The Ada Lovelace Institute (Ada) is a hiring an Associate Director to lead our Emerging Technology & Industry Practice research domain and collectively set its agenda and workplan in our next strategy period (to 2029).

This role will report into the Director and manage a team of 4-8 researchers working on projects aimed at:   

• Evidencing the utility, efficacy, and impacts of emerging technologies on impacted communities, primarily in the UK. 

• Assessing the effectiveness and impacts of emerging AI governance and accountability practices like audits, impact assessments, and model evaluations. 

• Encouraging their adoption by a wider set of public and private sector actors. 

• Ensuring global proposals for AI and data regulation reflects our research into emerging accountability practices and technologies and encourage the adoption of these practices within other organisations.  

The role

This role sits within Ada’s 7-person Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and will manage one of Ada’s core research domains. Currently with 6 staff, this team undertakes research exploring the societal implications of emerging technologies and what steps developers of these technologies can take to address them.   

We are looking for candidates with the following qualities:

• Experienced in managing high-performing multidisciplinary research teams with a mixture of accountability, care, and respect. 

• Technically knowledgeable about AI technologies, infrastructure, methods, and development practices, and skilled at translating technical concepts for lay audiences. 

• Connected within relevant networks across the technology industry, funding bodies, and research communities working on responsible AI and governance issues. 

• Proven track record in translating applied research into tangible policy or practice impact. 

• Capable of building strategic relationships to advance responsible technology development 

• Highly motivated to work as part of a skilled, ambitious, caring and expert 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. 

For further information about the role, please download the full job description (PDF).

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.    

• In collaboration with AI Now and the Open Government Partnership, we co-published a survey of the first wave of algorithmic accountability policy mechanisms in the public sector.    

• A survey of technical methods for auditing algorithmic systems.   

• Working with NHSX and several healthcare startups to develop an algorithmic impact assessment framework for firms to use when applying for access to a medical image dataset.    

• A project with the BBC to explore how recommendation engines can be designed with public-service values in mind, and a project exploring participatory methods for data stewardship.   

• Novel thinking on frameworks for transparency registers.    

• A workshop series on the challenges that research ethics committees are grappling with their reviews of AI and data science research, and a workshop series on regulatory inspection and auditing of AI systems.    

About us 

The Ada Lovelace Institute is an independent research institute funded and incubated by the Nuffield Foundation since 2018. Our mission is to ensure data and artificial intelligence work for people and society. We do this by building evidence and fostering rigorous debate on how data and AI affect people and society.  We recognise the power asymmetries that exist in ethical and legal debates around the development of data-driven technologies and seek to level those asymmetries by convening diverse voices and creating a shared understanding of the ethical issues arising from data and AI. Finally, we seek to define and inform good practice in the design and deployment of AI technologies.   

The Institute has emerged as a leading independent voice on the ethical and societal impacts of data and AI. We have built relationships in the public, private and civil society sectors in the UK and internationally. Please find details of our work here. 

Our research takes an interconnected approach to issues such as power, social justice, distributional impact and climate change (read our strategy to find out more), and our team have a wide range of expertise that cuts across policy, technology, academia, industry, law and human rights.  We value diversity in background, skills, perspectives and life experiences. As part of the Nuffield Foundation, we are a small team with the practical support of an established organisation that cares for its employees.

Further information and how to apply 

The closing date for applications is 09:30AM (BST) on Monday 28th April 2025, with a first stage of interviews expected to take place the week of 12th May 2025.  

If you have any questions about the role ahead of applying, please email recruitment@nuffieldfoundation.org and a member of the Nuffield Foundation’s HR team will respond to you.  

 We use the Applied platform to reduce potential cognitive biases in our hiring process.  You will be required to complete some questions as part of this application process, and you are also required to upload an up-to-date copy of your CV. The Applied platform lets you save an application and resume it ahead of submitting before the application deadline.  

We strongly encourage applicants from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the research, policy and technology sectors (for example those from a marginalised community, those who did not go to university or had free school meals as a child). We are committed to tackling societal injustice and inequality through our work, and believe that all kinds of experiences and backgrounds can contribute to this mission. 

We are committed to inclusive working practices and during the application process we commit to:  

• As a Disability Confident employer, we will offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the essential criteria for the job. 

• Making any reasonable adjustments – for example providing documents in different formats, arranging for a sign language interpreter for interviews etc   

• paying for travel costs (and any childcare or care costs) for interviews where in-person attendance is required   

Our benefits package includes:   

• Consideration of requests for part time and/or flexible working (eg compressed hours arrangements, job sharing etc)   

• 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%.   

• Life assurance scheme.   

• Family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay.   

• Cycle to work scheme and loans towards season tickets.   

• Frequent opportunities for learning and development (including options for coaching and mentoring, and reading weeks)  

• 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.  

• Staff peer groups and social networks.