The Ada Lovelace Institute (Ada) is hiring a researcher to support our research into the impacts of AI and data on people and society.

The role

Working closely with our EU Public Policy Lead and other staff members, this researcher will design, deliver, and support the impact of Ada’s projects in our Law and Policy Directorate, which explores how to govern and regulate data and AI to ensure they deliver individual and societal benefits. This includes working on EU and international governance and regulation proposals, AI accountability and risk management in practise, and rebalancing power and democratic oversight for AI, among others.

This role is an excellent opportunity for an early-career researcher to shape emerging discourse, policy, and practice around AI and data-driven technologies. Working with an interdisciplinary team of social scientists, lawyers, policy experts, and more, you will have the opportunity to create research outputs that are designed to deliver Ada's strategy and mission.

Sitting within Ada’s Law and Policy Directorate (and reporting into the EU Public Policy Lead), you will work on a range of projects set by the Directorate’s Associate Director, and will have the support of Communications, Operations, and Policy & Public Affairs specialists. This role may also advise and contribute to other projects within other Directorates, including supporting public engagement projects.

About you 

We are looking for a researcher with strong policy and social science research skills (both qualitative and quantitative) and a strong interest / background in AI and data, particularly in the legislative, regulatory and other governance approaches that can address its impacts. We are interested in candidates familiar with our existing slate of methodologies, including the use of working groups and expert convenings, public deliberation initiatives, quantitative surveys, desk-based research and synthesis, and particularly policy and legal analysis. We welcome new kinds of expertise and methodologies into our team including data science, computer science, futures, or other disciplinary backgrounds.  

You may have a background researching for a policy department or a regulator, a technology company, research institute, charity or academic organisation. You have experience and familiarity with AI and data science concepts, and can engage with technical communities and lay audiences on these topics. You are curious and passionate about the issues which arise at the intersection of technology and society, and are committed to bringing an interdisciplinary and intersectional lens to understanding them. Importantly, you’ll be comfortable taking initiative, working independently and to short deadlines at times. 

 You’ll enjoy working in a team environment, willing to jump into projects and keen to explore areas of policy, technology and practice that you don’t already understand. You’ll appreciate the importance of high standards of rigour in research, but also want to think creatively about communicating and influencing in novel ways. 

Due to the nature of this role, there will be a requirement for regular (monthly) travel between Brussels and London. Our preference is for this role to be based in Brussels, but we'll consider requests to be based in London for those candidates with the existing right to work in the UK.

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

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 (CEST) on Tuesday 7th May 2024, with a first stage of interviews scheduled to take place on the 15th/16th/17th May 2024.

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. 

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 

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

• As a Disability Confident employer, we will offer a guaranteed first stage interview for disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role.  

• 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 for Brussels-based staff includes:  

• 20 days vacation per annum, all public holidays and additional time off for office closure over Christmas.

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

• Meal vouchers

• Health insurance and group insurance/pension scheme

• Contribution towards commuting expenses (public transport or personal bicycle)

• Allowance towards home-working costs

• Frequent opportunities for learning and development (including regular reading days and options for coaching and mentoring) 

• Support with your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. 

• Staff peer groups and social networks.