Research Scientist, Long-term Strategy & Governance

Snapshot

On the Long-term Strategy and Governance Team, we help DeepMind and the world prepare for a world with advanced AI. We map out AI’s potential risks and opportunities from a long-term, global perspective. We work to envision and build recommendations for better governance of AI, identifying actions, norms, and institutional structures that could improve decision-making around advanced AI. We are a collaborative team, with expertise spanning political science, international relations, technology policy, economics, history, institutional design, ethics, and philosophy, and technical AI domains.

We are interested in recruiting a wide range of expertise. Particular areas we are looking for include: global governance of science and powerful technologies; international AI regulations and policy-making; technical AI landscape (see “AI Governance: A Research Agenda”); safety-critical organisations; political economy of large general models and future AI services; macro-strategy.

About Us

Artificial Intelligence could be one of humanity’s most useful inventions! At DeepMind, we’re a team of scientists, engineers, machine learning experts and more, working together to advance the state of the art in artificial intelligence. We use our technologies for widespread public benefit and scientific discovery, and collaborate with others on critical challenges, ensuring safety and ethics are the highest priority.

We’ve built an inclusive environment where collaboration is encouraged and learning is shared freely. We don’t set limits based on what others think is possible or impossible. We encourage each other to push boundaries and achieve ambitious goals!

We constantly iterate on our workplace experience with the goal of ensuring it encourages a balanced life. From excellent office facilities through to extensive manager support, we strive to support our people and their needs in the best way possible.

The role

Research Scientists at DeepMind lead our efforts in developing novel algorithmic architecture towards the end goal of solving and building Artificial General Intelligence.

Research Scientists join DeepMind to work collaboratively within and across a range of research fields. They develop solutions to fundamental questions in machine learning, computational neuroscience, AI and AI policy and governance. We are looking to hire in early- and mid-career levels. Those coming from academia may join us from their PhD, post-doc, or professor positions.

Key responsibilities:

• Propose, contribute to, and lead research projects related to long-term strategy and governance at DeepMind.
• Build and contribute to internal and external collaborations, through involvement in working groups, presentations, and the writing of memos.
• Prepare briefings and recommendations for DeepMind leadership.
• Monitor trends and developments in the AI landscape and implications for long-term strategy and governance.
• Produce insightful, engaging and actionable research papers, memos and risk analysis that are easily digestible by internal decision makers and external stakeholders.
• Proactively build relationships across the company to inform your research and find opportunities for how your work can support other teams.
• Monitor relevant external developments closely, cultivate relationships with external domain experts and partners, and share targeted updates with internal audiences.
• Work in collaboration with our Ethics and Governance teams to ensure our advances in intelligence are developed ethically and provide broad benefits to humanity.

About You

In order to set you up for success as a Research Scientist at DeepMind, we look for the following skills and experience:

• Master’s degree or equivalent research or practical experience in a relevant field.
• Analytical skills.
• The ability to come up to speed quickly on sophisticated political, social, and technical topics.
• Ability to collaborate with a diverse and interdisciplinary range of stakeholders.
• Ability to synthesise complex material into accessible documents, tailored to different audiences.

In addition, the following would be an advantage:

• PhD or equivalent research or practical experience in a relevant field.
• Familiarity with policy-making in and history of major governments relevant to AI, and the global political economy or governance of AI.
• Generalist with a breadth of abilities. Expertise in a relevant field (e.g. political science, international relations, technology policy, economics, history, institution design, philosophy).
• Experience incorporating the perspectives and interests of a diverse range of communities, groups and partners.
• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills.
• Technical AI knowledge.