Associate Director, Emerging Technology & Industry Practice

Green Park; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 76,500 - 93,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

28 days holiday plus public holidays

Enhanced family leave policies

Pension scheme with employer contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Comprehensive wellbeing support

Job summary

A leading research institute is looking for an Associate Director to lead emerging technology research. This role focuses on managing a team to assess the implications of technologies on communities and to guide accountability practices. Candidates should have strong leadership and technical knowledge, along with strategic thinking abilities. A competitive salary starting at £85,000 per annum is offered, with flexible working arrangements available.

Qualifications

• Track record of managing high-performing research teams.
• Ability to translate technical concepts for lay audiences.
• Experience in shaping policy and practice through research.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Emerging Technology & Industry Practice research domain.
• Manage a team of researchers in impactful projects.
• Ensure alignment of AI and data regulation proposals with research.

Skills

Strong leadership experience

Technical knowledge of AI

Credibility in technical spaces

Well-connected perspective

Impactful research application

Strategic thinking

Collaborative mindset

Job description

Associate Director, Emerging Technology & Industry Practice

The Ada Lovelace Institute (Ada) is hiring an Associate Director to lead our Emerging Technology & Industry Practice research domain and help shape its direction and workplan as we move into our new strategy period (2026-28).

This role will report into the Director and manage a team of researchers working on projects that aim to:

• Evidence the utility, efficacy, and impacts of emerging technologies on impacted communities, primarily in the UK.
• Assess the effectiveness and impacts of emerging AI governance and accountability practices like audits, impact assessments, and model evaluations.
• Encourage the adoption of accountability practices by a wider set of public and private sector actors.
• Ensure global proposals for AI and data regulation reflects our research into emerging accountability practices and technologies.

The role

Ada is a truly independent research institute. Our independence means that in this role, you will have the freedom to set the direction and drive the impact of our emerging technology research. This role represents Ada’s technical credibility, and we are looking for an outstanding researcher and leader to guide our exploration of the societal implications of emerging technologies and identify the steps developers can take to address them.

We are looking for someone who brings:

• Strong leadership experience, with a track record of managing and developing high-performing, multidisciplinary research teams, with a mixture of accountability, empathy and respect.
• Technical knowledge, with a strong understanding of AI infrastructure, methods, and development practices, and skilled at translating technical concepts for lay audiences.
• Credibility in technical spaces, with the ability to interpret and respond to technical claims and logics put forward by tech industry actors. You may have direct experience in areas like machine learning, data science or computation, but it’s not a requirement.
• A well-connected perspective, with networks across the tech industry, research communities working on responsible AI and governance issues, as well as policy and funding spaces.
• A track record of impact, especially in applying research to shape policy and practice.
• Strategic thinking and relationship building skills to advance responsible technology development.
• A collaborative and collegial mindset; motivated to work alongside a highly skilled, caring and ambitious senior leadership team, to provide overall collective leadership for Ada.

Experience of managing relationships with key funders and leading on fundraising strategies would be highly desirable.

Previous work of this research domain to date

Our previous research has looked at the following areas:

• Examining the Black Box, a seminal report outlining different methods for assessing algorithmic systems.

We know that meaningful work is only part of the picture. We want our team to feel supported, fairly rewarded and able to thrive both in and out of work. Here’s what you can expect from the role’s terms and the benefits we offer:

Terms of appointment

• Contract: Permanent contract, subject to completion of a 6 month probationary period
• Hours: Full time (35 hours per week) – we will consider requests for flexible working (e.g. part time or compressed working arrangements)
• Remuneration: Salary starting from £85,000 per annum, negotiable based on experience and consideration of market supplement where appropriate.
• Location: Farringdon, London. Our staff has the option to work part of the week (2 days) from home, with some possibility to work more flexibly depending on location.

Our benefits package includes:

• Genuine flexibility – we are open to requests for part-time hours, compressed working weeks, or job shares.
• 28 days holiday per annum and all public holidays (with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days).
• A salary exchange pension scheme that offers employer contributions of up to 11%.
• Family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay.
• Cycle to work scheme and loans towards season tickets.Regular opportunities for learning and development – including coaching, mentoring, and dedicated reading weeks to recharge and reflect.
• Support with your physical, mental and financial wellbeing including an employee assistance provider, a private GP service, personal health reviews with Bupa, a will and funeral planning service and a staff network of trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• A warm and welcoming workplace culture, with active peer groups and social networks to help you connect and belong.