, we have built a leadership team with expertise across our key policy areas, and are now beginning to expand the organisation to increase our capacity for impact.

What you’ll do

The purpose of the role is to provide the CLTR’s AI policy unit with high-quality research briefs to support our policy development. These research tasks might include:

1. Conducting literature and landscape reviews. For example, analyzing AI incident preparedness frameworks across leading organizations, mapping threat models for advanced AI systems, or reviewing UK and international frontier AI legislation proposals.
2. Drafting sections of reports. For example, writing a section on corporate governance structures for AI risk management, or developing case studies on how AI companies implement safety protocols.
3. Writing briefs for a workshop, meeting or event.  For example, synthesizing expert perspectives on AI threat models to prepare for stakeholder engagements with DSIT, or summarizing key provisions in emerging UK technology legislation.
4. Other policy and research support as needed. For example, compiling our recommendations on AI incident response protocols or preparing analyses of governance gaps in the UK’s approach to emerging AI technologies.

We will work closely with you to make sure you understand the context and purpose of the brief, while allowing you to work independently in your own time to produce outputs by the agreed deadline.

A typical task could look like the following: i) we give you a brief with context of the requirement, a research question, and guidance on methods and the output we are looking for; ii) we jump on a call to clarify any questions you might have; ii) you conduct research and write up a clear, concise draft (e.g. 2-5 pages) in your own time (e.g. over the course of 1-4 weeks); iii) we continue to meet throughout delivery (e.g. once per week), and provide written feedback on drafts.

We are open to different working arrangements depending on your preferences and availability. This could include contracting you for one project at a time, such as delivering a research task over 3-5 days across a one month period; or, it could involve a more consistent, ongoing temporary arrangement, such as 2 days per week for several months. You’ll have a chance to explain your availability and preferences in the application form. We also want you to know that this is a fixed-term contract and is unlikely to be extended or lead to a permanent role.

What you’ll bring

We are looking for someone with a proven ability to deliver high-quality research with minimal supervision, with a strong interest in AI and its risks. We need you to have a strong ability to digest a brief and understand what’s needed of you (including asking for more information when you need it), be able to take a brief and deliver a piece of work fairly independently, and be reliable in meeting deadlines.

We are particularly looking for the following:

• Evidence of ability to conduct high-quality research, such as in academic qualifications, publications, or performance in a policy role requiring a similarly high standard of research
• A genuine and demonstrable passion for AI and addressing its risks to people and societies
• A commitment to research integrity, intellectual honesty and humility, and an ability to enthusiastically receive and action feedback
• Strong attention to detail, especially in the preparation and formatting of written work
• The ability to juggle several competing priorities in a high-tempo environment and prioritise effectively between them
• Great interpersonal skills, able to communicate efficiently in a professional manner

What we’ll offer you 

Working at CLTR means using your experiences, skills and passion to contribute to our mission of transforming global resilience to extreme risks. You’ll be working alongside purposeful and committed colleagues to support governments and other institutions in changing the ways they work.

As well as the competitive hourly rate we pay for this contractor role (£50 – £70 per hour), we can also offer insight into the practical work of a think tank and professional experience that could help you take your next step in the world of AI policy.

And finally…

We endeavour to strengthen CLTR with a rich variety of perspectives that a truly diverse workforce brings. We are committed to ensuring that our selection processes are as fair as they can possibly be, providing a level playing field for anyone who wants to come and work at CLTR.

We are also committed to creating an inclusive organisation where everyone we work with is able to thrive. We are also open to being flexible wherever possible to ensure you are able to do your best work.

Express your interest

This position is now closed. If you’ve applied, we’ll reach out to you in the second half of May, if we think there might be a fit.

Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, please reach out to hiring@longtermresilience.org.