Senior Officer, AI Technology Policy

Gates Foundation; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 209,100 - 324,100; Full time

Job summary

Gates Foundation in Washington, D.C. is seeking a policy-focused expert to advance the foundation’s AI policy agenda. The role requires translating tech developments into actionable insights for education policy across federal and state systems.

This is a limited‑term position for 24 months in our Washington, DC office. You will engage with technology sector partners, regulators, and educators to shape policy guidance that informs investments and initiatives in AI-enabled tools for students and

Qualifications

• Advanced degree or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Significant experience in technology policy, AI governance, or a closely related field.
• Mastery‑level knowledge of the AI governance landscape, including regulatory activity in the U.S.
• Ability to translate complex technical and regulatory developments into clear analysis for diverse audiences.
• Comfort operating in a policy environment spanning multiple administrations and states.
• Strong analytical and research skills to assess developments and derive implications.
• Familiarity with K‑12 or postsecondary policy is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as internal resource on AI safety, governance, regulation, and technology policy; monitor developments and translate implications for education policy agenda.
• Collaborate with the senior program officer for AI and data infrastructure to ground AI policy perspectives.
• Synthesize evolving technical and regulatory context quickly and accurately.
• Develop briefing materials translating AI governance into actionable implications for leadership and partners.
• Advise program strategy teams on the technology policy landscape and regulatory developments.
• Identify relevant AI governance convenings and contacts worth cultivating.
• Support engagement with tech sector partners, AI governance organizations, and federal agencies.
• Cultivate relationships across technology, academia, civil society, and government.
• Communicate complex policy developments clearly to leadership and external audiences.
• Support inclusive culture by modeling behaviors and timely issue escalation.

Skills

Technology policy

AI governance

Analytical skills

Policy communication

Stakeholder relationships

Regulatory landscape

Education policy

Education

Advanced degree or equivalent

Job description

The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation‑paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The Advocacy & System Improvement team operates as an engine for sustainable impact at scale within U.S. Program. The role of this team is not to develop or deliver solutions, but to enable systems to adopt and sustain effective practices, and to change how systems operate so those practices become standard, scalable, and durable. In this context, the solutions our colleagues develop and deliver are more likely to reach more learners, driving collective progress towards our shared goals.

The Policy & Advocacy team sits within Advocacy & System Improvement and is responsible for building and advancing the foundation’s education policy agenda — translating programmatic learning, field evidence, and strategic priorities into rigorous policy perspectives and effective advocacy strategies that shape how federal and state systems support student success. The team works across K-12, postsecondary, pathways, and data and AI policy domains, and maintains a robust state advocacy function that ensures the foundation’s priorities are reaching the right audiences through the right partners.

This position is located in our Washington DC office and is designated as a limited‑term position for 24 months.

Your Role

You are responsible for providing the deep technical grounding that supports the development and implementation of the foundation’s AI policy by translating developments in AI technology, governance, and industry practice into insights the team can act on. You bring firsthand knowledge of the technology sector, including the stakeholders, dynamics, and realities of how AI systems are built, deployed, and governed in practice, and you bring those perspectives and relationships to the table in service of the team's policy agenda.

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the team's internal resource on AI safety, governance, regulation, and technology policy — monitoring and advising on developments across federal agencies, the technology sector, and national and international AI governance bodies; analyzing emerging and nascent governance frameworks, regulatory proposals, and industry practices; and translating their implications for students, educators, institutions, and the foundation’s education policy agenda.
• Work closely with the senior program officer for AI and data infrastructure to strengthen the team’s AI policy perspectives, ensuring they are well‑grounded in the realities of AI technology, governance, and industry practice.
• Synthesize evolving technical and regulatory context quickly and accurately — identifying what is known, what is uncertain, and what the strategic implications are for the foundation’s work.
• Develop analytical products, briefings, and points of view for the Policy & Advocacy team and division leadership that translate complex AI governance and technology policy developments into actionable implications for the foundation’s work.
• Advise program strategy teams on the technology policy landscape as it relates to their investments in AI‑enabled tools, helping them understand emerging regulatory developments and governance considerations that may affect their strategies.
• Identify relevant AI governance convenings, multistakeholder forums, and technical/policy contacts worth cultivating, and support colleagues who represent the foundation in these spaces.
• Support the team’s engagement with technology sector partners, AI governance organizations, and relevant federal agencies — bringing tech world relationships and perspectives to the table and providing technical grounding that strengthens the foundation’s credibility in these spaces.
• Help identify and cultivate relationships with new stakeholders across the technology sector, academia, civil society, and government — expanding the breadth of perspectives the team can draw on without diluting the rigor of its policy positions.
• Communicate complex technical and policy developments in a clear, structured, and audience‑appropriate way, tailoring analytical products to the needs of foundation leadership, programmatic partners, and external audiences.
• Support inclusive culture through modeling behaviors and actions; expedite issues in a timely fashion to appropriate stakeholders.

Your Experience

• An advanced degree or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Significant experience in technology policy, AI governance, or a closely related field, with demonstrated expertise in how AI systems are developed, deployed, and governed.
• Mastery‑level knowledge of the AI governance landscape, including federal and state regulatory activity, industry self‑regulatory frameworks, and emerging international standards and their implications for AI use in the United States.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex technical and regulatory developments into clear, actionable analysis for diverse audiences, including foundation leadership and programmatic partners, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort and credibility operating in a policy environment that spans changing federal administrations and varied state political contexts, with a track record of building durable relationships that are not tied to a particular party or administration.
• Strong analytical and research skills, including the ability to rapidly assess emerging developments, identify their strategic implications, and develop well‑reasoned points of view under conditions of uncertainty.
• Intellectual curiosity about education and a demonstrated commitment to learning quickly in new domains; familiarity with the K‑12 or postsecondary policy landscape is an asset but not required.

Must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where this position is located. The Foundation does not provide immigration‑related sponsorship for this role.

The salary range for this role is $190,100 to $294,700 USD. We recognize high‑wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $209,100 to $324,100 USD. As a mission‑driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job‑related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.

Hiring Requirements

Employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you have a disability or medical condition and need an accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process—such as an ASL interpreter, alternative interview format, or physical accessibility support—we’re happy to help. Please contact [e-mail] with the position number and a brief description of your accommodation needs. Requests will be handled confidentially.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices. All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.