AI Policy Research Resident

RAND Corporation; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 111,000 - 268,000; Full time

Job summary

RAND Corporation's Center on AI, Security, and Technology (CAST) seeks AI Policy Research Residents at Associate, Specialist, and Expert levels to advance frontier AI policy through rigorous analysis, structured writing, and ownership of significant project components.

You will work with multidisciplinary CAST and RAND teams to deliver policy briefs, conduct literature reviews, monitor AI governance developments, and shape research agendas for senior decision-makers in national security contexts.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with AI capability trajectories and potential transformative effects.
• Understanding of policy and governance approaches for beneficial AI and leadership.
• Ability to structure analysis, synthesize evidence, and produce concise written products for decision-makers.
• Ability to navigate safety, innovation, competitiveness, feasibility tensions and propose implementable options.
• Thrives in fast-moving, ambiguous environments and delivers quality work on tight timelines.

Responsibilities

• Own key research deliverables including design, analysis, framework development, literature reviews and stakeholder interviews.
• Contribute to rapid-response analysis on short timelines.
• Draft policy briefs, memos, reports for technical and senior policy audiences.
• Present briefs and reports to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Monitor U.S. and international AI policy, governance developments relevant to security.
• Help shape CAST's research agenda by identifying emerging policy questions and supporting engagement.

Skills

AI landscape context

AI policy understanding

Analytical writing

Policy pragmatism

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

PhD

Job description

Job Type:

Term (Fixed Term)

RAND's Center on AI, Security, and Technology (CAST) is seeking AI Policy Research Residents at our Associate, Specialist, and Expert levels. In this role, you will significantly contribute to cutting-edge research projects on frontier AI policy - conducting analysis, drafting written products, and owning significant project components.

About CAST:

CAST is a 75+ person center at the forefront of transformative AI and biotechnology policy and their implications for global competition and security. Our teams work on verification frameworks for international agreements on AI, creating AI data centers that are secure, unlocking energy for AI production, developing models for public-private partnerships between frontier labs and government, and conducting AIxBio evaluations and mitigations, among other initiatives.

Responsibilities:

You will own significant research workstreams and produce deliverables for senior policy audiences. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Own key research deliverables - including research design and methods, technical policy analysis, framework development, literature reviews, and stakeholder interviews - collaborating across multidisciplinary teams within CAST and RAND
• Contribute to rapid-response analysis on short timelines
• Draft policy briefs, research memos, report content, and other written products for technical and senior policy audiences
• Present policy briefs and reports to technical and non-technical audiences
• Monitor and assess U.S. and international AI policy, legal, and governance developments relevant to national and global security
• Help shape CAST's research agenda by identifying emerging policy questions, contributing to project scoping and design, and supporting client engagement

Qualifications

All research positions at RAND require excellent analytic skills; the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing; the ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team; and a strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity.

Required:

• AI landscape context: demonstrated familiarity with AI capability trajectories, potentially transformative effects and catastrophic risks of these technologies
• AI policy understanding: demonstrated understanding of a wide range of policy and governance approaches to promote beneficial AI, mitigate associated risks, and promote US and allied leadership
• Strong analytical and writing skills: ability to structure analysis clearly, synthesize evidence from diverse sources, and produce concise, well-argued written products for decisionmakers
• Policy pragmatism: ability to navigate tensions between competing priorities - safety, innovation, competitiveness, feasibility - and contribute to implementable options that account for real-world constraints
• Mission-driven and adaptable: thrives in fast-moving and ambiguous environments, able to deliver quality work on short timelines and with limited supervision

Preferred:

• Policy-relevant research or writing: published research, analysis, or commentary on AI or emerging technology policy
• U.S. government context: familiarity with U.S. government policymaking processes or experience engaging policy audiences on technology or national security issues
• AI technical acumen: familiarity with how AI systems are built, deployed, and secured - including training methodologies, evaluation practices, and technical governance approaches
• Quantitative or legal analytical skills that complement the team's existing capabilities

Education and Experience Requirements:

RAND is hiring for this role at the Associate, Specialist, and Expert level of experience.

A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field is required.

Relevant fields include: Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Engineering and Public Policy, Engineering Physics, Information Security, Information Technology, International Relations, Law, Machine Learning, Mathematics, National Security Policy, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Public Policy or Administration, Security Studies, Technology and Policy, or similar.

Minimum requirements for an Associate are:

A PhD in a relevant field.

OR

A Master's degree in the fields listed above with at least 3 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Bachelor's degree in the fields listed above with at least 5 years of relevant professional experience.

Minimum requirements for a Specialist are:

A PhD in the fields listed above with at least 3 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Master's degree in the fields listed above with at least 6 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Bachelor's degree in the fields listed above with at least 8 years of relevant professional experience.

Minimum requirements for an Expert are:

A PhD in the fields listed above with at least 6 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Master's degree in the fields listed above with at least 9 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Bachelor's degree in the fields listed above with at least 12 years of relevant professional experience.

Higher levels of education (e.g. PhD, JD, Master's) or experience are preferred.

Security Clearance:

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance, which includes having U.S. citizenship, is preferred but not required.

Location:

We are actively hiring for this position in Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; Boston, MA; Santa Monica, CA; and Pittsburgh, PA. Washington, DC is our preferred location for this role. We offer a hybrid work arrangement combining work from home and on-site options, and will also consider fully remote work within the U.S.

Term

This position is a 3-year term appointment with a possibility of renewal, alongside options for longer term employment. We are seeking full-time candidates.

Salary Range:

$110,900 - $268,400

AI Policy Resident, Associate = $110,900 - $152,500

AI Policy Resident, Specialist = $126,400 - $183,300

AI Policy Resident, Expert = $171,800 - $268,400

RAND considers a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including but not limited to, the specific role and associated responsibilities; a candidate's work experience, education/training, skills, expertise; and internal equity. Successful candidates will be offered employment in a specific title, as determined by the candidate's education and experience. The salary range includes base pay plus RAND's sabbatic pay (which provides additional compensation above base pay when vacation is taken). In addition, RAND provides strong benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time-off and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer