The Ada Lovelace Institute (Ada) is looking to hire a European Public Policy Lead. This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join and help develop a rapidly growing dynamic and energetic organisation, working at the intersection of technology and society on some of the most pressing policy and technical challenges. It is also a unique opportunity to lead the work of the recently created Brussels office and help develop and grow the work of Ada in Europe.  

The role

This role will take responsibility to lead and deliver Ada’s advocacy and engagement strategy on EU data, AI and technology policy. Initially our major European focus is the EU AI Act and liability rules for AI systems, but we expect the EPPL to increase and evolve Ada’s European presence beyond this, conducting stakeholder engagement with senior officials, creating and deepening partnerships with civil society organisations. The post will be managed by the Ada's Associate Director for Policy (who's based in London). 

This is an established role within Ada, with a record in Brussels already having been established through our policy papers, explainer and in-person event on the AI Act. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to develop the work further and expand the position of the organisation in Europe, acting as Ada’s lead in Europe.  

Strategic engagement, networking and advocacy will be a large part of this role. We are looking for an individual who will identify opportunities, develop and build trusted relationships with lawmakers, officials, diplomates as well as policy and NGO networks predominantly in Europe but also internationally. 

At the same time, the successful applicant will have to act as a bridge between the work of Ada and Europe and not only help the rest of the team build expertise in EU tech affairs but also seek opportunities for them to promote, expand and multiply their work. 

We are looking for an excellent communicator, with ambition to become an expert in the EU tech regulation, primarily on AI and data. The successful candidate will be a strategic and tactical thinker, with a good antenna for impact, able to spot opportunities and evolve Ada’s positioning. Ideally this individual will already have existing relevant networks in Europe and experience influencing European policy or law. They will be open to spend a significant proportion of their time in Brussels. 

Ada’s approach to policy and influencing 

In order to ensure that our work informs policy priorities, law and regulation of data and AI, we: 

• Intervene early and deeply: we are selective and focus on engagement early in policy development, which draws on extensive research, legal analysis or deliberation  

• Work in partnership: we develop relationships with decision-makers and sectoral partners to shape development and practice on the ground  

• Bring sociotechnical perspectives and public voices: we draw on multiple disciplines and perspectives to ensure the policy and regulatory development is informed by a range of evidence, approaches and experience.  

• Build tools and capacity: we acknowledge the novelty and challenge of evolving data and AI tools and support building critical understanding through briefings, tools and frameworks.  

For further information about the role, please click here to download the full job description.

About you

You may have a background working in a policy or regulatory setting, or have extensive experience influencing policy and regulation. You know your way around European landscape, have been following key pieces of policy and regulation evolving around data and AI, and enjoy getting up to speed on new technical debates. You are curious and passionate about the issues which arise at the intersection of technology and society, and committed to bring multidisciplinary, sociotechnical and public evidence to bear on policy making. You’re excited about the opportunity to work with some autonomy in a fast paced and fast-growing organisation, taking a lead role in developing Ada’s position in Europe.  

How to apply 

The closing date for applications is 9am (CET) on Thursday 28th July 2022, with interviews expected to take place on Friday 5th August 2022. 

The online application process will ask that you respond to a few questions (no more than 250-word answers for each) relating to your background, skills, and interest in this role, as well as requiring you 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.

Should you need to make an application in a different format or require any adjustments as part of the application process, please get in touch with us: recruitment@nuffieldfoundation.org

After the deadline closes, we will shortlist candidates and update you on whether your application was successful. Applicants moved to the interview stage should expect: to participate in an hour long interview (with a panel made up of Ada staff and often an external partner), with the potential for a follow-up/second round of interviews.  The interview may involve a presentation or some form of pre-prepared task.

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. 

The Ada Lovelace Institute 

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.