Research Scientist/Engineer, Biological and Chemical Models

AI Security Institute; London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative organization is seeking a Research Scientist/Engineer to advance the security science of AI models in biology and chemistry. This role involves evaluating cutting-edge machine learning models, developing code for protein design, and addressing critical biosecurity questions. With a focus on research excellence and policy influence, this position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of AI and biosecurity. The successful candidate will contribute to groundbreaking projects that aim to mitigate risks associated with advanced AI systems. Join a dedicated team committed to making a meaningful impact in the field.

Qualifications

• Strong background in machine learning and experience with AI models.
• Proficiency in Python coding for biological applications.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and deploy machine learning models for biological applications.
• Develop code for protein design and structure prediction.

Skills

Machine Learning

Python

PyTorch

Biological AI Models

Education

PhD in Computational Biology

Master's in Machine Learning

Tools

AlphaFold

RFDiffusion

Job description

Research Scientist/Engineer, Biological and Chemical Models

Join to apply for the Research Scientist/Engineer, Biological and Chemical Models role at AI Security Institute.

About The AI Security Institute

The AI Security Institute is the largest team in a government dedicated to understanding AI capabilities and risks in the world.

Our mission is to equip governments with an empirical understanding of the safety of advanced AI systems. We conduct research to understand the capabilities and impacts of advanced AI and develop risk mitigations, focusing on security implications such as AI-assisted chemical and biological weapons development, cyber-attacks, crimes, and control loss.

The risks from AI are urgent. We combine startup agility with government expertise to prevent AI harms and realize its potential.

Role Overview

We seek an experienced Research Scientist/Engineer specializing in AI/ML applied to biology/chemistry. You will be part of the Chem-Bio work stream, advancing security science of AI models in biology and chemistry, informing policy, and evaluating frontier biological models through evaluation, benchmarks, and safeguards.

This technical role requires a strong machine learning background and experience in scientific research. The position reports to the Chem-Bio workstream lead. This role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance, and employment is conditional on maintaining this clearance. It is a UK nationals-only post.

Responsibilities

1. Evaluate state-of-the-art machine learning models for biological applications.
2. Deploy and assess frontier models aligned with research objectives.
3. Develop code to evaluate capabilities in protein design, structure prediction, and biological models.
4. Address AI and biosecurity research questions and communicate findings to support government efforts.

Person Specification

We encourage applications even if you meet only some criteria.

Essential Criteria

• Background in machine learning with experience training, tuning, or evaluating models using PyTorch or similar.
• Experience with biological AI models such as protein or genomic models, structure prediction (AlphaFold), or protein design models (RFDiffusion).
• Proficiency in Python coding.

Desirable Criteria

• Background in computational biology, understanding omics data, and building predictive models.
• Strong biology or chemistry knowledge, especially protein biochemistry and validation assays.
• Research experience and motivation to follow best practices at AI and biosecurity intersection.
• Experience writing scalable, robust production-level Python code.
• Experience working in small, multidisciplinary teams and communicating technical work to diverse audiences.

Security and Clearance

This role requires DV clearance, primarily available to UK nationals. Further details on security vetting are available on the UK Government website.

Salary & Benefits

We offer a range of seniority levels, with salaries from £65,000 to £145,000, including base salary, allowances, and benefits. Specific salary details are provided in the original description.