AI Engineer / Senior AI Engineer, AI Policy Lab

Center for a New American Security; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 125,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

Center for a New American Security (CNAS) seeks an AI Engineer/Senior AI Engineer to embed with national security researchers, editors, and designers. You will prototype AI-powered tools and agent workflows, refine successful approaches, and scale them across CNAS.

You will work closely with the AI Policy Lab, report to the VP of Strategy and Communications, and help shape lab operations from the ground floor. This is a hands-on, autonomous role, not purely research.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or related field or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience using AI coding tools (e.g., Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor) and ability to explain, test, debug, and take responsibility for resulting code.
• Full-stack engineering experience building and deploying custom software, agent workflows, or data pipelines with AI coding tools.
• Ability to explain technical concepts clearly and train non-technical colleagues.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities.
• Legal right to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Embed with CNAS researchers to build custom code, applications, and AI agent workflows that support research and analysis.
• Rapidly prototype tools and refine them based on how colleagues use them.
• Build agents and pipelines that gather, process, analyze, and visualize documents, transcripts, and datasets for CNAS research.
• Build custom tools and software to automate business functions and accelerate productivity.

Skills

AI coding tools

Full-stack development

Explain technical concepts

Project management

US work authorization

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE or related

Job description

Full Time

Policy research needs to catch up to AI. Researchers at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) are pushing today’s AI tools to their limits, and the next generation of research and product tools for national security analysis hasn’t been built yet. CNAS is seeking an AI Engineer / Senior AI Engineer to embed with some of the nation’s top AI and national security researchers, editors, and designers. You will prototype AI-enabled tools and products, refine the ones that work, and scale the best of them across the Center.

CNAS is making a substantial investment in its well-established AI and national security team by launching the AI Policy Lab, and the AI Engineer / Senior AI Engineer will be instrumental to that effort. You will report to the Vice President of Strategy and Communications. As an early member of the AI Policy Lab, you’ll help shape how the lab operates from the ground floor.

In this role, you’ll design, build, and deploy custom software, applications, and AI agent workflows that expand what CNAS researchers can accomplish in their work on AI policy, national security, and AI-related economic competition. You will serve as a technical partner embedded with CNAS research and business teams to build out innovative solutions to increase productivity and maximize policy impact.

The ideal candidate has a software engineering or computer science background, is highly proficient at using AI coding tools and agents to build applications and automated workflows and has a genuine interest in AI policy and national security. You enjoy working alongside non-engineers, turning research questions into durable, reusable tools, and teaching colleagues to get the most out of what you build. This is a hands-on technical role with significant autonomy. This is not a research position.

You might be well-suited for this role if you’re:

• Experienced at building working software with AI coding tools such as Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, or Cursor, from quick prototypes to tools colleagues rely on daily.
• Excited to work alongside researchers, learn how they work, and build custom tools and agent workflows that take their research further.
• Skilled at explaining technical concepts to non-engineers and helping colleagues become more capable AI users.
• Interested in how AI is reshaping national security.
• Comfortable with shifting priorities in a field that moves fast.
• Able to juggle short- and long-term projects while building durable tools others can use.
• Motivated by seeing your work used, not just shipped.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Build Custom Software and Tools

• Embed with CNAS researchers to build custom code, applications, and AI agent workflows that support their research and analysis.
• Rapidly prototype tools and refine them based on how colleagues use them.
• Build agents and pipelines that gather, process, analyze, and visualize documents, transcripts, and datasets for CNAS research.
• Build custom tools and software to automate business functions and accelerate productivity.

Train and Empower Staff

• Train staff to use, adapt, and build on the tools you create, and document best practices for advanced AI use.
• Help CNAS researchers who are already proficient AI users push their work further with code, agents, and advanced AI capabilities.
• Track new AI models, harnesses, systems, and capabilities and assess which are worth adopting.

Sustain AI Integration

• Standardize AI-enabled workflows for recurring tasks such as baseline research, copy editing, citations, contact management, and data tracking.
• Test, refine, document, and maintain AI tools for durable use.
• Test AI-assisted outputs for accuracy, objectivity, and sourcing to meet CNAS’s quality standards for independent, fact-based research.
• Ensure tools meet CNAS standards for data security and responsible AI use.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience using AI coding tools (e.g., Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor) and demonstrated ability to explain, test, debug, and take responsibility for the resulting code.
• Full-stack engineering experience building and deploying custom software, agent workflows, or data pipelines with AI coding tools.
• Ability to explain technical concepts clearly and train non-technical colleagues.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities.
• Legal right to work in the United States.

Preferred:

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Interest in AI policy, national security, or AI safety and security.
• Experience with think tank, government, or academic research analysis and workflows.
• Experience with data visualization and web development.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• $125,000 – $215,000, depending on qualifications and experience.
• CNAS offers a complete and competitive benefits package for employees which includes medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, 403(b) retirement accounts, transportation subsidies, and an employee assistance program.

LOGISTICS

• This is a full-time, in-person role based in Washington, D.C.
• Occasional travel to the San Francisco Bay Area and other locations may be required.
• This role is within the CNAS AI Policy Lab and reports to the Vice President of Strategy and Communications.
• This is a two-year, term-limited appointment.
• We are open to hiring a range of experience levels. Title and compensation will be commensurate with experience.
• Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply early.
• Candidates may start as soon as available.

About the CNAS AI Policy Lab

AI progress is fast outpacing policy. The opportunities and challenges of the AI age demand bold new ideas for U.S. national security that meet the moment. The CNAS AI Policy Lab fuses in-depth AI and national security expertise to produce cutting-edge, technically informed policy analysis. The United States and its allies must harness the benefits, manage the risks, and ensure democracies lead in this era-defining technology.

The AI Policy Lab integrates CNAS’s technology, defense, regional, and economic expertise to address how AI is reshaping every dimension of national power and geopolitical competition. The Lab will serve as a hub for curated workshops, discussions, partnerships, and other convenings to bring industry, researchers, and the national security community to develop policy solutions. By bridging the divide between innovators and national security policymakers, the Lab will ensure that policy can match the unprecedented pace of technological innovation, harnessing the transformative power of AI while managing risks.

The AI Policy Lab builds on a sustained track record of CNAS leadership in AI policymaking. CNAS experts and alumni have written the rules for how the Pentagon incorporates autonomous systems, developed policies intended to preserve the United States’s AI lead, and served in the highest levels of AI policymaking.

About CNAS

The Center for a New American Security develops bold, innovative, and bipartisan national security and defense policies that promote and protect American interests and values. Building on the deep expertise and broad experience of its staff and advisors, CNAS engages policymakers, experts, and the public with innovative fact-based research, ideas, and analysis to shape and elevate the national security debate. As an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit research organization, CNAS leads efforts to help inform and prepare the national security leaders of today and tomorrow. CNAS is located in Washington, D.C.

CNAS is a proud equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.